Battle of Varese
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Varese was fought on May 26, 1859 at Varese
(Lombardy
). It was an engagement of the Second Italian War of Independence
, fought between the Italian volunteers formation of the Hunters of the Alps
, led by Giuseppe Garibaldi
, against Austrian troops. The Austrian defeat allowed the movement of the Hunters towards Como
, and obliged the Austrians to keep troops on the northern part of the front.
, had sent the Urban division to settle the matter.
In the meantime, on 25 May, 500 Austrian riflemen, 130 Ulans, and two guns from Gallarate attacked a company led by Carlo De Cristoforis at Sesto Calende, but were rejected to Somma.
) on the right, two battalions on the left (Giacomo Medici
), one battalion in the middle (Nicola Ardoino); two reserve battalions, one at Varese (Nino Bixio
), and one at Biumo Superiore.
The Austrians opened fire with the guns, then moved three columns against the enemy. Cosenz's battalion attacked the incoming Austrians, and routed them into the other columns, repulsing the Austrian attack with the help of the Medici battalion. Urban, overestimating the enemy forces, retreated on Malnate. Medici and Ardoino attacked the retreating Austrians, causing more losses.
Varese
Varese is a town and comune in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 55 km north of Milan.It is the capital of the Province of Varese. The hinterland or urban part of the city is called Varesotto.- Geography :...
(Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
). It was an engagement of the Second Italian War of Independence
Second Italian War of Independence
The Second War of Italian Independence, Franco-Austrian War, Austro-Sardinian War, or Austro-Piedmontese War , was fought by Napoleon III of France and the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia against the Austrian Empire in 1859...
, fought between the Italian volunteers formation of the Hunters of the Alps
Hunters of the Alps
The Hunters of the Alps were a special military corps created by Giuseppe Garibaldi in Cuneo on February 20, 1859 to help the regular Sardinian army to free the northern part of Italy in the Second Italian War of Independence....
, led by Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian military and political figure. In his twenties, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries, and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and...
, against Austrian troops. The Austrian defeat allowed the movement of the Hunters towards Como
Como
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
, and obliged the Austrians to keep troops on the northern part of the front.
The prelude
Garibaldi and his Hunters had moved and occupied Varese, in the night of 23 May. The Austrian commander in chief, Ferencz GyulaiFerencz Gyulai
Count Ferencz Gyulai de Marosnémethi et Nádaska , also known as Ferenc Gyulai, Ferencz Gyulaj, or Franz Gyulai, was a Hungarian nobleman who served as Austrian Governor of Lombardy-Venetia and commanded the losing Austrian army at the Battle of Magenta.-Biography:Gyulai was born on 1 September 1798...
, had sent the Urban division to settle the matter.
In the meantime, on 25 May, 500 Austrian riflemen, 130 Ulans, and two guns from Gallarate attacked a company led by Carlo De Cristoforis at Sesto Calende, but were rejected to Somma.
The encounter
On 26 May, at dawn, Urban arrived at Varese, where Garibaldi had already prepared the defence. The Italians were deployed as: one battalion (Enrico CosenzEnrico Cosenz
Enrico Cosenz was an Italian soldier born at Gaeta.As captain of artillery in the Neapolitan army, he took part in the expedition sent by Ferdinand II against the Austrians in 1848; but after the coup d'etat at Naples, he followed General Guglielmo Pepe in disobeying Ferdinand's order for the...
) on the right, two battalions on the left (Giacomo Medici
Giacomo Medici (general)
Giacomo Medici, Marchese del Vascello was an Italian patriot and soldier.Medici was born in Milan in January 1817...
), one battalion in the middle (Nicola Ardoino); two reserve battalions, one at Varese (Nino Bixio
Nino Bixio
Nino Bixio was an Italian soldier and politician, who fought for the Italian unification.Born in Genoa, while still a boy, Bixio was compelled by his parents to embrace a career in the navy of the Kingdom of Sardinia...
), and one at Biumo Superiore.
The Austrians opened fire with the guns, then moved three columns against the enemy. Cosenz's battalion attacked the incoming Austrians, and routed them into the other columns, repulsing the Austrian attack with the help of the Medici battalion. Urban, overestimating the enemy forces, retreated on Malnate. Medici and Ardoino attacked the retreating Austrians, causing more losses.