Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-08-14
The sharp Battle Of Melazzo-An Account
BY Alexandra Dumas.


The sharp Bntfle Of MelRzzo-An Account
BY Alexandra Dumas.
A general action took place at Melazzo
July goth, resulting in heavy losses to the
forces of Garibaldi as well as the Rovalists
The battle commenced at 6 A. NJ. and was
not over before 3 Pm. Garibaldfs official
report states that the struggle was terrible
The royalists had artillery and were under
cover. The legions of Garibaldi had no can
non and fought in the open sir. They rush.
ed on like lions, carried the position under a
shower Of grape, and entered Melazzo after
capturing five pieces of artillery, three Of
which were taken in the action outside the
walls, and the two others at tie entrar =.
"Ihe field Of battle, covered with the dead
bodies OF the enemy and witt. baggage Of
every kind and five guns, @ss at last con-
quered amid cries Of ',L.oag live IaIy,L
live Garibaldir' r'
The Paris Presse publishes letter from
Alexandra Dumas describing the fierce en-.
gagenent at Aelazzo, of which he was an
eyewitness, The following are extracts:
"At dawn on the goth ali the ,roo,,s ,,,.-,
IN movement to attack the NeonoIitoIs - -
nao come out Of the fort and village % -
lazzo' which they occupied. ~ NE
commanded the left Gene .alenehlhi
Cosenz the centre; while = -fal Meolcl ana
posed Of a few cOmPs~ ne right was com
cover the centre lies only, intended to
prise. Garibal1 and left wing from sur
lhe action y Al was in the centre, where
The hrir .5as expected to be the shRrPest.
polit' e began on the left from the Nea-
b. N outpOsts, concealed in a reed-bed
llf-way between Meri and Melazzo. A
/ quarter of an hour later the centre attacked
the Neapolitan line and drove 1t from Its
first position. The right meanwhile dislodg-
ed the Eeapolitans from some houses which
they occupied. As the difficulties Of the
ground prevented reinforcements from arri-
wing, Bosco, with six thousand men, turned
upon the FIVE hundred or six hundred wEo
had driven him back. The latter were OF
first obliged to retire before the superior num-
bers Of the enemy; but when other troops
came up to their aid, they again attacked
the enemy, many of whom were still con-
cesled among reeds and protected by fig
trees, so that q charge with the bayonet was
impossible. Medici, while advancing at the
head Of his men, had a horse killed under
him. Cosenz was struck in the meek ~ Z
seS i, 1i1d ~ r5sltaIIy SVo1Iaeied, but he
was only stunned, and almost instantly he
was on his legs again, shouting FIDa
ItaliG.' Garibaldi, at the head Of the GEN
oese Carbineers and some guides, attempted
to take the enemy in the flank, but suddenly
came on gun placed in the centre Of the
road, and which he determined to attack
When within twenty PAGES, the cannon load
ed with grape was fired by the Kings troops.
The effect was terrible: only i've or six
men remained standing. Garibaldi had
part Of his boot and stirrup carried away !;
his horse was also wounded, and he was com
pelled to alight Major Breda and his trump
eter were killed by his side; Misori's horse
fell dead under him Statella was lett stand
ing unhurt in the midst Of the iron storm I;
all the others were killed or wounded The
gun which had done all this mischief was
taken soon after. Then the NeapOlitan in
fantry. opened and gave passage to a charge
of fifty cavalry, for the purpose Of Tetaking
the piece. Colonel Demons men, who had
been but little under fire, threw themselves
to the sides Of the road instead Of receiving
the charge on their bayonets. The cavalry
came like whirlwind, the Sicilians firing
from Dotn SIDES. Iney aSsalled DOJh rlgnt
and left, the commander Of the Neapolitan
cavalry stopped, and wanted to turn back,
but found the passage barred by General
Garibaldi, Misori, Sta!la, and five or six men.
The General seized the officers bride and
cried out surrender
The officer replied with blow of his sa-
bre, which Garibaldi psrried, and by back
stroke cut the officers cheek open. The lat
ter fell from his horse. Meanwhile, three
or four sabres were raised against the Gene
raj, who wounded one of his asailauts with
a thrust of his sabre, while Misori killed two
others and the horse Of a third with revol-
yer, Statella brought down one antagonist,
while another, who sprang at Misori's throat,
was killed by the fourth shot Of his revolver.
While this struggle was drawing to close,
! GGribaldi rallied his scattered men, charged
with them, and either killed or took the rest
Of the fifty horsemen. Seconded by his cen
tire, be charged ths Neapolitans, Bavariana
and Swiss with the bayonet. The Neapoli-
tans fled at once, but the BaYarians and
Swiss made a short stand before they gave
way. This decided the fate of the day.