Page 241 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

FROM THE STRAITS TO THE VOLTURNO 239

Accompanied by some scouts, Missori, Basso and Arrivabene, he headed
for S. Angelo. Guerzoni reported that it was about 6am and that the battle
was raging on the entire front by then, since at that time the vanguard of von
Mechel’s Bavarians had clashed with the outposts of Bixio and Perrone had
crossed the Volturno near Limatola, when the coach with the Dictator was
invested by a series of gunshots not far from S. Angelo and then assaulted by
many enemies who had suddenly appeared from protected roads. But
Garibaldi was promptly protected by Mosto’s Genoese men and Simonetta’s
Lombard volunteers and could continue his march. However, when he
arrived in S. Angelo, just when the Bourbon light infantrymen were penetrat-
ing the built-up area and tried secretly to go around the town, he almost fell
again into the hands of his enemies. At this point the general reverted to
being a simple fearless soldier. Charging at the head of his escort and other
volunteers who had rushed there, he opened his way with fixed bayonet
among crowds of enemies and could finally reach Medici, who, from the hill
of S. Iorio, was directing the fight. And from there the commander who, at
the right time, knew how to perform heroic actions to inflame the combat-
ants and lead them smiling to their death, gathered around him some battal-
ions, with the support of two pieces, and led them against the enemy, giving
the signal for a general counter-attack. In this way, the Bourbon troops had
to stop their advance and give up their outflanking attempt.
In front of Capua, along the right bank of the Volturno, on all the Tifatini
Mountains, the fight was now bravely fought, among clouds of smoke and
powder, in which at times a glimmer of weapons appeared.
Bravery was demonstrated through heroic actions and death seemed
sweeter. The deficiencies of fire power did not prevent the battalions march-
ing united against their enemies, preceded by their leaders with their swords
unsheathed, their standards unfurled, to the sound of the drums. War was
not yet dominated by huge and brutal machines that kill from far away and
men did not yet dig, in mud and blood, the trenches that could be their safe-
ty, but that often turned out to be their graves.
In the unceasing roar of rifles and cannons, cavalrymen galloped to brave
charges, the war cry echoed across the contended hills and the wave of the red
shirts stood out with its red flame against the grey and blue uniforms of the
Bourbon troops.
Once the defence of S. Angelo was secured, or at least consolidated, it was
necessary to assure the safety of S. Maria; the other stronghold of the resist-