Reporting of Federici Studies Center
Il 18 September marks the anniversary of the battle fought in 1860 between Loreto and Castelfidardo, which saw the papal army and the Sardinian army pitted against each other, now Italian. We remember the pontifical heroes who sacrificed themselves for the papal cause with moving quotes taken from Mons' four-volume work. Alberto Canestrari,: “The soul of Pius IX as it revealed itself and was understood by the Saints” (Marino, Santa Lucia typography, 1966). Mons. Canestri drew the information from the book of the Marquis Anatole de Ségur: “The Martyrs of Castelfidardo” (Paris 1861).
DEAD AFTER THE BATTLE.
The survivors in a slower pang to die in the lands that the Pope was losing. After some names of those fallen on the battlefield, the illustrious collector of the anthologies of these Martyrs went on to edify the readers with the marvelous examples of fortitude that some of those who did not immediately extinguish in the silence of death offered, with the voice of blood they were able to make the greatness of their souls felt on the hard beds for a few more days, altar of the most tormenting consummation of their holocaust. (Canestrari p.148)
(Casino Sciava 19.9.1860 ore 0,15) “Gen. was also mortally wounded. Pimodan, in the papal field remain the general. Recdelievre, he cap. Charrette and Major Fuckmann, who somehow try to take control of the new chaotic situation". George August Maria Elia de Rarecourt De La Valles marchese de Pimodan, born of an ancient Argonne family, he followed his classical studies at the Jesuits of Freiburg, then he entered the military school of St.Cyr and then the cavalry school of Wiener-Neustadt. Second lieutenant of the cavalry, fights in the battle of Italy under General Radetzky and in that of Hungary (1848/49). E’ colonel a 33 years. In the 1855 he leaves his military career and returns to France’ to military studies. Driven by deep religious feeling, he rushed to Pius IX's appeal among the Catholic volunteers to defend the rights of the Holy See. He joins the general's column. La Moricière.
De Pimodan is the main protagonist of the bloody clash in Castelfidardo. On the heights of Monte Oro, almost noon, at the head of the Swiss Carabinieri, of indigenous hunters and zouaves, Pimodan is injured in the face and right arm (an accredited version speaks of an agent of Cavour who infiltrated the papal army, ndr). He holds the sword with his left hand, continuing to keep in the front row on horseback. When the battle comes to an end, Cialdini is informed of Pimodan's wounding and orders the general. Emilio Castelli, captain attached to the General Staff, to go with a doctor and an ambulance to collect the injured person and transport him to the Piedmontese camps. Gen. Castelli trots to the indicated farmhouse and instead finds it in another one a little’ further away. The pontifical and Piedmontese doctors report to the general. Castles that, the wound in the groin being very serious and the ball remaining in the body, if the general was transported in the ambulance over a rough road, after a few steps he would be dead. Gen. Castelli then orders a corporal from a Bersaglieri battalion to carry a stretcher instead. Placed on the stretcher, he gen. Pimodan is transported to a country house in Sciava and is carefully cared for by military doctors. De Pimodan was operated on the afternoon of 18 September by surgeons of the Sardinian army. Among these is Dr. Viaroli, doctor at the XII Bersaglieri battalion. Despite the surgery, during which the Bersagliere ball that had hit him to death was pulled from De Pimodan, De Pimodan did not survive. Grateful for the momentary relief, he wanted to donate his saber to Viaroli, who subsequently donated it to the Bersaglieri museum in Porta Pia (Roma).
“General Pimodan passed away half an hour after midnight (in the arms of his aide-de-camp Renneville), the men who guarded it were sent to the commander of the outposts. The parliamentarians did not want to leave until daylight this morning, for fear that their outposts would fire on them, and under guard and blindfolded, they were accompanied to the extreme line of the outposts. The general is locked in the room, and orders in this regard are awaited. Major Radicati.»
In the morning the order to bury the dead is given by the general. Avenati. Special care is taken for the Gen.'s body. Pimodan, but as there were no ready coffins, he was buried half dressed in a separate grave near the cottage where he died. The only consideration that is used is to cover his martial face with tiles. Cialdini, unaware that the body was already buried, instead he gives the order to pay him military honors and bury him at the church in the hamlet of Crocette. Around the clock 14 Second Lieutenant Di Prampero must assist in his disinterment and escort the body placed on a stretcher to the Church and attend the new burial carried out with more order, care and dignity. Later the general's two aides-de-camp, The Principle of Line ed The Tale of Renneville, they come to ask in the name of the Marchesa De Pimodan, the body of the valiant soldier.
The veterinarian of the time, Dr. Alessio Fabi from Castelfidardo was entrusted with the embalming. The doctor, before finishing his work, he also cut off one of the general's mustaches as a relic to be sent to relatives in France. In those times it was customary to cut the dead woman a lock of hair as a souvenir and the man his moustache. The doctor also arranged for the precious box to be delivered. The embalmed body was then closed in a double zinc case, it is handed over to the assistants De Ligne and de Rannevile to be transported to Rome. The Piedmontese render the French general military honors this time. The body leaves on 25 September in small stages. The chest is tied on the roof, out in the open, of a two-horse carriage. The body will arrive in Rome on 30 and will be welcomed by her family and the highest pontifical authorities and will be buried in the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi.
(20.9.1860). Edme Conte de Montagnac (Berry). All 6 in the evening of the day 20 Count Edmeto, injured by a ball which had entered the upper part of the abdomen through his arm, he expired by commissioning a friend : «You will tell my parents that I loved them very much!». (Canestrari p.148)
(23.9.1860.) Alphonse Menard (Bordeaux). He joined his companions in the glory of heaven five days after the battle: he was nineteen. He left his father, the mother, a sister and two brothers for whom with the resignation and sacrifice of not having them close he obtained serenity in so much bitterness. (Canestrari p.149)
(Basilica of Loreto 24.9.1860) Mizael (Misael) Not. During the night between 16 and the 17 Misael de Pas falls injured, who reached the cap. Pallfy, Hungarian, in a reconnaissance. The squad went to ascertain whether the Musone bridge was destroyed or guarded by the Piedmontese. Transported to Loreto, the evening of 18 he was deposited with the other wounded in the Basilica itself. The afternoon of the afternoon passed away amidst unprecedented pain 24 hospitalized with the Jesuits in the Ilirico palace with a broken arm due to failure to amputate. How can one not read without tears the letters he dictated and the declarations made before leaving to defend the Holy See, so it is with the expressions with which he accompanied his sufferings. Among others: “I came here for the Madonna!» Devoted to Mary, he was born on the day of the Assumption, struck on the day of the torments of the Addolorata; he asked to die on the day of Our Lady of Mercy which in our language means of Mercy. And it was on that day that the Madonna granted him and welcomed him (A. Canestrari, The soul of Pius IX, vol III, 1966. p.143).
– OSIMO HOSPITALS. It was ordered that the dead soldiers, unlike what had started to be practiced again, they could not be buried in church, but they should be buried in the San Giovanni Cemetery (an exception was made for Guérin, perhaps due to the fact that he already enjoyed admiration for his rare virtues). The old mentality that considered necropsies to be almost profanation was still in force. Indeed, there is, in the aforementioned dossier, a question (14-X-1860) from President Sinibaldi to the Cardinal, to have permission to have the necropsy of the Zouave Parceveaux performed, and the favorable rescript of the Cardinal dated the following day.
Names of dead Zouaves. We cannot leave the topic without mentioning the names of the Zouaves treated here and whose memory was preserved for us by Bresciani in the cited work. They are:
(14.10.1860). Paul de Percevaux (Brittany). Zouave second lieutenant 2 comp. Three cousins had entered the papal army; two died there, the third hit in the forehead was able to recover and return to his homeland to tell of the heroism of his nation and family. A memory of the first two! Paul in falling to the field from a ball to the chest that came out of the right side, he exclaimed: “I am killed, but it does the same!” He lived until two in the afternoon of 14 October: twenty-six days! He died at the Old Hospital on 14 October. In the moments of pause in his pain he appeared cheerful. He had the comfort of embracing one of his brothers who had come to see him who had come to his bedside from Tronjoly Castle. He scolded those who cried: «It's not Breton-like to cry: Let's not leave this sinister impression on Italian nurses".
Twenty-nine years old, he had enjoyed life, but in the most beautiful expression that the world cannot accommodate; only faith and goodness are able to make it taste. Only the evening before leaving did he reveal to his mother what he had already decided to ask for her blessing and his mother approved and blessed him, crying. He made a will: «My soul to God, my body to Our Lady of Loreto, my heart to my mother!». On the heavenly executor of this will, Saint Michael, standard bearer in the march of the Saints to eternal life, there is no doubt about it; down here the execution was equally faithful; the blessed body was buried in the underground chapel of the Loreto basilica; his brother Luigi collected the heart and brought it as a precious relic to his mother who kissed it, crying and thanking her for having given one more elect to the candidate army of Martyrs. That heart closed in an urn was then placed in the parish church of Paolo's family and a monument was erected above it. (Canestrari p.150.151).
(20.10.1860). Hyacinth of Lanascol (Brittany) from Quimper. The cousin of Paul de Percevaux, Giacinto was a few years younger than him. The enticements of youth had never made him crumble the faith deeply instilled in him by his mother. He left renewed in spirit and fervent for the Pope's cause. Wounded by three bullets and died in S. Marco. He died assisted by his mother and his uncle, Count Russel, il 20 October, pronouncing the words: «I die happy; I did my duty". He was twenty years old. During the fight the bullets hit him three times and tore his left leg. In Osimo he had an even more heartfelt consolation than his cousin Paolo: he was able to hug his mother. For twelve days it was the son who lavished on his mother the signs of the most tender affection; it was his mother who reciprocated them and courageously suggested that he receive the holy oil. A sister had come with her mother and she: «I'm about to go to heaven, take good care of your mother". An instant later, with his head resting on his mother's shoulder, he recommended her: «When I'm dead you won't leave me here? Take me with you and put me in the grave next to my other dead sister ». And he repeated the ejaculations: <My God, I want your will!». «My God, I don't want to love anyone but you!». At a certain moment: «I was killed!». And mom: "And, for the Lord, for the Church, for his honor, in his defense!». It was an hour after midnight 20 October. He had said: «I feel like I'm dying! ». And mom: «Let's recite the Te Deum that your father liked so much!». Halfway through the hymn of thanksgiving, with a smile, his eyes had closed. (Canestrari pp.151,152)
OSSUARY OF THE FALLEN BATTLE OF CASTELFIDARDO 18/09/1860 (19.10.1860). Lanfranc Marchese of Beccary (Lorraine) Sergeant. Three bullets hit him in the legs. Transported to a church (perhaps that of the Crocette or rather of San Francesco) he was then sent to Osimo on a horse with painful wounds and amidst the insults of the populace. He expired 19 October at four in the evening. De Beccary had sent his tender son to Rome among the volunteers. Lanfranco, just over sixteen years old. He then wanted to have him well educated as a military man from General La Moricière's training. Lanfranc had had to endure many other hardships for a month: the vain wait of his people, called with childish solicitude, the rapacity of nurses. He responded to the tears of his companions: “I made the sacrifice of my life to God; God picked him up; don't cry!». His parents who rushed from Lorraine had no choice but to embrace his corpse, he had been dead for twelve hours! (Baskets pp.148,149)
(27.9. o 28.10.1860) Rogatien Picou (Brittany) from Nantes seminarian . The enemy bullet pierced his right thigh. Il 27 September at five in the evening he died in Osimo due to loss of blood from the wound. When transporting him there they had stripped him of the same uniform and wrapped him in a blanket, loaded onto a cart.
A good father, upon hearing the news of the death of his son Rogatien, could well recall a story of bitterness and comfort that alternated in his life and ended in supreme tears.. The two-year-old boy had lost his mother; entered the seminary, in learning about the poverty in which the parent was struggling, he thought it more necessary to rush to relieve him. A brother of Rogatien had died in Crimea. But the generous young man had responded to the appeal to defend the Pope: «I have no fortune, not nobility of birth, not talents, not influences in the world: I have only blood and I give this to the Church and the Pope. The title of crusader soldier makes me envious!». (Canestrari p.p.149,150)
Other version: found in the field, wounded in the thigh and covered only by his shirt and therefore half frozen, he was collected by the Piedmontese and also taken to S. Leopard: due to lack of beds, he had to be placed on an overturned confessional, where he stayed for some time. He was already starting to walk when he was injured, which seemed to have healed, it reopened; and the poor guy bled to death, il 28 October.
(30.10.1860) Giuseppe Guérin, Picou's seminar companion, Of 22 years, he had to overcome his parents' resistance to be able to enlist. He was of singular piety: and with such a generous heart towards the companions that he brought along the climbs of the Apennines - he was a small man – up to three carbines to lift the most tired. And in the stages he was always ready to bandage, a medicare, to guard the exhausted and the exhausted. He had attacked the Sciava house twice, when he was wounded in the chest: they extracted the bullet from under his left humerus. He had a friend write to his mother, in latino: «Tell her that I die happily for religion and for the Pope». He stayed in Osimo from 25 September to 30 October, the day he died comforted several times, as well as the visit of the Cardinal, by the assistance of the Secretary of the latter. Feeling faint, he said to those close to him: «Let's say the Te Deum! ». His body, first buried in S. Gregorio, he was then brought back to his homeland Vendée.
Arthur Tale of Chalus (Brittany) in Nantes, rogaziano. In Castelfidardo he was machine-gunned in the thigh. Arturo preceded his neighbor friend Guérin. As a seminarian, he too wanted to be a soldier of the Pope. The announcement of his purpose and the separation from his followers would be the theme of a sacred drama. With a final pang of his heart he greets them like this: «If we never hug each other again on this earth, we will do it in heaven". And moving with the cars he made this prayer: "Gentleman. I thank you for giving me such generous parents in leaving me; they are well worthy of having a Martyr son in me if you like!”.
Died on an unspecified day at the Orphanage of S. Leopard. Far from all his. Transported to Osimo, he was surrounded by an athlete of his caliber, noble by birth and strong like him: Giuseppe Guérin: patriots comforted each other and supported each other indivisibly. The letters written to the aunt not with resignation are enchanting, but with the joy of renewing the offering of his young life for the Pope, offer already made before leaving France. The last words he repeated: «I'm happy to die! ».
With nobility in his blood he had received from his mother and father lost at an early age, the instincts of a delicate religious and human piety. One day he returned with his sister from a pilgrimage to a sanctuary, he asked her: «What did you ask the Lord for me? » «A good wife» she replied «And I a holy death» added her brother. A poor gardener of his who had decided to leave among the volunteers of the La Moricière army had told him: «I will be happy to see the Pope, receive his blessing, communicate to me from his hands and then die for him. So God will welcome me into Heaven! ». These words better encouraged Arturo to leave. In Rome he saw Pius IX and was so impressed that he wrote to his aunt: «If the Pope's enemies approached him and heard them, they would change their language against him! ». But the heart of the wicked is not capable of what hardening? (Canestrari p.p.152,153)
