Page 323 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

THE 1867 CAMPAIGN 305

fire of the Garibaldians that had almost run out of ammunitions and bril-
liantly counterattacked from the Gattacieca road, is pushed back in disarray
towards S. Antonio and the Conventino.
The battalion of Carabinieri Esteri that had pushed forward in the olive
grove of the Rocca’s high ground finds itself in a critical position, attacked on
the front and right flank; Major Castella, whose horse had been killed under
him, is wounded.
General De Courten then sends Major Cirlot with 5 companies of the
d’Antibo legion and the de la Rochette platoon of Dragoons to contain the
Garibaldian counterattack and to outflank the Garibaldian left further out
beyond the road of S. Antony, going towards the Mentana-Monterotondo
road. The column reaches the Santi’s church and maybe further away towards
the position of the enemy’s artillery, but it is stopped and forced to retreat by
another Garibaldian counterattack from the Gattacieca road together with
one from Villa Cicconetti and in which the XI battalion of the Cantoni’s col-
umn also took part; he died heroically on the battlefield.
The Papal artillery continued its action against Mentana and on the right
of Colle Guarnieri and Vigna Santucci positions.
The Division of Lieutenant Cheynet was gathered in the clearing south of
the Conventino from which it was firing at the building of S. Giorgio. In
order to win the resistance that the Garibaldians were opposing in Villa
Cicconetti, the Division pushed further forward on the high ground of
Pagliai and Captain Dandier had already placed a piece at the foot of the gate
of the villa; but is greatly harassed by the enemy’s fusillade from the sur-
rounding houses that is forced to retreat to a more withdrawn position.
Garibaldi, having again strengthened the left with the X battalion
(Cantoni’s column), orders a general counterattack to be developed through
the two flanks. It is 15:30.
General Kanzler men are very tired, he has no more Papal reserves, and in
the meanwhile the Garibaldian counterattack progresses particularly on the
right in the direction of the Conventino; the situation of the Papal troops is
getting difficult, General de Polhès, Commander of the French column is
asked to support the collapsing troops already engaged.
The French advance along the flanks in company’s columns, energetically
supported by the Papal and own artillery, by now fully engaged, while that of
the Garibaldians, having run out of ammunitions, is silent. They advance at
a fast pace, and once arrived at the right distance from the chassepots spread