The Life of General Garibaldi / Translated from his private papers; with the history of his splendid exploits in Rome, Lombardy, Sicily and Naples, to the present time.

by Giuseppe Garibaldi

OFFICIAL REPORT

OF THE REPULSE OF THE FRENCH ADVANCE OF 8,000 MEN UNDER GENERAL OUDINOT, UNDER THE WALLS OF ROME—THE FIRST BATTLE: APRIL 30TH, 1849.

(Translated for the present work.)

Arrangements of the Battle of the 30th of April.

The Triumvirate, with information furnished by the Minister of War, Citizen General Avezzana, publishes the following report:

The time necessary to collect, from the different military chiefs, the particulars relative to the engagement of April 30th, has prevented us from publishing earlier a precise relation. Now, since such particulars have been minutely transmitted, we fulfil that duty with such scrupulous exactness, as is demanded by the truth of history and the just desires of the public.

From the 29th, the commander in chief of the arms of the Republic, General Avezzana, who is also the Minister of War, was fully informed of the enemy's approach by the numerous scouting parties, whose reports were confirmed by a French prisoner, who, the same day, fell into an ambush of our advance-posts.

On the morning of the 30th, the telegraph giving notice of the advance of the enemy's forces, announced at nine o'clock, that they were within five miles of Rome; and the Minister of War sent a captain of the general staff to the cupola of St. Peter's, to remain there until the firing should commence, to observe all the movements of the enemy, and discover their numbers and their intentions.

In the meantime all measures were taken in the city to repel the aggression, with such desperate energy as is inspired by the holiness of right and the justice of the cause. Strong and numerous barricades, at all the gates and in all the principal streets, especially on the right side of the Tiber, forbade all access into the city; the bastions, rising above, crowned with cannon, were prepared to fire upon the enemy; and the young army, impatient with warlike ardor, placed at the different points where the attack was expected, was disposed in the following order: The first brigade, commanded by General Garibaldi, and composed of the first Italian Legion, the battalion of the University, the battalion of the Reduced, the Legion of Exiles, and the Mobilized Finanzieri, occupied, outside of the walls, the whole line from the Portese Gate to the gate of San Pancrazio; the second brigade, composed of two battalions of the Mobilized Civic Troops and the First Light, commanded by Col. Masi, occupied the wall of the Gates Cavalleggieri, Vatican and Angelica; and finally, the third brigade, commanded by Col. Savini, and composed of the first and second regiments of Mounted Dragoons, formed the reserve in Piazza Navona. The fourth brigade, consisting of the first and second regiments of the line, commanded by Colonel Galletti, was in reserve at the Chiesa Nuova and Piazza Cesarini, with all the field cannon not in position. General Giuseppe Galletti, commander of Carabiniers, and Major Manara, with the Lombard battalion, forming separate corps, were held ready to proceed wherever necessity might require.

Everything concurred to indicate that the enemy, who were eight thousand men, with two squadrons of cavalry and twelve field-pieces, divided in two columns, intended to make a double and simultaneous attack at the gates Cavalleggieri and Angelica. In fact, about eleven o'clock in the morning, proceeding by Villa Pamfili, they occupied two houses, from which they commenced an active fire of musketry and artillery against the Cavalleggieri gate. The valiant General Garibaldi moved from the gate of San Pancrazio, to attack them in flank, with all his troops and the University battalion; and there commenced a murderous and obstinate battle, in which a hundred deeds of personal bravery proved, that the modern Italians are prepared to imitate the ancient glories of their fathers. The French made a determined resistance to the onset of Garibaldi; and even repulsed their assailants, favored by their superior numbers and by their artillery, which they fired briskly. But, being reinforced by the Legion of Exiles, the Reduced battalion, the Roman Legion, commanded by Col. Galletti, and two companies of the first regiment of the line, charging simultaneously, with the bayonet, they compelled the enemy to retire precipitately, leaving in the hands of our troops about three hundred prisoners, among whom were six officers, with the commander of a battalion, and a great number of killed.