Page 281 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

THE 1866 CAMPAIGN 263

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1 battalion of Bersaglieri (Mosto); left three regiments to guard his back and
to protect Brescia between Salò and Lonato, after sending the bulk of the 4 th
regiment (Cadolini) and the battalion of Bersaglieri (Castellini) as reinforce-
ment of the defence of Valcamonica, where, a few days before, he had sent a
battalion of that regiment.
That same day, on the evening of the 2 nd , the archduke Albert wired
Kuhn ordering him to take again the defensive.
The battles of Suello Mountain (3 rd of July) and Vezza d’Oglio (4 th of
July) took place before the new order could be executed completely.

On the evening of the 2 nd , while the Brigade of the red shirts (this was
the name of the Infantry regiments to distinguish them from the Bersaglieri
st
and the artillery) of Corte (1 and 2 nd regiment) marched towards Caffaro,
two Austrian columns were descending the other way into Italian territory
through the high grounds surrounding Lake Idro from west to east. But on
the morning, after noticing the advance of our men, retreated past the bor-
der, leaving a strong rearguard in the Suello Mountain that dominates, from
the north, the lake and the roads leading to it from the Chiese and its afflu-
ent, the Caffaro. Cleverly, the Corte had sent 4 companies (Major Salomone)
to go around from the left of the Bagolino high ground; but Garibaldi,
arrived at Rocca d’Anfo, impatient to cross the border, ordered two compa-
nies of Bersaglieri (Evangelisti and Bezzi) to act on the right of the Suello
Mountain position, that he ordered to attack immediately from the front.
It was, in certain respects, what had happened six years before in
Calatafimi; but not all the volunteers had the impetus and the energy of the
Mille to climb up the sheer cliffs of the mountain that dominates the plain
below from 500 metres. Four companies of kaiserjäger (800 men) kept guard
on the high ground and four more infantry companies kept guard on the sur-
rounding area. The volunteers, although fired at with precise shots that they
are unable to respond effectively climb up slowly, forcing the Austrians, with
repeated attacks, to retreat higher up to the top. But the laborious energy of
the attackers at this point fails. “In vain Bruzzesi and Corte tried to put fresh
life into them with their voice and their example….in vain the officers incite
the flourishing youths to battle: and Bottino dies, Vianelli dies, Trasselli, Piazzi
and Mayer and many others fall wounded on the bloody slope; in vain
Garibaldi himself shouts, reprimands, harasses: wounded himself at the top of
his thigh he had to recognise the necessity to retreat” (Guerzoni). A slow,