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The Battle on the Volturno - fight in the field near St. Angelo - from a sketch by T. Nast, 1860. Creator: Unknown
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The Battle on the Volturno - fight in the field near St. Angelo - from a sketch by T. Nast, 1860. Creator: Unknown
The Battle on the Volturno - fight in the field near St. Angelo - from a sketch by T. Nast, 1860. The village itself, or rather the old abbey and its dependencies, which are built on the slopes of the mountain, are safe enough against an attack in front, and their safety would only have been compromised had the Neapolitans crossed the river at the ford above the Scafa di Formicola and come up by the mountain road in our rear; but the important thing in St. Angelo was to guard the main road of communication with Santa Maria and the works and pontoons which had been prepared towards the river. This made it necessary to push the line of defence beyond the road, and thus come down into the open. The only defensive work which was made was a barricade of sandbags, with four guns, on the road from Capua to St. Angelo. And this became a hotly-contested point all day long; it was twice taken by the Neapolitans, and twice retaken. Although there were, besides the Calabrese and Genoese riflemen, nominally three brigades, there were in reality very little more than 3000 men present, while the enemy against them had columns of at least three times that number'. From "Illustrated London News", 1860
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EDITORS COMMENTS
The Battle on the Volturno - fight in the field near St. Angelo, as depicted in a sketch by Thomas Nast in 1860, offers a gripping glimpse into the intense conflict between Neapolitan and French forces during the Italian Wars. The village of St. Angelo, situated on the slopes of a mountain, appeared to be a secure position for the Neapolitans, but the safety of the communication route with Santa Maria and the defensive works prepared towards the river necessitated extending the defensive line beyond the main road. The only substantial defensive structure was a sandbag barricade with four guns on the Capua to St. Angelo road. This strategic point became the focal point of the intense battle, changing hands between the Neapolitans and the French multiple times throughout the day. Despite the presence of Calabrese and Genoese riflemen, and three brigades in theory, the actual number of men present was significantly less than 3000. In contrast, the Neapolitan forces had columns numbering at least three times that number. The sketch by Nast captures the chaos and intensity of the battle, with soldiers engaged in hand-to-hand combat, artillery fire, and the smoke of gunpowder filling the air. The struggle for the sandbag barricade was a pivotal moment in the battle, with both sides determined to gain control of this critical position. The outcome of this engagement would have significant implications for the course of the Italian Wars and the eventual outcome of the conflict. The Battle on the Volturno near St. Angelo stands as a testament to the bravery and determination of the soldiers involved, as well as the strategic importance of controlling key terrain in military engagements. This powerful image, captured by Nast, offers a unique perspective on a pivotal moment in Italian military history.
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