Giuseppe Garibaldi asked by Lincoln to run army

I'm not sure, mine was just a thought. Giuseppe Garibaldi was a great man with great charisma, it was a great guerrilla leader and fighter for the unity of Italy, but I can not say that he would become a great army general. As writes 'wilber6150': "Just as some of the generals were good Union generals of division, but once at the head of an army have failed ...".
 
I guess I've seen at least a dozen monuments to Garibaldi in Italy. It never occurred to me that he had any connection whatsoever with the US--not even a piece of mail. I never heard this story before. (Seems like I say that last statement way too often, but I learn a lot here.)

An excerpt from the Italian forum of which I am a member:

“Actually there was an exchange of letters between Garibaldi and the White House, at the end of 1861 when was obvious to everyone that the war would last more than three months , and Lincoln was looking for a capable Commander for his army, a senator independently and without authorization Presidential contacted Garibaldi through the U.S. ambassador to Italy, offering a "command" in the Federal army .

Garibaldi, at the time was host of national prisons as a result of his attempt to conquer Rome, showed an interest, at the condition that he be given command of all the federal army, and especially that President Lincoln publicly made a commitment to "freedom of all peoples".

Probably Lincoln assessed the hypothesis to enlist in its ranks Garibaldi, especially for a reason propaganda, in fact at that time was strong in the north and the anti-war movement. However, if Lincoln in a first time, he was interested in this hypothesis, he realized the impracticability of this project that dropped almost immediately disavowing the action of that senator....

The names of two American diplomats involved in the negotiation: one was the consul in Anversa, JW Quiggle, the other was the ambassador in Bruxelles, Henry Shelton Sanford.”
 
The 39th New York Volunteer Infantry was called the "Garibaldi Guard."

Garibaldi poster.jpg
 
I guess I've seen at least a dozen monuments to Garibaldi in Italy. It never occurred to me that he had any connection whatsoever with the US--not even a piece of mail. I never heard this story before. (Seems like I say that last statement way too often, but I learn a lot here.)
Following the 1848 failure of Mazzini's Roman Republic revolution, Garibaldi took refuge in New York City. He lived there in the home of Italian immigrant Antonio Meucci from 1850-54. The c. 1840 cottage on Tompkins St in Staten Island is now the Garibaldi-Meucci Museum. He worked as a teacher. In 1854, he returned to fight for Italian unity, and his famous Red Shirts captured Naples in 1860.
So, his familiarity with the USA had deep roots.
 
90% of member in the ranks of Garibaldi Legion, were opponents of garibaldini and fled Italy after the defeat. I never explained the choice of the name for battalion, better 'Italian Legion'
 
90% of member in the ranks of Garibaldi Legion, were opponents of garibaldini and fled Italy after the defeat. I never explained the choice of the name for battalion, better 'Italian Legion'
Sounds a bit confused ... before the time of the ACW it was the Garibaldini who were on the losing side. What were their opponents fleeing from? But, mid-century Italian politics was a byzantine brouhaha ... any number of opposing factions, ideologies, and ambitions ... most any combination is possible.
 
Italy in 1860 was divided into half a dozen states, the famous enterprise of Garibaldi began to Genoa(my city), he departed with 1,000 Garibaldini, landed in Sicily and with new volunteers from the invaded country, conquered the whole Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (in yellow on the map).
33b3bc8.jpg

Many Italian, of the beaten 'Bourbon army', were exiles and fled from Italy to New Orleans between 1860 and early 1861. When the war began, they enrolled in Confederate Louisiana Militia:
-6th regiment (Italian Guards Battalion) European Brigade and
-Garibaldi Guards company
 
Italy in 1860 was divided into half a dozen states, the famous enterprise of Garibaldi began to Genoa(my city), he departed with 1,000 Garibaldini, landed in Sicily and with new volunteers from the invaded country, conquered the whole Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (in yellow on the map).
33b3bc8.jpg

Many Italian, of the beaten 'Bourbon army', were exiles and fled from Italy to New Orleans between 1860 and early 1861. When the war began, they enrolled in Confederate Louisiana Militia:
-6th regiment (Italian Guards Battalion) European Brigade and
-Garibaldi Guards company

Klaudly,

Thank you for all your posts and information about to Garibaldi and his Lincoln connection.

Sincerely appreciated,
Unionblue
 
90% of member in the ranks of Garibaldi Legion, were opponents of garibaldini and fled Italy after the defeat. I never explained the choice of the name for battalion, better 'Italian Legion'
My great - great grandfather served in the 39th New York, he was from Germany. Only one company was comprised of Italians, which was Co. A ( the color company, BTW ). Five companies were Germans, one of Spanish and Portugese, one Swiss, one Hungarian, and one French.
 
Italy in 1860 was divided into half a dozen states, the famous enterprise of Garibaldi began to Genoa(my city), he departed with 1,000 Garibaldini, landed in Sicily and with new volunteers from the invaded country, conquered the whole Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (in yellow on the map).
33b3bc8.jpg

Many Italian, of the beaten 'Bourbon army', were exiles and fled from Italy to New Orleans between 1860 and early 1861. When the war began, they enrolled in Confederate Louisiana Militia:
-6th regiment (Italian Guards Battalion) European Brigade and
-Garibaldi Guards company
That explains it ... they were very new refugee immigrants. Really makes than name choice strange.
 
That explains it ... they were very new refugee immigrants. Really makes than name choice strange.
According to the book, Lincoln's Foreign Legion - the 39th New York Infantry, the Garibaldi Guard, the regiment was the idea of Frederick D'Utassy a refugee Hungarian nobleman and teacher of modern languages employed by the best people of New York society. He made the plans to form a foreign born regiment and command it himself. In order to attract a multitude of of volunteers to his regiment, he appropriated the name of Garibaldi, calling his regiment the Garibaldi Guard. D'Utassy reasoned that since he spoke five different languages, he would be the best man to be in command. If you get the chance, I recommend the book, written by Michael Baccarella. Colonel D'Utassy was a very colorful :giggle: individual.
 
According to the book, Lincoln's Foreign Legion - the 39th New York Infantry, the Garibaldi Guard, the regiment was the idea of Frederick D'Utassy a refugee Hungarian nobleman and teacher of modern languages employed by the best people of New York society. He made the plans to form a foreign born regiment and command it himself. In order to attract a multitude of of volunteers to his regiment, he appropriated the name of Garibaldi, calling his regiment the Garibaldi Guard. D'Utassy reasoned that since he spoke five different languages, he would be the best man to be in command. If you get the chance, I recommend the book, written by Michael Baccarella. Colonel D'Utassy was a very colorful :giggle: individual.
By 1861, Garibaldi was one of the most famous names, worldwide. All Europe knew him as a champion of national sovereignty against Imperial control, and also as a strong opponent of the very idea of slavery. His name was the perfect choice for attracting and binding together men from many nationalities.
 
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