Radetzky's Marches by Michael Embree

Author:Michael Embree [Embree, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781906033248
Publisher: Helion and Company
Published: 2013-07-19T04:00:00+00:00

The Piedmontese infantry at Sommacampagna, July 24th 1848 (Grimaldi)

The fighting at Fredda farm house, against elements of IR Emil had been prolonged. Bes now sent forward a section of the 1st Field Battery, which began to shell the heights east of Berettara, and next pushed II/4th Regiment, Major Ferraris, and the two unengaged companies of I/4th Regiment directly against those heights. Ferraris advanced through dense vineyards, under heavy fire from II/Deutsch Banater posted there. Major Spech, the battalion commander, deployed his entire command in skirmish order. Spech was killed early on, and his battalion lost all cohesion, and rapidly fell apart.

Further to the Piedmontese right, Colonel Wehrlin’s 3rd Infantry Regiment advanced against the village of Sommacampagna itself. The village was defended by four companies of I/IR Nugent, Lieutenant-Colonel Rosenbaum. The battalion’s other two companies held two fortified houses, Villa nuova and Corobiol, southwest of Sommacampagna, at the foot of the heights. The Duke of Genoa placed the 1st Field and 2nd Horse Artilley Batteries just north of Pallazina, and bombarded the village from about 17:00. A section of the 9th Field Battery pounded the two houses above mentioned, and Wehrlin was reinforced by II/Guard Cacciatori, Major Paderi.

I/3rd Regiment, Major Capriglio, together with the Pavian Volunteers and the Lombard Carabinieri, assaulted the east of the village, while two companies of II/3rd, Major Barone came up from the south. III/3rd, Major Baudi di Selve, attacked from the southwest. Major Paderi’s troops reinforced the effort on the right. The two fortified houses at the base of the hills were taken, and the village penetrated in several places. Nevertheless, as darkness approached, fighting continued. The Duke of Genoa then brought forward the remaining two companies of Baudi’s battalion, and the two companies guarding the artillery were also thrown into the struggle. This tipped the balance, and the main strongpoint of resistance, the Church of San Rocco was taken, together with numbers of prisoners. Lieutenant-Colonel Rosenbaum’s troops withdrew in disarray towards Mancalacqua and Verona.

Simbschen’s brigade had been crushed like an eggshell, and was badly scattered. His losses totalled 48 officers and 1,269 men.37 These were:

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