352:
246:
364:
384:
396:
341:
737:
314:
134:
327:
32:
661:. Troops were composed of 808 officers and 15,500 sub-officers and soldiers, supported by 78 modern rifled guns, 65 mortars and 34 smoothbore guns. The most modern rifled ordnance could fire from a distance up to five kilometers without risking any harm from the aged guns of the defenders. The Piedmontese fleet, under admiral
680:, aide-de-camp and fatherly friend of King Francis II and Queen Marie Sophie. He was assisted by the Swiss Generals August de Riedmatten and Josef Sigrist. The former was responsible for the seaside front, the latter for the mainland front. But instead of Josef Sigrist it was the Neapolitan Baron Colonel
796:
The
Piedmontese fire was getting increasingly accurate, and the situation for both defenders and inhabitants looked desperate. On 10 February, Maria Sophie received a letter from the French empress, saying that the resistance had been prolonged enough to save the Crown's honour. Francis II issued for
732:
The morale of the defenders, however, increased when veteran general
Ferdinando Beneventano del Bosco, one of the few charismatic military figures of the Kingdom of Two Sicilies, arrived in Gaeta. He soon organized a sally for dawn on 29 November. 400 Chasseurs, supported by some foreign Carabiniers,
728:
The situation for the soldiers and the inhabitants, massed in the very reduced space of the old city, soon proved unbearable. The
Neapolitan troops had neither blankets nor change of clothing. On 18 November the bombing was stopped to allow all the people not participating in the defence to leave the
621:
Gaeta was one of the strongest military fortresses in Europe. It consisted of a triangle-shaped promontory (Mount
Orlando) which stretched for more than one and a half kilometers and rose to 169 m and with almost vertical cliffs on the seaward sides. The cliff was connected to the mainland by a 600 m
765:
to recall the French fleet from Gaeta and, in a letter sent on 11 December, asked
Francis II to leave Gaeta. However, the Neapolitan King did not accept the proposal. He in turn appealed to Napoleon not to recall his fleet, in order at least to save the military honour of the Kingdom and the Crown.
800:
The first
Piedmontese infantry entered Gaeta one day later, exactly when Francis II and his wife consigned themselves to the victors, hailed by the Neapolitans soldiers who had remained faithful until the very end. The Kingdom of Two Sicilies ended some days later when the last organized centre of
708:
The Swiss had served the
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies since 1734, and it was General Schumacher's father, Head of the Military Department of the Republic of Lucerne, who had renewed the contract in 1825. Since then four Swiss regiments had formed the back-bone of the Neapolitan army until 1859. His
788:
The military operation was suspended for ten days on 9 January, at the request of
Napoleon III. When the armistice ended, foreign ships abandoned the harbour of Gaeta. The Piedmontese fleet, until then inactive in the port at Castellone, began a blockade, starting to bomb the fortress again on 22
792:
However, the defenders' situation appeared hopeless at that point despite the efforts of the two sovereigns to raise the morale of the soldiers and the population by their personal example. The hygiene conditions within the fortress had sunk desperately, and food was short. On the afternoon of 5
779:
On 27 December, a new capitulation proposal was sent to the
Neapolitan defenders or, as an alternative, a truce of 15 days. They were both rejected. The artillery duel restarted with increasing violence: 500 grenades a day were hurled against Gaeta, although most of them did not explode. The
704:
shows him and
General Schumacher with Queen Marie Sophie on the ramparts of Gaeta. (Pfyffer also built the Belle Epoque National Grand Hotel in Lucerne and employed and promoted Cesar Ritz, of whom the Prince of Wales said, "He is the king of the hoteliers and the hotelier of the kings".)
793:
February, a powder depot of the St. Antonio battery was struck by a Piedmontese grenade, destroying an entire quarter of Gaeta causing huge losses among the soldiers and the population. The last truce of the siege was declared in the evening of the following day to rescue the wounded.
733:
managed to reach the summit of Montesecco, near the Roman mausoleum of Lucius Atratinus. However, they were repulsed by the Piedmontese reaction, and the action proved inconclusive. The last active operation of the Neapolitans happened on 4 December, also without any effect.
622:
wide isthmus. Called Montesecco ("Dry Mountain"), the isthmus was the only way for a besieger to conquer the stronghold. The ships of the time were indeed considered too fragile to face the massive fortifications that encircled the promontory. Built in the time of emperor
797:
a capitulation. Cialdini refused to stop the bombardment during the negotiations, and Gaeta suffered new devastations until the capitulation was signed on 13 February. The last shells were fired by both the opponents at 18.15 p.m. that day.
174:, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Knowledge (XXG).
630:. Most of the guns were smoothbore arms, some dating back to the 18th century, and therefore rather imprecise. The massive castle, which commanded the east side on the sea, dated from the time of Emperor
465:
626:, the promontory was provided with 220 guns divided between 19 batteries. An additional 230 guns defended the fortress on the mainland side, making a total of 450 cannons, 26 of which were short range
634:
but was continuously updated. The forces amounted to 19,700 sub-officers and soldiers and 1,770 officers; there were also 3,000 citizens of Gaeta. 17 ships of various nations (including
668:
The commander of the fortress of Gaeta was Francesco Millon, a Neapolitan general, who on 10 November was replaced by Pietro Carlo Maria Vial de Maton, an 83-year-old native of
458:
808:
Casualties amounted to 829 dead and 2,000 wounded for the Neapolitans. Two hundred civilians fell during the siege, while the Piedmontese had 46 dead and 321 wounded. General
749:
On 8 December, Francis II issued a proclamation to all his subjects, promising new liberties in lieu of the prosecution of the struggle against the invaders, inciting them to
721:
Various dates are cited as the beginning of the siege; these range from 5 to 12 November. Cialdini installed his command position in Castellone, in what is today the city of
950:
245:
49:
945:
451:
896:
689:
177:
Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article.
185:
96:
872:
68:
207:
75:
960:
955:
789:
January. The Piedmontese launched 22,000 grenades and the Neapolitans replied with 11,000, damaging some of the opponents' batteries.
780:
bombardment culminated on 7 January 1861, when the fortress received a shower of 8,000 shells, although, again, with modest results.
849:
115:
817:
368:
82:
776:
More victims among the civil population were caused by the new Piedmontese batteries firing from Monte Tortano from 15 December.
710:
631:
754:
692:
who later became the Chief of General Staff of the Swiss army and the initiator and commander of the Swiss fort guarding the
607:
592:
64:
53:
887:
General Felix von Schumacher, a Swiss in the Service of Napes-Sicily by Renato Schumacher (also see German Knowledge (XXG))
198:
Content in this edit is translated from the existing Italian Knowledge (XXG) article at ]; see its history for attribution.
990:
980:
975:
623:
985:
773:
had begun to spread within the walls of Gaeta: Francis' field adjutant was himself struck down and died on 12 December.
736:
725:. Eighteen kilometers of roads, together with 15 bridges and causeways, were built for the transport of the artillery.
552:
345:
940:
935:
588:
475:
237:
42:
504:
193:
214:
89:
516:
654:
611:
521:
970:
965:
673:
526:
701:
685:
20:
146:
802:
709:
son had entered the service in the 1st regiment in 1833 and soon became the personal aide-de-camp of
681:
556:
494:
356:
646:
548:
383:
319:
251:
868:
845:
189:
862:
662:
499:
809:
770:
697:
650:
627:
388:
758:
596:
929:
821:
813:
693:
684:
who commanded this part. The engineering arm was led by the Neapolitan Count General
672:. The actual command, however, was placed into the hands of the Swiss Baron General
762:
753:
operations. The same day, Cialdini was ordered by the Piedmontese Prime Minister
559:. It started on 5 November 1860 and ended on 13 February 1861, and took place in
31:
911:
898:
443:
400:
Pietro Carlo Maria Vial de Maton, the actual command had Felix von Schumacher
750:
606:. However, after Capua was lost to the Garibaldines in the aftermath of the
580:
769:
Hostilities began again on the night of 13-14 December. In the meantime,
677:
332:
196:
to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is
16:
Battle of the war between the Sardinian and Sicilian kingdoms of Italy
722:
639:
584:
735:
658:
635:
615:
603:
568:
564:
560:
285:
281:
669:
595:, decided to leave the city on the advice of his Prime Minister
171:
447:
127:
25:
649:
forces were composed of the IV Army Corps, led by general
740:
The Flag of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in 1860-1861.
713:
who commissioned him to weaponize the Neapolitan army.
167:
56:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
602:At first, he planned to organise a resistance in
547:was the concluding event of the war between the
230:
614:took refuge in the strong coastal fortress of
192:accompanying your translation by providing an
158:Click for important translation instructions.
145:expand this article with text translated from
824:in recognition of his role during the siege.
459:
8:
867:. Cambridge University Press. pp. 3–6.
700:. A painting by the German history painter
653:. His staff included the engineer general
466:
452:
444:
227:
951:Battles of the Expedition of the Thousand
642:) kept open communications with the sea.
204:{{Translated|it|Assedio di Gaeta (1860)}}
116:Learn how and when to remove this message
688:. General Schumacher's aide-de-camp was
272:5 November 1860 – 13 February 1861
833:
757:, to cease fire. Cavour, backed by the
583:troops were moving towards the capital
946:Sieges involving the Kingdom of Naples
7:
54:adding citations to reliable sources
14:
861:Enrico Dal Lago (15 March 2018).
805:, surrendered on 20 March 1861.
394:
382:
362:
350:
339:
325:
312:
244:
132:
30:
65:"Siege of Gaeta" 1860–1861
41:needs additional citations for
842:(Military history of Hungary),
690:Alphons Pfyffer von Altishofen
202:You may also add the template
1:
864:Civil War and Agrarian Unrest
840:Magyarország hadtörténete 1.
591:), the king of Two Sicilies,
255:
844:Zrínyi Katonai Kiadó 1984.
657:, future prime minister of
610:(October), he and his wife
553:Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
215:Knowledge (XXG):Translation
1007:
761:government, had convinced
589:Expedition of the Thousand
579:In September 1860, as the
477:Expedition of the Thousand
238:Expedition of the Thousand
166:Machine translation, like
18:
961:Military history of Lazio
956:Battles involving Hungary
485:
425:
404:
375:
304:
264:
243:
235:
147:the corresponding article
19:Not to be confused with
655:Luigi Federico Menabrea
608:battle of the Volturnus
213:For more guidance, see
741:
717:Beginning of the siege
563:, in today's Southern
376:Commanders and leaders
912:41.22194°N 13.55472°E
739:
426:Casualties and losses
186:copyright attribution
21:Siege of Gaeta (1734)
991:February 1861 events
981:December 1860 events
976:November 1860 events
803:Civitella del Tronto
674:Felix von Schumacher
557:unification of Italy
50:improve this article
986:January 1861 events
908: /
702:Karl Theodor Piloty
549:Kingdom of Sardinia
252:Raffaele Pontremoli
917:41.22194; 13.55472
812:was later created
742:
686:Francesco Traversa
194:interlanguage link
941:Conflicts in 1861
936:Conflicts in 1860
874:978-1-107-03842-4
665:, had ten ships.
540:
539:
442:
441:
300:
299:
296:Sardinian victory
226:
225:
159:
155:
126:
125:
118:
100:
998:
923:
922:
920:
919:
918:
913:
909:
906:
905:
904:
901:
888:
885:
879:
878:
858:
852:
838:
784:End of the siege
663:Carlo di Persano
480:
478:
468:
461:
454:
445:
399:
398:
397:
387:
386:
367:
366:
365:
355:
354:
353:
344:
343:
342:
335:legion of Italia
331:
329:
328:
322:
318:
316:
315:
266:
265:
260:
257:
250:Illustration by
248:
228:
205:
199:
172:Google Translate
157:
153:
136:
135:
128:
121:
114:
110:
107:
101:
99:
58:
34:
26:
1006:
1005:
1001:
1000:
999:
997:
996:
995:
926:
925:
916:
914:
910:
907:
902:
899:
897:
895:
894:
892:
891:
886:
882:
875:
860:
859:
855:
839:
835:
830:
810:Enrico Cialdini
786:
771:epidemic typhus
747:
719:
682:Gabriele Ussani
651:Enrico Cialdini
577:
541:
536:
481:
476:
474:
472:
437:
432:
420:
418:
417:20,000 infantry
413:
411:
410:18,000 infantry
395:
393:
389:Enrico Cialdini
381:
363:
361:
360:
351:
349:
348:
340:
338:
326:
324:
323:
313:
311:
310:
288:
258:
249:
222:
221:
220:
203:
197:
160:
137:
133:
122:
111:
105:
102:
59:
57:
47:
35:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1004:
1002:
994:
993:
988:
983:
978:
973:
968:
963:
958:
953:
948:
943:
938:
928:
927:
890:
889:
880:
873:
853:
832:
831:
829:
826:
785:
782:
746:
745:Sues for peace
743:
718:
715:
597:Liborio Romano
576:
573:
555:, part of the
545:siege of Gaeta
538:
537:
535:
534:
529:
524:
519:
513:
512:
508:
507:
502:
497:
491:
490:
486:
483:
482:
473:
471:
470:
463:
456:
448:
440:
439:
434:
428:
427:
423:
422:
415:
407:
406:
402:
401:
391:
378:
377:
373:
372:
336:
307:
306:
302:
301:
298:
297:
294:
290:
289:
280:
278:
274:
273:
270:
262:
261:
241:
240:
233:
232:
231:Siege of Gaeta
224:
223:
219:
218:
211:
200:
178:
175:
164:
161:
154:(October 2023)
142:
141:
140:
138:
131:
124:
123:
38:
36:
29:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1003:
992:
989:
987:
984:
982:
979:
977:
974:
972:
971:1861 in Italy
969:
967:
966:1860 in Italy
964:
962:
959:
957:
954:
952:
949:
947:
944:
942:
939:
937:
934:
933:
931:
924:
921:
884:
881:
876:
870:
866:
865:
857:
854:
851:
850:963-326-320-4
847:
843:
837:
834:
827:
825:
823:
822:victory title
819:
818:King of Italy
815:
814:Duke of Gaeta
811:
806:
804:
798:
794:
790:
783:
781:
777:
774:
772:
767:
764:
760:
756:
752:
744:
738:
734:
730:
726:
724:
716:
714:
712:
706:
703:
699:
695:
694:Gotthard Pass
691:
687:
683:
679:
675:
671:
666:
664:
660:
656:
652:
648:
643:
641:
637:
633:
629:
625:
619:
617:
613:
609:
605:
600:
598:
594:
590:
586:
582:
574:
572:
570:
566:
562:
558:
554:
550:
546:
533:
530:
528:
525:
523:
522:Castelfidardo
520:
518:
515:
514:
510:
509:
506:
503:
501:
498:
496:
493:
492:
488:
487:
484:
479:
469:
464:
462:
457:
455:
450:
449:
446:
438:2,000 wounded
435:
430:
429:
424:
416:
409:
408:
403:
392:
390:
385:
380:
379:
374:
370:
358:
347:
337:
334:
321:
309:
308:
303:
295:
292:
291:
287:
283:
279:
276:
275:
271:
268:
267:
263:
253:
247:
242:
239:
234:
229:
216:
212:
209:
201:
195:
191:
187:
183:
179:
176:
173:
169:
165:
163:
162:
156:
150:
148:
143:You can help
139:
130:
129:
120:
117:
109:
106:February 2020
98:
95:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67: –
66:
62:
61:Find sources:
55:
51:
45:
44:
39:This article
37:
33:
28:
27:
22:
893:
883:
863:
856:
841:
836:
807:
801:resistance,
799:
795:
791:
787:
778:
775:
768:
763:Napoleon III
748:
731:
727:
720:
711:Ferdinand II
707:
667:
644:
632:Frederick II
620:
612:Marie Sophie
601:
578:
544:
542:
531:
346:Two Sicilies
305:Belligerents
236:Part of The
190:edit summary
181:
152:
144:
112:
103:
93:
86:
79:
72:
60:
48:Please help
43:verification
40:
915: /
698:rail tunnel
647:Piedmontese
581:Garibaldine
433:321 wounded
259: 1880
930:Categories
903:13°33′17″E
900:41°13′19″N
593:Francis II
575:Background
495:Calatafimi
436:829 killed
149:in Italian
76:newspapers
751:guerrilla
624:Charles V
431:46 killed
333:Hungarian
208:talk page
551:and the
527:Volturno
421:17 ships
419:450 guns
414:10 ships
412:180 guns
405:Strength
320:Sardinia
277:Location
184:provide
828:Sources
816:by the
759:British
678:Lucerne
628:mortars
505:Milazzo
500:Palermo
369:Spanish
206:to the
188:in the
151:.
90:scholar
871:
848:
755:Cavour
729:city.
723:Formia
640:France
585:Naples
517:Reggio
489:Sicily
357:French
330:
317:
293:Result
92:
85:
78:
71:
63:
820:as a
676:from
659:Italy
636:Spain
616:Gaeta
604:Capua
587:(see
569:Italy
565:Lazio
561:Gaeta
532:Gaeta
511:Italy
371:ships
359:ships
286:Italy
282:Gaeta
168:DeepL
97:JSTOR
83:books
869:ISBN
846:ISBN
696:and
670:Nice
645:The
638:and
543:The
269:Date
182:must
180:You
69:news
571:).
170:or
52:by
932::
618:.
599:.
284:,
256:c.
254:,
877:.
567:(
467:e
460:t
453:v
217:.
210:.
119:)
113:(
108:)
104:(
94:·
87:·
80:·
73:·
46:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
