Page 322 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

304 GENERAL GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI

the already mentioned high ground of Salincerqua, from which “with a
swoop on the village” they will later defeat the enemy’s columns that were
violently attacking the left flank of the Garibaldians east of Mentana. The
two pieces only had 70 loads all together.
Near Colle Santucci the Zouaves are still advancing in their rush, and hav-
ing occupied the Coventino after a last and desperate resistance of the
Garibaldian groups within this last built up area, push towards the Palombara
road. The Zouave’s company of Captain La Messélière on the far right guards
the flank of the array.
Kanzler goes up Casa Santucci amid the cheers of his men.
The rest of the Papal column arrives on the road off Casa Santucci.
The Artillery also advances and completes its array at about14:30 Captain
Polani places on the high ground of Casa Guarnieri (height 191 of S.
Salvatore) a battery of one howitzer and a rifled piece and later, two French
rifled pieces escorted by two companies of the II Foot Hunters battalion
(French). Another Papal piece, Cheynet Division, already in vanguard, is
taken 500 metres from Mentana north of the road and south of Coventino.
That Artillery returned the fire of the enemy and shells the castle, the
nearby small building and the Casa Santuccci in Mentana, causing fires that
are soon put out.
Finally, another Division of the Papal Artillery takes position north of
Colle Santucci adding: “its fire to the pieces placed at a short distance on the
high ground left” of Colle Guarnieri.

THE THIRD ATTACK OF THE PAPAL TROOPS. – Meanwhile, the Papal
Artillery is still advancing; the battalion of the Carabinieri Esteri, that sus-
tained the attack by the Zouaves in Vigna Santucci, continues along the
Nomentana until Fornace (Peschiera). Once arrived, while two companies
attack the barricade on the exit south of Mentana, Lieutenant Colonel
Jeannerat together with the others retreats to the right and goes up to the
field of Tinello through the enclosed country road. The attack against the
south access to Mentana fails, the two companies that carried this out then
retreat and they also reach the rest of the battalion that in the meantime has
lined up on the right of the Zouaves against the Rocca, up to the road of S.
Antonio keeping the right of the Eponymous church.
De Courten then attacks near Vigna Cicconetti and near Pagliai attempt-
ing to surround Montana from the east, but totally beaten by the last artillery