Page 328 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

310 GENERAL GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI

the freedom to leave Mentana with weapons and their equipment and retreat
over the border: these conditions are rejected. While the discussion is taking
place, two companies of the 59 th French line regiment led by Lieutenant
Colonel Bressoles enters Mentana to evaluate the situation and occupy the bar-
ricades without encountering resistance. Major de Fauchon, attached to the Staff
of General Kanzler – or Lieutenant Colonel Bressoles, according to de Failly –
after taking many prisoners goes to the castle summoning their surrender.
It is decided that:
1) The Garibaldians will be considered prisoners of the French and not the
Papal army; therefore they will not be taken to Rome, but escorted to the
Italian border by French troops;
2) Officers will keep their weapons;
3) The prisoners will not enter Monterotondo.
These conditions are ratified by the French-Papal command.
At about 15:00 the Garibaldians taken inside the castle (about 700
according to de Failly) are taken to the Italian border escorted by a company
of the 59 th – captain Fougérousse – while those taken outside the castle and
during the battle of the previous day were taken to Rome.
Among the prisoners taken at Mentana were also doctors and personnel of
the Garibaldian ambulance that during the battle had operated in a small
church of the village.
The victorious troops returned to Rome in triumph on the afternoon of
the 6 th November welcome by big official celebrations and the commemora-
tive Cross of Mentana was placed in remembrance of the victory.

According to the official report of gen. Kanzler the French-Papal troops
had the following losses, divided in this way between the various corps:

Papals:
- Zouaves: 24 dead of which one officer (captain de Veaux), 57 wounded of
which 2 officers (Lieutenant Jacquemont and second Lieutenant
Dujardin);
- Legion d’Antibo: 6 wounded;
- Carabinieri Esteri: 5 dead, 37 wounded of which 2 officers (Major
Castella and Second Lieutenant Devorschek);
- Artillery: 1 dead, 2 wounded;
- Dragoons: 1 wounded.