Page 155 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

THE 1859 CAMPAIGN 153

recalled to give those populations the chance of self-government. The provi-
sional governments set up in those regions got together – as we know – into
the Lega dell’Italia Centrale (League of Central Italy), whose first thought was
to provide for its own defence, calling to the command of the Divisions of
Tuscany Romagna and Emilia respectively Garibaldi Pietro Roselli and Luigi
Mezzacapo.
Garibaldi, leaving the brave companions of Varese, and S. Fermo, on
August 30 went to Modena to take on the command of the Tuscan Division
– already under the orders of general Ulloa – which, on returning from the
Mincio, had been detained to protect the provinces of the Emilia region.
Soon after General Manfredo Fanti, who had been dispensed from service in
the Sardinian army, took on the command of the army of the League and
nominated General Garibaldi as second-in-command.
The difficult position in which the two generals found themselves in those
troubled and eventful months is well known as are the cordial talks that at
that time Garibaldi had with the King, who, with prophetic intuition, on
November 16 asked the Hero to withdraw from his service to the League, in
the certitude that soon the Homeland would have needed him. And
Garibaldi, putting aside any personal consideration, calmly obeyed. He
resigned from the command he had had until then and left for Nice and
Caprera.