Reinserted in the ranks of the regular army after an amnesty, he defected back to join Garibaldi in the expedition to Rome with the intent of liberating the city and annexing it to the Kingdom of Italy. However, the Royal Italian Army defeated Garibaldi's army of volunteers in the Battle of Aspromonte (August 29, 1862). Garibaldi was wounded and taken prisoner; Cipriani escaped capture, but was forced to flee abroad, finding refuge in Greece.