Page 310 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

292 GENERAL GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI

Castella of the Carabinieri Esteri: the Nomentano Bridge and the Mammolo
Bridge were occupied in force.
When the Garibaldians advance from Casal dei Pazzi, the Papal troops
come out of the Nomentano Bridge and take position on Monte Sacro across
st
Casal dei Pazzi; it is the 1 company of the Antibo legion (captain de Séré)
reinforced by the Zuaves companies of De Veaux and de Charette Alain.
They show signs of encircling the left flank of the volunteers; Garibaldi
instead of worrying about this gives orders to reinforce his right with the
Valzania column (1200 men) called from Castel Giubileo. This advances
with the VII and VIII battalions in the firing line and occupies three houses
(those of Prati Fiscali?) between Salario Bridge and Casal dei Pazzi; the IX
battalion is gathered together in reserve.
Garibaldi also gives orders not to respond to fire, intending in this way to
get his young troops used to being calm and to economise on scarce ammu-
nitions; he only allows a few shots to marksmen.
The Papal troops do not attack; in the evening, with more reinforcements
they advance a little: after 6 hours of bloodless skirmishes, they retreat on
Monte Sacro.
It seemed that in Garibaldi’s camp nothing was yet known of the French
landing; but during the night the news arrive and this gives rise to deep dis-
couragement.
On the evening of the 30 at the Cecchina homestead, the hope of a revolt
in Rome frustrated, Garibaldi decides and prepares the retreat on
Monterotondo that begins a few hours before dawn of the 31. At the break
of the day, a Division of the Papal artillery, arrived during the night, scours
Casal dei Pazzi and the houses already occupied by the Valzania column that
had been abandoned the previous evening; two companies attack Casal dei
Pazzi, while three others of Carabinieri Esteri came out of the Mammolo
Bridge to outflank this locality; some stragglers were taken prisoner. At the
same time three companies of the indigenous line regiment that had crossed
the Aniene with boats near the Salario Bridge, went as far as Castel Giubileo.
This was vain move.
But the retreat of the Garibaldians takes place with much disorder; Barrili,
who was at the rearguard, insures that the road was scattered with weapons aban-
doned by entire companies and several disbanded volunteers. The defeatists,
inevitable in any failure, insinuated that the retreat foreshadowed the abandon-
ment of the venture; Garibaldi has bitter words about this in his “Memoirs”.