Page 309 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

THE 1867 CAMPAIGN 291

fact that the Papal troops fought with their back sheltered by the walls, while
the Garibaldians were in open grounds, at a disadvantage in terms of visibil-
ity of target, certainly with scarce order and art and were subjected to an
active enemy’s artillery which although little was not returned.

THE RAID ON ROME AND THE RETREATTO MONTEROTONDO

In the days of the 16 th and the 27 th October, Garibaldi remained in
Monterotondo to reorganise his volunteers, the majority camped between
Fonte di Papa and Forno Nuovo. On the 27 th he ordered the occupation of
the Marcigliana homestead and that a battalion (XIV, Marini) was to go with
th
Panciani to Tivoli where it arrived on the 29 , one was to remain in
Monterotondo where Carbonelli was in command; another (II, Ciotti) in
Mentana; the rest was to follow him in the advance on Rome. On the evening
of the 27 th – a grey autumn day – he went to the S. Colomba homestead
th
near Forno Nuovo on the Salaria and remained there also on the 28 .
On this same day the Garibaldians of the Marcigliana advanced and occu-
pied Castel Giubileo where Garibaldi arrived on the 29 th with the majority
of his forces.
th
At dawn of the 30 , General Fabrizi reached the headquarters in Castel
Giubileo together with General Lante di Montefeltro.
It appears that Garibaldi, worried about the collapse of the Salario Bridge
th
blown up by the Papal troops on the 29 , ordered that gather all the floats
to build a makeshift bridge on the small Teverone. But it appears that, on the
th
night of the 30 , these few boats were retaken by a detachment of the Papal
Navy with small boats and by swimming across the river.
It seems that the operation took place under the protection of a line
detachment led by Captain Cerbara.
th
On he morning of the same day, the 30 , perhaps with the intention giv-
ing heart and in the hope of the needed support for revolts in Rome,
Garibaldi carries out a reconnaissance beyond Villa Spada up to Casal Dei
Pazzi, occupying the high ground across the Nomentano Bridge with two
battalions of Bersaglieri (Stallo and Burlando). A detachment on the left kept
watch of the Mammolo Bridge on the Tiburtina, the other Garibaldian
troops were staggered between Cecchina, Villa Spada and the Marcigliana.
The Papal outposts were on the Aniene under the command of Major