Battle of the Volturnus (1860)

Battle of the Volturnus
Part of The Expedition of the Thousand
Scene from the battle.
Date 1 October 1860 Location Volturno River, Northern Campania Result Decisive Unification victory
Belligerents
	Two Sicilies
Commanders and leaders
Giuseppe Garibaldi	Giosuè Ritucci
Strength
25,000	30,000
Casualties and losses
~ 1,300 killed and wounded	2,000-3,000 killed and wounded

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 occurring around the river Volturno, between the cities of Capua and Caserta in northern Campania, in September and October 1860. The main battle took place on October 1, 1860 between 24,000 garibaldines 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 river 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.

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