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The Revolution in Sicily - discovery of a train leading to the powder magazine at the fort... 1860. Creator: F. J. S
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The Revolution in Sicily - discovery of a train leading to the powder magazine at the fort... 1860. Creator: F. J. S
The Revolution in Sicily - discovery of a train leading to the powder magazine at the fort of Melazzo - from a sketch by T. Nast, 1860. View of...the discovery by Garibaldi's followers of the gunpowder train, and of the fact of the cannon being spiked...As usual, says a correspondent, the Neapolitans would not leave without behaving as is their wont. They spiked eighteen of the guns they had to leave behind, besides which they laid a train to blow up the powder magazine; the thing was cunningly concealed under a lot of hay and straw out of which the fusees peeped. All around loose powder was strewn so as to facilitate the process of explosion. It was discovered by chance, one of the soldiers having remarked the loose powder, which led to further researches. There were as usual excuses, accident and carelessness getting all the credit, while the pretence was that only those guns had been spiked which could bear on the shipping, and which might be used to molest the departure of the frigates with the troops. The second excuse was just as untrue as the first, for eight of the spiked guns pointed towards the land side'. From "Illustrated London News", 1860
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The Revolution in Sicily - Discovering a Dangerous Surprise at the Fort of Melazzo (1860)
EDITORS COMMENTS
This image, created by F.J.S and inspired by a sketch by Thomas Nast for the Illustrated London News, depicts a pivotal moment during the Sicilian Revolution of 1860. The scene unfolds at the fort of Melazzo, where Garibaldi's followers have made a shocking discovery. As they prepared to leave, the Neapolitan soldiers, known for their mischief, had taken matters into their own hands. They spiked eighteen guns they were leaving behind and laid a train to blow up the powder magazine. The ingenious trap was cleverly concealed under a mound of hay and straw, with the fusees peeking out. Loose powder was scattered around to aid the explosion. However, the soldiers' deception was uncovered by chance when one of them noticed the scattered powder. A thorough investigation followed, revealing the dangerous setup. The Neapolitans attempted to justify their actions with two excuses. They claimed that only the guns that could bear on the shipping were spiked and that they could be used to molest the departure of the frigates with the troops. Both excuses were proven false. Eight of the spiked guns pointed towards the land side, disproving their first excuse. The second excuse was equally unfounded, as the Neapolitans had sabotaged the fort's defenses, putting everyone's safety at risk. This photograph is a poignant reminder of the unpredictable nature of war and the lengths some soldiers would go to hinder their enemies, even at the cost of endangering their own comrades.
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