Mentana e il dito di Dio / Episodi narrati dal superstite Ettore Pozzi - Seconda edizione, con importanti aggiunte fatte dall'Autore

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

25197

Title

Mentana e il dito di Dio / Episodi narrati dal superstite Ettore Pozzi - Seconda edizione, con importanti aggiunte fatte dall'Autore

Language

it

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Ernesto Pozzi recounts the 1867 Battle of Mentana, where Garibaldi's volunteers faced French and Papal forces defending the Pope's temporal power. Blending patriotic fervor with historical reflection, this memoir captures the courage of the volunteers, the betrayal by the Italian government, and the tragic heroism that ultimately paved the way for Rome's unification.

Summary up to 500 words

In *Mentana e il dito di Dio*, Ernesto Pozzi, a veteran of the Expedition of the Thousand and the battles of Mentana and Bezzecca, recounts the dramatic and tragic events of the 1867 campaign in the Roman Agro. Pozzi details the strategic isolation of Garibaldi's forces at Monterotondo, where volunteers faced severe shortages of food, ammunition, and even footwear. Despite the Italian government's hostile stance and the arrival of French troops under Napoleon III's orders, Garibaldi resolved to march toward Rome to inspire an insurrection. The narrative vividly describes the desperate march toward Mentana, the bravery of the volunteers, and the subsequent battle itself. Pozzi exposes the political machinations of the Italian government and France, which sacrificed the volunteers' cause to preserve diplomatic relations with the Vatican. Through his eyes, we witness the humiliation of the Garibaldini after their defeat, including the capture of officers and the brutal treatment they endured from Papal and French soldiers. Pozzi also recounts the infamous incident of the 'finger of God,' where a Papal cardinal shouted the phrase amidst the chaos, only to be silenced by a French major who defended the volunteers' honor. The text serves as both a historical record and a passionate defense of the revolutionary spirit that drove the Risorgimento, emphasizing that national conscience survives even military defeat. Pozzi's memoir stands as a testament to the moral strength required to face overwhelming odds and the enduring legacy of the volunteers who fought for a united Italy.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• History
• Politics