Page 325 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

THE 1867 CAMPAIGN 307

The French advanced very slowly; this is the beginning of the “hit and
run” firing tactic of the 1870.
A few hundred Garibaldians that were supposed to form the rearguard, cut
off from the French-Papal troops that had reached beyond the church of Santi
at the far north of Mentana, stay in the village where they barricaded themselves.
In the meantime Major Troussures is also advancing through the foot of
Monte S.Angelo up to Vigne Nuove through the small road north of S.
Giorgio, an area already cleared by the Garibaldians. He had a look at the
Church of Santi, and having noticed that Mentana is still occupied by the vol-
unteers, and believing there were insufficient forces to attack both this place or
the Cappuccini, continues later on crossing the road of Monterotondo and
st
going to Torretta where that evening the 1 line regiment of Frémont joins the
far right of the line. The sun is about to set; general Kanzler orders the decisive
attack against Mentana to finish the action before night.
The French are also called to the centre that until now has been in the
hands of the Papal troops: General de Polhés and Colonel Berger at the head
of two battalions of the French 59 th line regiment and the remaining com-
panies of the II battalion of Foot Hunters, following the Nomentana, and
later the enclosed road east of Mentana already covered by the Papal
Carabinieri, drive away the Garibaldians from the vines and barns east of
Mentana, but do not manage to enter the village that is barricaded and
flanked by isolated houses occupied by volunteers.
Meanwhile the left of the French-Papal troops, the Saussier column,
advances west of Mentana and from Salincerqua come close to Vigne Nuove
and across from the Cappuccini.
It’s past 17:00 and getting dark; Mentana is surrounded from all sides, the
retreat carried out too slowly by those defending Mentana is no longer possible
and what was supposed to be the rearguard has been cut off and sent back to
the village. But Kanzler postpones the attack to the following day the fire slows
down, then stops altogether; the Papal troops are reorganised and mixed with
the French: the Frémont and Saussier columns, that were the most advanced,
st
th
are ordered to retreat during the night: the 1 line regiment with the 50 , and
the 29 th with the Papal Zouaves possibly on the Colle di S. Salvatore; the
Carabinieri Esteri and the legionnaires withdrawn from the front and gathered
respectively at Casa Guarnieri and the Immaginella homesteads; then, “having
taken the necessary military precautions”, a camp is set up for the night on the
battlefield surrounding Mentana half a gunshot away, with strong and good