Page 242 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

240 GENERAL GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI

ance line, and Garibaldi well understood the necessity of this.
Moreover, his warrior insight told him that this area was the place from
where to launch the decisive action that would conclude that day in his
favour. And therefore, as soon as the situation in the right sector was re-estab-
lished, and even before his departure for S. Maria, he ordered General Türr
to move with all his troops towards that place.
His order was immediately carried out. With the help of the rolling stock
available, the Milano Brigade was immediately sent there; they were fol-
lowed by the Eber Brigade and then also by Türr and Sirtori who left Caserta
together with the last units of their force. Soon all Garibaldi’s reserves left
the city, in which only the residents remained, shut in their houses out of fear
arising from the roar of the fight, now nearing their town.
In the meantime Garibaldi, in the middle of the square of S. Maria, indif-
ferent to the bullets flying around him, was impatiently waiting for the arrival
of the troops he had requested, since the situation of his left flank remained
critical. General Milbits, wounded, had to leave the command and around S.
Maria the battalions of Corrao, La Porta, Pace, the Assanti Brigade, the
troops of Palizzolo, Laugè, Sprovieri, Malenchini, Fardella, backed by the few
pieces of the brave Major Angherà, supported by the Piedmontese soldiers,
were fighting at their best, without retreating even one steps faced with the
furious fight engaged by the Bourbon troops. And also the French company
that was still named after de Flotte, the loyal soldier who had fallen in
Calabria, barricaded in a farmstead, and held out against the repeated attacks
of the enemy.
The progress of the royal forces was stopped and contained, but it was not
opportune to endure passively their desperate attempts to break the front.
After such a long fight, the balance between the two opposing forces was
about to be re-established and if the coming troops could guarantee further
resistance, it would be necessary to exploit the incipient disappointment of
the enemy, who started to realize the uselessness of his resolute efforts, to
advance and counter-attack the enemy on the road to Capua, drive him back
to that walled city from where he had boldly left to seek victory.
The possibilities of that situation were clearly seen by the commander
and, with the usual prudence he showed, even in moments when he seemed
to be led only by his recklessness, he ordered some units of the Eber Brigade
to strengthen the areas that seemed more in danger or more unsafe, while he
decided to leave S. Maria with the Milano Brigade.