Rassegna storica del Risorgimento

Documenti americani sul conflitto italo-austrìaco del 1859 23
John AI. Daniel a Lewis Cass
Turin, May 31,1859. No. 108.
Sir:... [Riferisce sulla battaglia di Montebello ...] But this action decided nothing for either party. It was merciy the result of a reconnaissance by an Austrian column, and no position was lost or gained by either party. Thoagh much has been said of it in the pvess, there fore, it may be assumed that this new battlc of Montebello had no iurther signincance in the campaign than that of bloody tournament would bave had in the wars of the 12th century. ... Garibaldi and his volunteers depend on the Minìster of the Interior and not on the Minìster of War... This Chief [Garibaldi] has done wonders with them [i volontari], It should also be said that volunteers of suoli a class as these have rarely been seenu h Men of the greatest fortune, birth, and cducation in ali Italy serve in the ranks as common soldiers, and the whole corps bave conducted themsclves with a quiet order which is seldom seen in that specics of troops. After two months' training, Garibaldi has boldly marched into Lombardy on the northern line so as to talee away from the Austri ans the command of the lakes of Como and Maggiore and to enable the province of Milan to rebel* In this hardy movement he has been perfectly successful. His troops of two months' standing have met the Austrian regolare with triumphant results... It must be admitted that Garibaldi is as yet the only military leader on either side wh has shown decided talent or gained decided advantages ... *)
And from the movements hitherto made and indeed ali the events of the past month, it may be safely anticipated that the Emperor of the JTrench commanding in chief is not, in war at least, the reproduction of that fainous First Consul Bonaparte who once figured on the same fields. It is indeed difficult to conceive of NapoleoU I with 250,000 men under his band on the level plain of Alessandria, with an Austrian army of no greater force before him, lying stili there from the 30th of Aprii to the 30 th of May without a battle, lost or won.
Jone lst. Even while this letter was being written a bloody action was fought at Palestro, on the road between Turin and Novara, between the Pied-montese wing of the allied army and the Austrian force coUected there, which has resultcd in a complete victory for the former. The loss has been great on both sides; the numbers are not yet known, but they are in thousands. The Piedmontese have taken one thousand Austrian prisoners and eight pieces of cannoli. It may safely be anticipated that this is the first of a series of battles which will now follow each other in swift succession.
i) I giornali americani definivano Garibaldi durante questo periodo un Eroe romano della vecchia stirpe . Lunghi cenni biografici su Garibaldi, il suo carattere, e le sue opi­nioni politiche furono stampati nei giornali americani e in altre pubblicazioni, MARRARO, op. c, 244, 245. Il corrispondente milanese della rivista Ailas and Bee (20 agosto 1859) di Boston, scriveva ch'era straziante vedere numerosi giovani volontari di Venezia, corag­giosi, intrepidi, i quali, sfuggendo alla vigilanza degli Austriaci, s'erano uniti a Garibaldi -e avevano combattuto come leoni al suo fianco.