Battle of Volturnus (1860)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Volturnus or Volturno refers to a series of military clashes between Giuseppe Garibaldi
's volunteers and the troops of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies occurred around the river Volturno
, in northern Campania
, in September and October 1860. The main battle took place on October 1, 1860 between 24,000 garibaldines (with Hungarian volunteers) and 25,000 Bourbon troops.
After Garibaldi's Expedition of Thousand had conquered Sicily and much of southern Italy with a startling speed, entering in Naples on September 7, while the King Francis II of Two Sicilies took refuge in the powerful fortress of Gaeta
, midway from Rome to Naples. In the meantime the Neapolitan army was rebuilt in Capua
under marshal Giosuè Ritucci, the first skirmishes with Garibaldi's volunteers occurring on September 26 and 29.
On September 30 a Neapolitan corps crossed the Volturno at Triflisco, marching towards Santa Maria a Vologno, but were halted by two Garibaldine brigades. The following day Ritucci then decided a frontal attack with two divisions against Garibaldi's centre, which occupied a line running from Sant'Angelo in Formis
and Santa Maria a Vico
. After defeating the enemy, Ritucci was to reach Caserta
and then Naples
itself.
The two armies met on the western front, in which the Neapolitans, spurred by the presence of Francis himself, forced the Garibaldines to retreat. Garibaldi and his fellow Giacomo Medici
intervened, re-establishing the situation. Harsh fights were taking place in the meantime at Santa Maria, but at 6 PM the Neapolitans were pushed back; the Garibaldines were however defeated on the hills neat Monte Tifata, Monte Vito and Castel Morrone
.
Nino Bixio
, who defended the road to Maddaloni
, was initially defeated by the attack of the Bavaria
n and Swiss
brigade of General von Mechel. In his support arrived colonel Giuseppe Dezza
with two Bersaglieri
battalions, which pushed back von Mechel northwards, up to Ducenta
.
At that point the only undefeated Bourbon column was that of colonel Perrone, who was in Capua
with c. 3,000 troops. The city was attacked on 2 AM by the Garibaldines and one Piedmontese regular Bersaglieri battalion, and captured.
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...
's volunteers and the troops of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies occurred around the river Volturno
Volturno
The Volturno is a river in south-central Italy.-Geography:It rises in the Abruzzese central Apennines of Samnium near Rocchetta a Volturno and flows southeast as far as its junction with the Calore River near Caiazzo and runs south as far as Venafro, and then turns southwest, past Capua, to...
, in northern Campania
Campania
Campania is a region in southern Italy. The region has a population of around 5.8 million people, making it the second-most-populous region of Italy; its total area of 13,590 km² makes it the most densely populated region in the country...
, in September and October 1860. The main battle took place on October 1, 1860 between 24,000 garibaldines (with Hungarian volunteers) and 25,000 Bourbon troops.
After Garibaldi's Expedition of Thousand had conquered Sicily and much of southern Italy with a startling speed, entering in Naples on September 7, while the King Francis II of Two Sicilies took refuge in the powerful fortress of Gaeta
Gaeta
Gaeta is a city and comune in the province of Latina, in Lazio, central Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is 120 km from Rome and 80 km from Naples....
, midway from Rome to Naples. In the meantime the Neapolitan army was rebuilt in Capua
Capua
Capua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now...
under marshal Giosuè Ritucci, the first skirmishes with Garibaldi's volunteers occurring on September 26 and 29.
On September 30 a Neapolitan corps crossed the Volturno at Triflisco, marching towards Santa Maria a Vologno, but were halted by two Garibaldine brigades. The following day Ritucci then decided a frontal attack with two divisions against Garibaldi's centre, which occupied a line running from Sant'Angelo in Formis
Sant'Angelo in Formis
Sant'Angelo in Formis is an abbey in the municipality of Capua, southern Italy. The church, dedicated to St. Michael Archangel, lies on the westerns slopes of Monte Tifata....
and Santa Maria a Vico
Santa Maria a Vico
Santa Maria a Vico is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 30 km northeast of Naples and about 13 km southeast of Caserta.It has a largely agricultural economy.-History:...
. After defeating the enemy, Ritucci was to reach Caserta
Caserta
Caserta is the capital of the province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy. It is an important agricultural, commercial and industrial comune and city. Caserta is located on the edge of the Campanian plain at the foot of the Campanian Subapennine mountain range...
and then Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
itself.
The two armies met on the western front, in which the Neapolitans, spurred by the presence of Francis himself, forced the Garibaldines to retreat. Garibaldi and his fellow Giacomo Medici
Giacomo Medici (general)
Giacomo Medici, Marchese del Vascello was an Italian patriot and soldier.Medici was born in Milan in January 1817...
intervened, re-establishing the situation. Harsh fights were taking place in the meantime at Santa Maria, but at 6 PM the Neapolitans were pushed back; the Garibaldines were however defeated on the hills neat Monte Tifata, Monte Vito and Castel Morrone
Castel Morrone
Castel Morrone is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 35 km north of Naples and about 6 km north of Caserta...
.
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...
, who defended the road to Maddaloni
Maddaloni
Maddaloni is a town and comune of Campania, Italy, in the province of Caserta, about 5 km SE of Caserta, with stations on the railways from Caserta to Benevento and from Caserta to Avellino.-Main sights:...
, was initially defeated by the attack of the Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n and Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
brigade of General von Mechel. In his support arrived colonel Giuseppe Dezza
Giuseppe Dezza
thumb|250px|Monument to Giuseppe Dezza in Milan, by Enrico Cassi.Giuseppe Dezza was an Italian general and patriot.-Biography:Dezza was born in Melegnano, Lombardy...
with two Bersaglieri
Bersaglieri
The Bersaglieri are a corps of the Italian Army originally created by General Alessandro La Marmora on 18 June 1836 to serve in the Piedmontese Army, later to become the Royal Italian Army...
battalions, which pushed back von Mechel northwards, up to Ducenta
Trentola-Ducenta
Trentola-Ducenta is a comune in the Province of Caserta in the Italian region Campania, located about 20 km northwest of Naples and about 15 km southwest of Caserta...
.
At that point the only undefeated Bourbon column was that of colonel Perrone, who was in Capua
Capua
Capua is a city and comune in the province of Caserta, Campania, southern Italy, situated 25 km north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. Ancient Capua was situated where Santa Maria Capua Vetere is now...
with c. 3,000 troops. The city was attacked on 2 AM by the Garibaldines and one Piedmontese regular Bersaglieri battalion, and captured.
See also
- Risorgimento
- Expedition of the ThousandExpedition of the ThousandThe Expedition of the Thousand was a military campaign led by the revolutionary general Giuseppe Garibaldi in 1860. A force of volunteers defeated the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, leading to its dissolution and annexation by the Kingdom of Sardinia, an important step in the creation of a newly...
- Giuseppe GaribaldiGiuseppe GaribaldiGiuseppe 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...
- Siege of Gaeta (1860)Siege of Gaeta (1860)The Siege of Gaeta was the concluding event of the war between the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. It started on November 5, 1860 and ended February 13, 1861, and took place in Gaeta, in today's Southern Lazio .-Background:...