Page 240 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

238 GENERAL GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI

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In the mists of the dawn of October 1 , according to the orders received and
the plan established, the Bourbon troops left Capua and, ranked in attack
columns, moved towards S. Angelo and S. Maria, and quickly attacked the
Garibaldian outposts. The fight did not develop slowly, as was the habit in those
days, with partial attacks and small frays among reconnaissance patrols, but it
broke out as a violent tempest from Tifata to S. Maria. And the number of ene-
mies and their very violent fire made them understand that the royal forces were
not carrying out their usual skirmishes, but wanted to have an open battle.
The first clash occurred in front of S. Angelo, very close to Capua.
The Brigade of the Afan de Rivera Division, marching united to the attack,
clashed with Medici’s weak protection outposts and drove them back to their
main corps but the assailants had not yet realised their easy success when the
volunteers reacted and their decisive counter-attack hit them, stopped them,
drove them back, forced them to seek the support of their 2 nd brigade that fol-
lowed as reinforcements. Then for a moment the superiority of the number
gained the upper hand over the bravery of the volunteers and the Bourbon
troops could resume their advance and reach the first houses of the town,
But there they found Medici, brave and wise, with about 4,500 men. Aware
of the importance of the position entrusted to him and guessing correctly the
intention of the royal generals to conquer S. Angelo and take the defenders of
S. Maria from behind, he mounted a desperate defence against the fury of the
Bourbon troops with all the Spangaro Brigade and the few pieces he had, and
with his usual resolute bravery, by shooting here and leading bayonet counter-
attacks there, he kept his positions or rushed to the regain those he had lost,
and soon convinced his enemies that he would not retreat even one step.
But the brave Medici was not the only one to realise the danger and face it
with determination. Even Garibaldi, who at that time was in S. Maria - where
action was about to start, too – hearing the increasingly loud roar coming from
the foot of Tifata, became immediately worried about the possibility that the
enemy could wedge itself in between Medici and Milbitz and break the front
in two and promptly acted as befitted him: he ordered the Assanti Brigade of
the reserves to move immediately on Caserta and strengthen the connection
between the two sectors of the left flank, he warned general Milbitz «one of his
old comrades of Rome» about the need to remain in Santa Maria and he
brought the most effective help to Medici, since that was what Medici want-
ed the most: his presence.