Page 98 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

96 GENERAL GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI

reserves for too long by order of Roselli. One of their companies was immedi-
ately sent to occupy the Giacometti house, a small-sized but solid building
located almost in front of the «Vascello», on the other side of the road, offer-
ing a good range of fire on Villa Corsini’s gardens and windows; other two
companies launched a new counter-attack against Villa Corsini. With their
feathers flying in the wind, the bold Lombard Bersaglieri rushed up on the
steep slope, but, welcomed by sustained gunshots, were forced to throw them-
selves to the ground and remain there for a few minutes under the fire of the
French, so more numerous and better sheltered. Among the officers who stood
upright and assisted unmoved to this slaughter, Captain Enrico Dandolo fell,
pierced by a bullet; only then did Manara order to sound the retreat.
In the meantime the Giacometti house had been successfully occupied,
and from its windows the Bersaglieri fired against the walls of Villa Corsini;
perhaps, if Garibaldi had made that house the core of a new counter-attack
and concentrated all the artillery fire against the Villa, he could still have
changed the outcome of that day. But he, perhaps tired, perhaps trusting too
much the enthusiasm and heroism of his legionnaires, persisted in the fatal
mistake of launching attacks with a few handfuls of soldiers against that pow-
erful position. And so, being still available a small reserve of Bersaglieri led by
Emilio Dandolo, Enrico’s brother, he incited them to a new attack. They
were but some twenty men, led by a nineteen-year-old youth; yet, the gener-
al’s invitation was an order to them, and, in a hazardous undertaking that
seemed a foolish act more than anything else, they flew to their death. Out
of the twenty, eight soon fell in their own blood and Dandolo himself had a
leg torn to pieces by a grape shot.
Under the midday heat, the fire continued relentlessly from both sides;
from Giacometti house, from Vascello and the ramparts, Garibaldi’s soldiers
rained blows upon Villa Corsini’s facade, now weakening from all sides.
All of a sudden, the French fire seemed to slow down: perhaps the front-line
troops were being changed. Garibaldi thought that this was the best moment
to carry out an extreme attempt; this time the honour went to Masina, with his
lancers, joined by General Galletti, although wounded in his arm. And there-
fore two glorious wounded led that impetuous band of cavalrymen who
launched themselves up the slope into a gallop; always galloping, Masina was
seen on the staircase while he knocked down and slashed French soldiers.
At this sight of sublime boldness, the many astonished spectators who wit-