User:Consuelo D'Guiche/Giuseppe Galliano

Giuseppe Galliano (September 17, 1846 – March 1, 1896) was a senior officer in the Italian army during the African Colonial era of the late 19th century. He participated in the African Campaigns from Agordat against the Mahdists in 1890 until his death at the Battle of Adwa in 1896. For those actions he was awarded two it:Medaglia d'oro al valor militare, the highest Italian military decoration for valor, and was the first person so decorated. He is remembered in his hometown of Civa with a bronze, and inspired Tuscan distiller Arturo Vaccari to create the eponymous liqueur, still produced to this day.

Galliano was born in Vicoforte but his family soon moved to Civa due to the First Italian War of Independence. His father was a Piedmontese unificationist and a follower of Santori di Santarossa. In 1854, at age 8, he entered Collegio Militare di Asti a newly formed school that prepared young people of the local ruling class for univeristy studies. After graduation in 1864 he attended it:Accademia Militare di Modena, the Italian military officer's college.

In 1866, he exited as a Second Lieutenant and was assigned to the 24th Infantry Regiment "Como". He participated in the Third Italian War of Independence against the Austrian Empire, in particular the liberation of Venetia. In 1870, he was promoted to the then rank of Luogotenente, now First Lieutenant, and in 1873, he was transfered to the newly formed Alpini, where he stayed for ten years. In 1883, he was promoted to Captain and assigned to the 58th Infantry Regiment "Abruzzi", and a year later to the 82nd Infantry Regiment "Torino".

Galliano received his first African posting in 1887, in the punitive expeditionary force under General Asinari di San Marzano, which was to avenge Dogali. He commanded a unit of irregulars in 1st brigade. The force landed at Massawa, Italy's toehold port in Ethiopia and by January had moved up to Sahati, and invited attack. Ethiopian forces under Ras Alula and Yohannes, facing crises elsewhere, including the Mahdist sack of Gondar under Abdallahi ibn Muhammad, withdrew. Galliano returned to Italy and the 82nd.

As a result of repeated requests, in 1890 Capitano Galliano returned to Ethiopia. Under Colonel Aramondi he was given command of a mixed battalion of four companies of indigenous Askari. On December 21, 1893 he was involved in the battle of Agordat against Mahdist forces. Galliano's battalion and an attached artillery battery took a position on high ground to the right of the fort. At noon he was ordered to perfom an encircling manouver. To do so, he forded a stream and made his way to higher ground. He had been observed by the enemy, however, and a greatly superior Mahdist force charged his position. The mules were killed, the artillery and its support company were overrun, and his men fled in disorganized retreat. Galliano thrice reestablished order among his troops and led a bayonet charge, routing the Mahdists and recapturing his artillery pieces. For his actions, King Umberto I awarded Galliano the gold medal for valor, Italy's highest military honor. His citation read: "[Galliano] Directed with energy, courage and gusto, in combat against the Dervishi near the fort of Agordat, the attack of the four companies who had refused orders, quickly reestablished order and led them back to the attack, putting the enemy in retreat and recapturing four artillery pieces." had a main part in the combat against ras MangasciÃ to Coatit (13-14 January 1895). In the war of Abyssinia of the 1895 Galliano he was left to defense of the improvised fort to MakallÃ¨, encircled from numerous Abyssinian formations. After heroic defense, reduced to the ends determined to blow up the fort and to only perish to you between the ruins (after to have received a advanced order). But surrendered with honor of the crews and the freedom to return little to its army but after scomparve heroically in the disastrous battle of Abba Garina against the clearly advanced forces of the emperor of Ethiopia Menelik II. The heroic figure of Galliano was decorated of a second medal of gold, moreover Ceva dedicated the barracks to it of the alpine ones and in a 1899 artistic monument in bronze.

On 6 January 1896, Menelik surrounded another Italian garrison, this one occupying the fortified town of Makalle. Having no interest in a prolonged siege, Menelik offered it's commander, Lt/Col Galliano, safe passage if he would simply leave in peace. His offer was accepted, and Menelik was good to his word. Galliano left in peace with his command.

On December 7, 1895, the Italian vanguard of 5000 men under Colonel Toselli was killed to a man by a force under Ras Makonhen, Menelik's nephew and the father of Haile Selassie. This victory brought the Ethiopians a huge quantity of arms, ammunition, and supplies. Ras Makonnen's next move was to march on the Italian stronghold of Makalle, which he captured in forty-one days. The commander, Major Galliano, offered a large sum for his men to be freed and permitted to rejoin the main body of the Italian army. Menelik accepted. He had an end in view far greater than the ransom money. In fact, what he did then revealed rare strategy. He insisted that his own men escort the Italians back to their lines. When this had been done, he so maneuvered his men as to give the impression that he was leaving that neighborhood for another Italian post, Addigrat. But after going a little way toward this place, he changed his direction abruptly and marched on Adowa where the main body of the Italian army was, and in such a manner as to reach it from the rear. In the meantime the Italian scouts were completely fooled. The movement of the Ethiopian troops escorting the Italian captives back to their lines served as a screen for Menelik's advance. Before the Italian commander, General Baratieri, knew it, he was surrounded. His only hope was to try to break through back to the coast, but dubious of success, he tried to come to terms with Menelik, who demanded $12,000,000, the surrender of all his arms, and the complete evacuation of Ethiopian territory. Negotiations went on for the next five weeks, Menelik growing stronger all the time. The Italians, with 20,521 men, were outnumbered four to one by Menelik. However, against their sixty-four modern cannon, Menelik had only forty, mostly of obsolete type.

http://unimaps.com/sudan1884-1900/index.html Map of Mahdist Sudan 1884-1900