Page 289 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

THE 1866 CAMPAIGN 271

ing from Storo and Darzo and, even more, reassured by the presence of
Garibaldi coming in a carriage at the first sound of fire. They could still stand
up to it. Meanwhile though, another Austrian column coming from the Val
di Ledro, advancing under cover through the cliffs of the Giovo Mountain,
fired incessantly on the road from Condino to Storo and a detachment,
climbed to the peak of Rocca Pagana was pounding the roads of Storo and
even Garibaldi’s headquarters. The intervention of a half battery of artillery
and some companies of the 9 th regiment stopped the first column, and a
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company of the 7 , that had moved to surround the detachment of Rocca
Pagana, stopped the advance from that side: as a result of this, the Austrians,
confronted from all sides, lacking a large division that could go around
Garibaldi’s left side which had no time for any action, abandoned the offen-
sive and retreated on the entire line.
The day of Cimego and Condino, in which more or less about 1,800 vol-
unteers took part, cost them 28 dead, 133 wounded and 190 prisoners. The
Austrians, in a dominant and protected position only suffered one dead offi-
cer and about twenty wounded. The two parties claimed victory that in real-
ity first smiled on the Austrians, but ended by leaving the volunteers in con-
th
trol of the field, so that, without delay, on the following day of the 17 , they
advanced in the Val di Ledro, after a battle in Pieve di Ledro, fought by the
2 nd regiment (Spinazzi).
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st
Meanwhile, since the 15 , the 1 brigade had begun the conquest of the
Ampola fort (aka Glisenti fort) under the direction of artillery Major
Dogliotti. In this artillery Lieutenant Tancredi Alasia stood out for his brav-
ery and courage and gave his life when he went under the fort hitting it with
accurate and effective shots, the first of which broke the mast of the flag. On
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the 19 , after an honourable resistance, the garrison of the fort surrendered
leaving in our hands 4 officers, 172 privates, artilleries and ammunitions and
the unopposed possession of the Val di Lendro, making it possible to attempt
the undertaking of Riva through the roads of Lenzumo and Pranzo.
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On the 18 , at Nota Mountain, on the border, there was the battle that
cost the 2 nd regiment (Spinazzi) 14 dead, 42 wounded, and 28 missing, and
this opened the pass to lake Ledro.
Garibaldi ordered the immediate advance of the 9 th regiment on Tiarno.
But General Kuhn, having got the idea that the Italian troops were marching
in the Val Brenta (with Medici), decided to attack and defeat Garibaldi before
confronting the new and still far off threat.