Page 321 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

THE 1867 CAMPAIGN 303

Missori and Burlando sending them to occupy the hill of S. Salvatore on the right
of the road and the other on the left, which has to be understood also as Vigna
Santucci; this agrees with what is stated by Vitali and Kanzler. At this moment
then, about 13:30, the battalions Stallo, Ciotti, Burlando, Missori and the com-
pany of Longhorn Carabinieri occupy the Vigna Santucci-Torretta front.
Garibaldi goes personally to Colle Santucci and then returns to Mentana at
about 14:00, going past the eastern side of the village through the road of the
Conventino.

THE SECOND ATTACK OF THE PAPAL TROOPS – Across the Nomentana, the
Zouaves led by Lieutenant Colonel de Charette, supported by the battalion of the
Carabinieri Esteri (minus one company), attack the Casali (Homesteads), the
strong village of Santucci and Conca Guarnieri, while further on the left Colonel
d’Argi with a company of Carabinieri Esteri, groups of Zouaves and part of his
legionnaires of Antibo, attacks the high ground of S. Salvatore, defeating its
defenders that with their gunfire were molesting the left of the Papal army.
The Artillery Division in position, attacks Colle Santucci until the end,
Garibaldi watches the battle from the exit south of Mentana.
It is about 14:00, the sky is almost completely clear. The attack is violent; the
defence is brave and obstinate. De Charette’s horse is killed, but at the end Colle
Santucci is taken and the Garibaldians are pushed back on the Conventino and
Mentana; Colle Guarnieri and Colle S. Salvatore are also taken.
Meanwhile Garibaldi ordered the Valzania column to take position to the
west of Mentana on the high ground of Salincerqua, “on the hills on the right
from Mentana as the crows fly”, deploying his battalions from left to right VII,
VIII and IX, at the far right the Semenza company of the VII battalion
detached around Monte Pizzuto (Pizzuto Mountain).
The Frigyesy columns (IV, XIII, V and VI battalions) and Elia (XVIII and
XIX) occupy the castle and the village of Mentana, Rocca and the high ground
of Pagliai, right on the east of the village; the exit on the south of the village is
closed with a strong barricade. The broken up battalions (XXI, XXII, XXIII)
are pushed further left towards S. Antonio and the Coventino; the Salomone
column (III and I), in reserve and the northern entry of Mentana; the Cantoni
column, that formed the rearguard, remained also in reserve where it was on
the road of Monterotondo nearby Casa Manzi.
The Garibaldian Artillery that as said previously was composed of the two
Papal pieces taken in Monterotondo, took position northwest of Mentana on