The Risorgimento and the revolutions of 1848 in Vicenza

On 17th and 18th March 1848 Vicenza was shaken by the first patriotic demonstrations that led the new Municipality, in compliance with the imperial grant accorded a few days earlier, to form the Civic Guard as one of its first acts. This was one of the typical institutions of the Risorgimento, that borrowed the idea from the French Revolution. It was considered the armed organisation of the people, in contrast with professional armies, considered instruments of oppression. This is why the formation of the Civic Guard was always firmly demanded by liberal patriots.

In the meantime a Provisional Departmental Committee was set up in the town, chaired by the lawyer Giampaolo Bonollo and counting among its members, important personalities such as: the lawyer Sebastiano Tecchio, the priest Don Giuseppe Fogazzaro, the notary Bartolomeo Verona, the merchant Giovanni Toniato, the priest Don Giovanni Rossi and the nobleman Luigi Loschi.

Meanwhile volunteer forces formed, a characteristic element of the 1848 war. In particular we recall the Vicenza Crusaders that in the first days of April faced their unlucky baptism of fire near Sorio and Montebello.

The town, defended by little more than 5000 men including volunteers and regular papal soldiers, was attacked on 20th May at the defences of the Santa Lucia Gate. Even though aided by six cannons the attackers could not overcome the defenders. On the following day a unit that got out of the town under the orders of General Giacomo Antonini attacked the Austrians at Ponte Alto, as they marched towards Verona, but did not manage to prevent them from reaching the stronghold.

Vicenza was attacked again on 23rd May. At midnight the Austrians advanced in three columns with the following objectives. Borgo S. Felice, the Rocchetta, Monte Berico. The hardest fighting was in Borgo San Felice which was strenuously defended.

The Austrians gave up the attack in the late morning of the 24th, retreating towards Verona with heavy losses.

The paintings by Negrisolo and Bottazzi give a detailed representation of how the town was defended.

Immagine di divise militari dell'esercito del Regno Italico - Elmo crinito della Guardia Civica, 1848