Page 92 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

90 GENERAL GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI

of his regiment, but did not have enough experience as commander in chief
of the army of the Republic».
th
With about 10,000 men, General Roselli went out of Rome on May 16 :
his vanguard (2310 men and 2 cannons) was led by General Marocchetti; the
main part (6652 men and 6 guns) by Garibaldi; the rearguard (1912 men
and 4 cannons) by Galletti. This time, too, it was decided not to lead a
frontal attack against the Bourbon troops, but to attack them on their flank,
crossing the plain and heading towards Valmontone. When, however, they
reached the latter, Garibaldi, advancing on the road to Velletri, realised that
the Bourbons were withdrawing from the Alban Hills, probably because they
had sensed the threat on their flank and the rearguard. Being anxious not to
let his enemies flee, the general decided to take responsibility of the necessary
measures to cut off the retreat to King Ferdinand (who had come to take the
lead of his troops), and keep him at bay with the vanguard while informing
Roselli to advance quickly with the central Division. This move was certain-
ly against discipline, and as such it was judged by all the historians of that
day, but it was unquestionably correct, from a tactical and strategic perspec-
tive.
A fight was therefore engaged between Garibaldi’s cavalry and the
Bourbon one; the latter, by far much stronger, was about to prevail, when
Garibaldi – in the absence of Masina, who had temporarily taken the lead of
the Italian legion – threw himself into the fray, which would have been fatal
to him had not a handful of very young legionnaires promptly intervened,
catching the Bourbons between two fires and forcing them to withdraw. «I
believe –Garibaldi later confessed – that I mainly owed my safety to those
valiant youth, since horses and cavalrymen had trampled on me and I was so
bruised and injured that I could not move».
However, he had to remain in a difficult position for the rest of the day,
and watch over the enemy, barricaded in Velletri, where a vigorous charge led
by Masina and Daverio had pushed them. It seems that King Ferdinand had
wanted to avoid starting fighting at all costs, resolved, as he was to withdraw.
In fact, while Garibaldi waited for the main part of his troops to come, the
Neapolitan troops went out from the southern gate of the city and set off on
the coastal road that, through the Pontine Marshes and Terracina, led to
Naples.
General Roselli, who arrived only at dusk after openly manifesting his dis-