Invasion of Trentino (1866)
Encyclopedia
The Invasion of Trentino was a series of military operation undertaken by the Kingdom of Italy
against the Austrian Empire
during the Third Italian War of Independence
of 1866, which was part of the larger Austro-Prussian War
.
received the order to take up positions with his volunteer force the Hunters of the Alps
along the frontline between Lombardy
and the south most part of the County of Tyrol
which today corresponds to the Italian province of Trentino.
Initially Garibaldi could only muster 4 battalions, but in the end managed to obtain some 38,000 men, which were to face the roughly 15,000 Austrian regulars under general baron Franz von Kuhn. The Austrians were supported by their fleet on Lake Garda
.
ordered to retreat to the south-western tip of Lake Garda on June 25. As the Austrians choose not pursue, Garibaldi renewed his advance on July 3, but was wounded during an attack on an enemy mountain position. Nonetheless the advance of the Cacciatori was successful and on July 12th Storo
and Condino
were occupied.
Contemporarily, actions took place near the Tonale Pass
, where 3,000 Austrians had established a defensive line between Vezza d'Oglio
and Temù
. During the battle of Vezza d'Oglio, July 4 the Austrians were dislodged from their positions by an attack of the Italian regular Bersaglieri
infantry, which suffered heavy losses. On July 2 an Austrian column crossed the Stelvio Pass
and captured Bormio
and the Mortirolo Pass, but was later defeated by a force from the Italian National Guard (see Operations in Valtellina).
and Bezzecca
. On July 16th an Austrian column ousted the Italians from Cimego
. Three columns were now encircling the Italians at Condino
, but Garibaldi took advantage of his numerical superiority and of the strength of his defensive position and was able to defeat the attack on (July 16th), which forced the Austrians to retreat to their starting positions.
In the following days the Italians marched northwards until, on July 20th, they occupied Bezzecca. As the Austrians had suffered a decisive defeat at the Battle of Sadowa
, Kuhn had only a few days left before part of his troops would be sent to augment the defense of Vienna
. Profiting from the situation, the Italians began to advance on the southern front too, when a division under Giacomo Medici
was sent from Padua
to fight its way to the city of Trento
.
On July 21 two Austrian columns clashed with the Hunters of the Alps at the Battle of Bezzecca
. After some initial Austrian successes, Garibaldi's counterattacks finally forced them to retreat from Bezzecca as well as from Cimego and Condino.
The Italian commander had now opened the road to Trento, while Medici had successfully swept the Austrian troops from the Valsugana
, reaching Civezzano
, not far from Trento, on July 25th. Kuhn was preparing to be besieged in Trento, and had received orders to concentrate on the defense of South Tyrol
in the case further defeats.
On July 25th and 26th the Italians attacked near Riva del Garda
, but were defeated. However, a truce signed on July 24th, ended all operations. On August 9th the Italian troops received the order to leave Trentino, as a treaty of peace between Italy and Austria was forthcoming. Garibaldi, from the square of Bezzecca, replied with his famous: "Obbedisco!" ("I obey!"). Hostilities finally ceased with the Armistice of Cormons
(August 12, 1866).
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
against the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
during the Third Italian War of Independence
Third Italian War of Independence
The Third Italian War of Independence was a conflict which paralleled the Austro-Prussian War, and was fought between the Kingdom of Italy and the Austrian Empire.-Background:...
of 1866, which was part of the larger Austro-Prussian War
Austro-Prussian War
The Austro-Prussian War was a war fought in 1866 between the German Confederation under the leadership of the Austrian Empire and its German allies on one side and the Kingdom of Prussia with its German allies and Italy on the...
.
Background
At the outbreak of the third Italian war of Independence (June 23, 1866), Giuseppe GaribaldiGiuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian military and political figure. In his twenties, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries, and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and...
received the order to take up positions with his volunteer force the Hunters of the Alps
Hunters of the Alps
The Hunters of the Alps were a special military corps created by Giuseppe Garibaldi in Cuneo on February 20, 1859 to help the regular Sardinian army to free the northern part of Italy in the Second Italian War of Independence....
along the frontline between Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
and the south most part of the County of Tyrol
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
which today corresponds to the Italian province of Trentino.
Initially Garibaldi could only muster 4 battalions, but in the end managed to obtain some 38,000 men, which were to face the roughly 15,000 Austrian regulars under general baron Franz von Kuhn. The Austrians were supported by their fleet on Lake Garda
Lake Garda
Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy. It is located in Northern Italy, about half-way between Brescia and Verona, and between Venice and Milan. Glaciers formed this alpine region at the end of the last ice age...
.
First actions
Garibaldi's men started the fights on June 21, 1866. After some initial minor clashes, they were, due to the Italian defeat at the Battle of CustozaBattle of Custoza (1866)
The Battle of Custoza took place on June 24, 1866 during the Third Italian Independence War in the Italian unification process.The Austrian Imperial army with the old Venetian Army, led by Archduke Albert of Habsburg, defeated the Italian army led by Alfonso Ferrero la Marmora and Enrico Cialdini,...
ordered to retreat to the south-western tip of Lake Garda on June 25. As the Austrians choose not pursue, Garibaldi renewed his advance on July 3, but was wounded during an attack on an enemy mountain position. Nonetheless the advance of the Cacciatori was successful and on July 12th Storo
Storo
Storo is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 50 km southwest of Trento...
and Condino
Condino
Condino is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 45 km southwest of Trento. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,507 and an area of 33.8 km²....
were occupied.
Contemporarily, actions took place near the Tonale Pass
Tonale Pass
Tonale Pass is a high mountain pass in northern Italy across the Rhaetian Alps, between Lombardy and Trentino.It connects Valcamonica and Val di Sole...
, where 3,000 Austrians had established a defensive line between Vezza d'Oglio
Vezza d'Oglio
Vezza d'Oglio is a comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy. It is located within the high Camonica Valley.-Important Events:...
and Temù
Temù
Temù is a comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy, Italy....
. During the battle of Vezza d'Oglio, July 4 the Austrians were dislodged from their positions by an attack of the Italian regular Bersaglieri
Bersaglieri
The Bersaglieri are a corps of the Italian Army originally created by General Alessandro La Marmora on 18 June 1836 to serve in the Piedmontese Army, later to become the Royal Italian Army...
infantry, which suffered heavy losses. On July 2 an Austrian column crossed the Stelvio Pass
Stelvio Pass
The Stelvio Pass , located in Italy, at 2757 m is the highest paved mountain pass in the Eastern Alps, and the second highest in the Alps, slightly below the Col de l'Iseran .-Location:...
and captured Bormio
Bormio
Bormio is a town and comune located in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy region of the Alps in northern Italy. It has a population of 4,200...
and the Mortirolo Pass, but was later defeated by a force from the Italian National Guard (see Operations in Valtellina).
Condino
Although apparently feeble, the Austrian moves were part of a larger offensive planned by Kuhn which aimed to outflank Garibaldis positions from LardaroLardaro
Lardaro is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 35 km southwest of Trento. As of 1st January 2010, it had a population of 207 and an area of 10.8 km²....
and Bezzecca
Bezzecca
Bezzecca was a comune in Trentino in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. On January 1, 2010 it merged in the new municipality of Ledro....
. On July 16th an Austrian column ousted the Italians from Cimego
Cimego
Cimego is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 40 km southwest of Trento. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 418 and an area of 10.5 km²....
. Three columns were now encircling the Italians at Condino
Condino
Condino is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 45 km southwest of Trento. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,507 and an area of 33.8 km²....
, but Garibaldi took advantage of his numerical superiority and of the strength of his defensive position and was able to defeat the attack on (July 16th), which forced the Austrians to retreat to their starting positions.
In the following days the Italians marched northwards until, on July 20th, they occupied Bezzecca. As the Austrians had suffered a decisive defeat at the Battle of Sadowa
Battle of Königgrätz
The Battle of Königgrätz , also known as the Battle of Sadowa, Sadová, or Hradec Králové, was the decisive battle of the Austro-Prussian War, in which the Kingdom of Prussia defeated the Austrian Empire...
, Kuhn had only a few days left before part of his troops would be sent to augment the defense of Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. Profiting from the situation, the Italians began to advance on the southern front too, when a division under Giacomo Medici
Giacomo Medici (general)
Giacomo Medici, Marchese del Vascello was an Italian patriot and soldier.Medici was born in Milan in January 1817...
was sent from Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
to fight its way to the city of Trento
Trento
Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
.
Battle of Bezzecca
Battle of Bezzecca
The Battle of Bezzecca was fought on July 21, 1866 between Italy and Austria, in the course of the Third Italian Independence War. The Italian force, the Hunters of the Alps, were led by Giuseppe Garibaldi, and had invaded Trentino as part of the general Italian offensive against the Austrian...
. After some initial Austrian successes, Garibaldi's counterattacks finally forced them to retreat from Bezzecca as well as from Cimego and Condino.
The Italian commander had now opened the road to Trento, while Medici had successfully swept the Austrian troops from the Valsugana
Valsugana
The Sugana Valley is one of the most important valleys in the autonomous province of Trentino in Northern Italy. Leading into the Alps' foothills, an important main north-south Roman road, the Via Claudia Augusta, one of Europe's main roads since its construction in Antiquity, winds along the...
, reaching Civezzano
Civezzano
Civezzano is a comune in Trentino in the northern Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 4 km northeast of Trento. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,484 and an area of 15.5 km²....
, not far from Trento, on July 25th. Kuhn was preparing to be besieged in Trento, and had received orders to concentrate on the defense of South Tyrol
South Tyrol
South Tyrol , also known by its Italian name Alto Adige, is an autonomous province in northern Italy. It is one of the two autonomous provinces that make up the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The province has an area of and a total population of more than 500,000 inhabitants...
in the case further defeats.
On July 25th and 26th the Italians attacked near Riva del Garda
Riva del Garda
Riva del Garda is a town and comune in the northern Italian province of Trentino. It is also known simply as Riva. The estimated population is 15,151.- History :...
, but were defeated. However, a truce signed on July 24th, ended all operations. On August 9th the Italian troops received the order to leave Trentino, as a treaty of peace between Italy and Austria was forthcoming. Garibaldi, from the square of Bezzecca, replied with his famous: "Obbedisco!" ("I obey!"). Hostilities finally ceased with the Armistice of Cormons
Armistice of Cormons
The Armistice of Cormòns was signed in Cormons on 12 August 1866, between the Kingdom of Italy and the Austrian Empire and was a prelude to the Treaty of Vienna, which ended the Third Italian War of Independence.On 21 July 1866 the victorious Prussia, which had just inflicted a...
(August 12, 1866).