Anecdotes

The general Bianchi, set up headquarters in Tolentino, went to live, the palace of Count Bezzi, and because man was suffering badly from the cold, he wanted to lie down on the first floor in the first room we encounter on the left, chosen by him because there had found an excellent fireplace, where before a large fire waiting to the drawings of a decisive battle. This general had the opportunity to experience the wisdom and smile to those parts of the spirit of the Countess Bezzi. As soon as the building occupied by the Germans, despite the presence of the supreme general, the kitchen, full of diverse tool, was certainly robbed: the lady soon as he heard of this plunder suddenly presents itself to the general and says:
– Well, General, this morning she’ll be fast.
– How! Bianchi said.
– There is no longer fitting them as lunch, everything is gone.
The general soon gave order that he might give everything, and courses a few moments, everything was in its place.

Joachim Murat, newly arrived in Macerata, Tolentino sent to a Viglietto Cav. Taddeo Trust, his faithful friend, and then the most wealthy nobleman of this city. The king begged him to let him know the movements of the Austrians, especially where it was the body of General Neipperg, certain of victory and warned him that the following day would come to lunch with him in Tolentino. He was called a farmer to take the Viglietto: Sante was Merlini, nicknamed Basil, of Tolentino, which you had thirty plates for the dangerous mission, which took on, with the promise of thirty other if he was wearing the answer. The Merlini was in Tolentino in the middle a’tedeschi; s’ebbe by Fidi a reply in which the king warned that General Neipperg was moving with a very powerful body and auxiliary tracks from. The farmer, who had come back to going to and sewn Viglietti in one of his shoes, going towards Macerata, he came upon a troop of cavalry on the Hungarian Chienti: fear fell upon him did nothing but take off your shoes, and in gittarle river. So Murat could not get the information you want, which was fatal. The farmer afterwards remembered the foul committed, and felt remorse for his cowardice, all the more because he was the Chienti, spectator of the disastrous battle. Gioacchino not seeing Viglietto direct response to the Trust, sent another scout, and, according to the Colletta two at night from the three Tolentino came to a spy report, that other German troops were received from Camerino, and that therefore the forces assembled in the city ​​ascended to fifteen thousand men. These reports plausible although they were not believed true: the king assumed that the enemy had only eight thousand men, and judged that the divisions engaged on that day were enough pel next day.

Glue defeat of Murat went out, almost in the bud, the idea of ​​Italian independence. Wherefore was composed an ditty, which still goes on mouths of the people, and that is how the synthesis of fatal and warlike event. It was said and repeated:
Between Macerata and Tolentino
is finished the king Joachim.
Between Chienti and Power
He finished independence.

The Rascioni, in a note of his diary, in the day 10 May, said that the German portion of the left wing, commanded by General Ekhardt, remained for more than two hours without ammunition, for which it was believed lost. Yet Murat did not budge from his positions, suspecting this was a ruse, an ambush. The more the Austrian center had already lost the Rancia, and had gathered at the Round, and the Whites had already ordered the retreat of the army towards Serravalle: the baggage already difilavano to Belforte, when suddenly the tide of battle is changed in favor of the Austrians.

Poor Tolentino, exclaims Rascioni, if fell into the hands of the Neapolitan! According to uniform reports of the prisoners had been decreed by the Murat lot of six hours and much more damage. Which sinister voices artfully inflated by the Austrians, they put a great fear among the citizens, especially the wealthy, who rushed to the safe place and hide the precious furnishings and valuables.

The Neapolitans, who, as has been mentioned, it retreated into squares in the hills of Cantagallo placed in the front rows costritti young people to prevent them from taking the flight: the Hungarian cavalry attacked, the younger generation that the first time supported the enemy shock , you broke up, retreated, they dared not return fire, causing confusion and fear in others.

In one of those days, when the conflict was raging, a German regiment, making fire, did not come to kill one of the enemy: it was clear that a colonel, an Italian in the service of Austria, had rendered useless the charges: for which was suddenly past for deadly weapons and the remains of this Herculean by Italian forms, loyal to his country, unfaithful to Austria, buried at the church della Cisterna, for a long time were I object of pity the inhabitants, who witnessed the execution. Home of accounts Silverj, at which the colonel had accommodation, is still alive the tradition of this fact, and the fact that a servant sent to the field to bring lunch to the same, he was forced go back hill food intact, because along the way , was informed of the shooting took place.

After the family had Bezzi from the general Bianchi gift in the two drawings, of which we spoke above, was vague to the Municipality of Tolentino obtain a copy of what is at the Battle: did you run Oil and proportions identical to those The painting is still existing which depicts the Peace Treaty of Tolentino: it is placed in the main hall of the palace of the city, where he remained until 1848. In that year some hot young men of patriotism and driven by hatred of the stranger, if desired, according to their view, erase the shame of defeat by the Italians in 1815, through the work of the Austrians, against which it was at war again, disdainful who remained at home a visible memory, ran to the town hall, tore up the picture from the wall, and cast him out of the window, made him to pieces, burned him in the center of the main square, uttering cries of hurray all ‘Down with Italy and Austria. That was done in the cold harshly judged and frowned upon, but considering the state of mind and the circumstances that accompanied it, will readily be explained and apologized.

This left a deep trace memorable battle between the peoples of the Brand, including it is always the tradition alive. He became the subject of a poem in eighth rhyme composed by Mr. Iganzio Belzoppi, professor of belles-lettres in the Gymnasium of Tolentino, whose manuscript preserved in the Library of this city was commemorated with lapidary inscription, which was destroyed in the year 1848, when it was made a atuo-da-fe of the picture, the top of which was held speech.

A lady defunct a few years ago, often narrated in the family, who found himself in Montemilone, now Polloch, when a battle took place: she who was then the age of 11, he declared that he had seen overnight rise of the fires in the countryside: they were pyres formed of German corpses, whose views put horror and disgust: also remembered having observed the Germans cut up the slain horses, rosolarne meat to the fire and eat them along with the bloody soap.

Many Neapolitans were part burned, thrown in the wide part of the castle Rancia tank, which was filled to the brim, although deep. This castle, built by Rudolf II Varano, and now owned by Prince Sigismund Bandini, in the bottom of the tower retains many circles of iron fixtures on the wall, who in the Middle Ages were attached to the wretched prisoners at the orifice of a trick now closed , where they were rushed when he was tired of torturing them.

April 3, 1815.
Hailing from the Prefecture of Macerata came to the Municipality within a pack with eight prints of alarming proclamation, signed by Joachim in Rimini on the day on March 31, in which to emphasize the great work, which has set about, to base the Italian Independence Within this pack ….. there was a small map, where leggevasi: Yes to dispense true friends without getting published by Tubatore.In this same course from istessa Prefecture writing to the Vice-Prefect: And ‘known to the Government, that the Pope written unto this Bishop, requiring him to make parsuadere glue mezzanità of Parsons, to the Friars and Nuns do not take pensions, and inhibits the Parsons said not to read the orders from the altar to the people.

March 17, 1815.
There is the order of the Prefect of Macerata that you present to the King the keys of the city, and the Door of the Church of the Curé s’incensi.
Finally today, March 19, the day of Palm Sunday, the hours of about 17:30 Joachim Murat arrived in Loreto. He dismounted on the Basilica, where he found the Bishop, who left the assistance of the Mass sung out to meet this excommunicated, and bareheaded he opened the carriage door, served him in her arms, and placed it under the canopy. There were still several of the Chapter and Clergy, leaving others to officiate the Choir.

The Field Marshal White in Tolentino had taken up residence in the palace of Count Giovanni Bezzi.
One morning he disappeared one of ‘bigger lights and silver, despite the most careful research homemade from the lady, it was not possible to find the name.
It lacked only indagar of the room occupied by General. The lady boldly forward to enter, but the guards cut him short. Warned the movement and knew it was the mistress, the general order that you let me in, and she tells him that the whole house had not been able to find one of his light silver; allow her to make search within that room. The general, no doubt unaware of the theft, let the lady circles freely, and under his eyes, he found it hidden behind the bed the stolen light. If you had a lot of nerve to rob the house where he had also hosted the commander in chief, how much more worse and will not ladroneggiato out? But the bad habit was to give him the Neapolitans only, because the populace favored the Germans.

Taken from: “The Battle of Tolentino – Document VII” by G. Mestica, Acts and Memories of R. Deputation of History Marche homeland, vol. VI, 1903 “The Battle of Tolentino in 1815 – Pleadings, Documents, Anecdotes” by G. Benadduci, Tolentino, Tip. Filelfo 1890, and 1915.