Chapter 266: Rome Liberated for the Second Time
While the Austro-Hungarian Expeditionary Force was actively preparing for war, the combined forces of the Kingdom of Italy's army and Garibaldi's volunteer troops, known as the "Liberation Army of Rome," advanced triumphantly toward the city. They were now only about twenty kilometers from Rome.
"All along the way, we haven't encountered any resistance. It seems that the Italian populace and soldiers within the Papal States support our cause. With their backing, this march on Rome should easily settle the final obstacle," said the Italian general Cadorna, optimistically speaking to Garibaldi.
Garibaldi did not contradict him, yet he was fully aware that a lack of resistance didn't mean Pope Pius IX had suddenly become benevolent – rather, it meant he had concentrated all his forces in Rome. So he responded, "Unification is the will shared by the entire Italian nation. But our real enemy has not yet appeared. Only Rome—where the Pope resides—remains the last stumbling block to Italy's unification. It's also the final refuge of those clinging to the old ways. Only by taking Rome can our task be complete!"
"True enough," Cadorna replied confidently, "and our army will shatter them easily."
In Italy, whose combat strength had always been somewhat of a mystery, the Kingdom of Sardinia had been the most militarily capable, or at least the smaller Italian states it absorbed had been exceedingly weak. Facing only the Papal States, Cadorna was certain that he would be the one to secure this final piece of territory for Italian unity—securing himself a place in history.
Coincidentally, on August 30—the same day Garibaldi and Cadorna's forces reached Rome—Napoleon III was retreating to Sedan, while the Prussian Army was gathering there. The Hechingen Brigade would soon take part in what was effectively its final engagement in German territory, since it had already lost nearly one-fifth of its men in previous battles. After delivering the finishing blow to France, Ernst planned to withdraw the brigade and leave the rest to Prussia.
…
Rome
Pope Pius IX was in a state of great agitation, pacing back and forth in his palace. According to his intelligence, the Kingdom of Italy's army would soon be at the gates.
But the scenario he had envisioned a few days earlier—Austria-Hungary inciting unrest throughout Italy—had not materialized. Other than the Austrians doing nothing in Italy's northeast, the Papal States were essentially fighting alone.
Could it be that Austria-Hungary had deceived him? Thinking it over carefully, Pius IX recalled his conversation with Freud, the Austro-Hungarian envoy: the man had never revealed any concrete plans. Perhaps they simply wanted the Papal States to serve as a shield?
The more he thought about it, the angrier and more fearful he became. The sweltering heat added to his agitation. He hastened to instruct his subordinates, "Quickly summon Austria-Hungary's Envoy Freud!"
Before long, Freud arrived leisurely at the Pope's palace. Seeing him, Pius IX appeared as though he'd seized a lifeline.
"Mr. Freud! Thank goodness you've come at last!" In his excitement, the Pope grabbed Freud's arm.
"What's the matter, Your Holiness?" Freud asked, observing the Pope's anxiety.
To Pius IX, it seemed Freud was still feigning ignorance. He felt deceived.
Upset, he demanded, "Your country's fine work—do you deny it? You promised me so much! And now none of it has happened. Didn't you vow that Austria-Hungary would take care of everything and let me rest easy? But all you've done is leave the Papal States as a pawn to be discarded. Has faith no influence anymore? The Lord will never absolve those who break their word—"
"Huh?" Freud was baffled.
Pius IX continued, "Where is this scenario of multiple states (the aristocracy of other Italian states that were annexed) rising together to oppose the Kingdom of Italy? You spoke so confidently before about how Austria-Hungary would resolve everything. I prepared accordingly, only for you to treat us like a pawn. Has the power of faith diminished so badly that—"
"Wait, hold on! Who told you about these 'multiple states' rising together? I, as the Austro-Hungarian envoy, am unaware of any such plan," Freud interrupted, now suspecting someone had impersonated an Austrian official to feed the Pope misinformation.
"It was… it was…" Pius IX stopped mid-sentence. At that instant, he remembered that Freud had never explicitly said any of those things. He'd just assumed them by himself a few days earlier.
A brief silence fell. The Pope took a moment to steady himself, then stammered, "Ah, you see—I must be somewhat out of sorts, probably from the dreadful heat. My memory must be failing me. I apologize if I caused any misunderstanding, Mr. Freud."
"No need to worry," Freud said politely. "With the tense situation lately, Your Holiness must be quite exhausted. A little confusion is understandable."
Now that he'd calmed down, the Pope recalled his conversation with Freud more carefully and realized something else: he had indeed misunderstood. So what was Austria-Hungary's real 'secret weapon,' and why had Freud insisted on secrecy?
"Mr. Freud," Pius IX said, "I've just received word that the Italian Army is on the verge of attacking Rome. You hinted previously that Austria-Hungary had an ace up its sleeve. At this critical juncture for the Papal States, can you finally reveal what that is?"
"Huh! I thought you'd guessed it already," Freud responded, genuinely surprised.
"Well, I now see that my guess was probably different from whatever you actually planned…"
"In that case, allow me to keep it under wraps a bit longer. Once the fighting starts, Your Holiness, you'll see soon enough—no need to fret."
So that was it: the Pope's wild guesses had put Freud on the defensive. Realizing this, Pope Pius IX became even more anxious. "Mr. Freud, the situation truly is dire. Italy's about to make a move on Rome—how can I possibly be at ease?"
But before the Pope could continue…
"Boom… Boom… Boom…"
They heard cannon fire outside the city.
The Italians had begun their assault.
"Your Holiness, you're welcome to come see Austria-Hungary's trump card at the front line with me," Freud said.
"Er… better not. I have responsibilities in Rome that require my presence," the Pope replied vaguely.
Freud chuckled knowingly. "In that case, how about you join me here for a cup of coffee, and together we'll await the outcome of the battle?"
Freud was essentially offering himself as a hostage so the Pope wouldn't panic. If Freud himself wasn't running away, he must have some plan. Seeing him so calm, Pius IX relaxed just a little. If Freud had found some excuse to leave, then the Pope would have known for sure that Austria-Hungary had abandoned him.
…
Within Rome's defenses, the Papal army—composed of believers from numerous countries—exchanged fire with the Italian troops outside. Earlier, Garibaldi's men tried to sway the soldiers and civilians in Rome using slogans for national unification, hoping they would abandon resistance and unite with Italy.
But, having recently received generous rewards from Pius IX, the Papal soldiers were unmoved. With so many foreigners in their ranks, why would they care about Italy's destiny? In fact, the only response to Garibaldi's pleas was a bullet fired by a Dutch soldier, nearly striking Garibaldi himself. Unable to negotiate, the Kingdom of Italy turned to bombardment. The two sides exchanged artillery fire. Shielded by walls and fortifications, the outnumbered Papal troops nevertheless held off Italy's army in a back-and-forth struggle.
"Boom… Boom… Boom…"
Though Rome's fortifications had been reinforced, the city—long unused to warfare—was badly damaged, and small breaches opened up in places. Still, Garibaldi and the others were reluctant to send men charging through immediately. This time, only half as many Italian troops had been allocated to capture Rome, the rest being tied up against Austria-Hungary. They had to conserve their forces.
"Keep bombarding!" Garibaldi told Cadorna. "Once we've created a bigger opening in Rome's walls, our men will rush inside."
"Understood. Artillery, get ready!" Cadorna ordered.
…
The sound of cannon fire was the signal.
Having eaten well, the Austro-Hungarian Expeditionary Force had already begun moving toward Rome as soon as Garibaldi arrived. When the guns roared, Lieutenant General Karl split his forces into two columns, racing toward Rome from the east and west.
"Tonight we'll coordinate with Rome's defenders from inside and outside, leaving the Italian Army no escape," Karl said grimly.
Intent on seizing Rome, the Italians had no idea a "wild card" was advancing from the south. Austria-Hungary had guarded its secret so well that even Pius IX hadn't suspected such a large Austrian force literally on Rome's doorstep.
As the bombardment continued, the afternoon wore on toward five o'clock. Garibaldi judged the time ripe; large sections of the walls had begun crumbling. He turned to Cadorna:
"Let's do it."
"Attack!" With Garibaldi's confirmation, Cadorna issued the order.
To boost morale, Garibaldi, as ever, led from the front. His volunteer corps served as the vanguard, charging the city. Some Papal troops on the walls were already thinking of withdrawal. But the Papal States, with its unique character, displayed an unusual resolve: as Pius IX had pointed out, faith did still have pull. Devout believers refused to withdraw alongside any reluctant local recruits; they intended to defend Rome to the end against the Kingdom of Italy.
A fierce fight erupted among the walls and barricades. Overwhelmed by superior numbers, the defenders were gradually pushed back, retreating deeper into the city. Clinging to alleys and buildings, they put up a last-ditch defense, while Garibaldi's men led the Italians forward until they finally forced their way into Rome.
At that point, with the city "virtually secured," a triumphant Garibaldi cried, "Comrades in the fight for Italy's freedom—we're back! This is Rome, our Italian homeland!"
But just as he prepared to erase the Papal States from Italy's map for good, thunderous gun and cannon fire sounded behind him.
The Austro-Hungarians had arrived.
…
The bulk of the Italian Army, having charged inside Rome, was caught off guard by shots fired from behind. Karl's Austro-Hungarian Expeditionary Force, having force-marched to the city, arrived at the critical moment. The Italians were still focused on the Papal troops in front; they failed to detect the enemy at their rear in time.
Leading the assault, Garibaldi realized something was wrong the instant he heard that different gunfire. But it was too late. The formidable Austrian elite forces struck from the rear, turning the Italian Army into a "sandwich" between Rome's defenders and the Austro-Hungarian troops. Trapped in narrow confines, they had no way to mount an effective counterattack.
A horrified Cadorna stumbled over to Garibaldi, tears in his voice. "It's over, Mr. Garibaldi—completely over!"
Breathless from earlier combat, Garibaldi's chest rose and fell rapidly. Yet, gripping his rifle firmly, he kept a calm expression: "No, it isn't over. Not as long as I'm still alive. I'll fight to the last breath. They can kill my body, but they can never kill Italy's passion for freedom."
And with that, he no longer spared words for Cadorna. Facing his companions, he said, "Brothers, we lost today. Are you afraid? Next, we might be meeting those comrades who've fallen before us."
"Mr. Garibaldi, we're not afraid. We fight for freedom!"
"Good—then let's have one last charge!"
Garibaldi's volunteer corps, ignoring the Papal defenders behind them, wheeled around to charge at the Austro-Hungarians. Even with Papal troops still attacking from the rear, all they felt at that moment was fury toward this foreign invader. They attacked headlong, but under fire from both sides, many Italians, led by Cadorna, surrendered on the spot. Garibaldi—Italy's hero—and his men fell in pools of blood.
Rome was conquered twice that day: first by the Kingdom of Italy and then by Austria-Hungary. From Italy's perspective, they had "liberated" it once; from the Papal States' view, it was restored a second time.
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