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reach the commander only at 8:15. From 7:30, the 1st Native
Battalion held off increasing numbers of enemy troops until 8:30, when it was forced to retreat. At this time, about 18,000 Ethiopians were converging on Albertone's brigade in a half moon formation, trying to encircle it, and the strong Ethiopian northern wing occupied Mount Gusoso, cutting any existing link between Albertone and Dabormida's relief attempt. For about two hours, the ascari under Albertone held their position, the artillery inflicting heavy casualties on the attackers, but then the Ethiopians set up quick-firing batteries on the Kidane Meret. While Menelik was committing more troops from his own command, the badly mauled flanks of the Native Brigade collapsed, and by 10:30 the whole brigade, low on ammunition, started a fighting retreat that soon turned into a rout. The batteries that tried to cover the withdrawal were captured, retaken by ascari with a bayonet charge, then definitely lost, their crews annihilated. Albertone was captured leading his troops, and his brigade was shattered shortly afterwards.
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380:, Baratieri decided to advance towards Adwa. The 29 February he ordered the field force to redeploy with a night march. Albertone and the Native Brigade, on the left, was to occupy the Kidane Meret peak, Dabormida, on the right, the mountain of the Rebbi Arienni and Arimondi, with the center, again the Rebbi Arienni, in a less prominent position. The reserve brigade of General Ellena was stationed behind Arimondi.
422:
by the fire of
Albertone's two mountain artillery batteries. At 6:45 Baratieri, who heard the sound of the fighting, ordered Dabormida to advance in support of Albertone, whom he assumed to be at the false Kidane Meret, a little ahead. Once Dabormida discovered the Native Brigade was further away, he continued to slowly march westwards, reaching the Mariam Shavitu valley 3 miles north of Albertone's positions.
373:. Albertone informed his commander that, according to native informants, the Ethiopians were scattered across the hills of Adwa, foraging. This was later proved to be wrong, but, with Arimondi's mistaken estimate of Menelik’s forces, it suggested to the commanders that Baratieri was moving away from an easy victory. Following Arimondi, Albertone urged an aggressive attack and was soon joined by his colleagues.
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was the Kidane Meret. His guides, though, informed him that the brigade was on Erarà Hill. After an hour, not seeing
Arimondi coming into line on his right as he expected, Albertone deemed that he was on the wrong position and decided to resume the march toward the real Kidane Meret, 6.4 km (4 mi) away.
421:
to scout the ground. Around 6 p.m. the advanced battalion came under heavy attacks from nearby
Ethiopian troops, and Menelik was rapidly binging fresh forces to this side. The assault was so fierce that it reached the Italian second line, and the entire Native Brigade was forced to retreat, protected
430:
By 7:00 a.m. Albertone was arraying his remaining battalions on the nearby Mount
Semaiata, leaving Turitto and the two batteries on the Kidane Meret to cover his movements. He wrote a message to Baratieri, informing him that he was under heavy attack and in dire need of reinforcements: it would
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At midnight it was found that the paths followed by
Albertone and Arimondi were converging. Albertone took the lead, forcing Arimondi to stop for an entire hour. Since the Native Brigade marched faster than the two others, by 3:30 a.m. Albertone reached his intended position, on what he thought
345:
As the situation deteriorated, Baratieri reorganized his command: Albertone received command of the highly respected Native
Brigade, formed with troops that served in the 2nd operational Corps, while Arimondi was moved to the I Infantry Brigade, a mixed formation that mostly comprised Italian units
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Albertone's move opened a wide gap in the
Italian lines, and isolated his brigade from Arimondi and Dabormida. By 5:30 a.m., at sunrise, while the two Italian brigades deployed on the Rebbi Arienni, from his position overlooking the Mariam Shavitu valley Albertone sighted the Ethiopian camp.
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By 27 February, both the
Italian and the Ethiopian armies had only a few days of supply left. Unable or unwilling to decide between a temporary withdrawal or a small advance, Baratieri asked for the advice of his brigade commanders: Giuseppe Arimondi, Albertone,
388:
At 21:30 of 29 February, the brigades of
Albertone, Arimondi and Dabormida were on their way, each following different roads. Baratieri and his staff, with Ellena's brigade, was to follow Arimondi, three hours later.
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After being held prisoner by the Ethiopians for fourteen months, he was freed under the terms of the treaty of Addis Abeba and returned to Italy in July 1897. After commanding for two months the "Re" (lit.
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finally started marching towards Italian positions, the occupation was complete, and a line of outposts and pickets was established on the borders. Realizing Menelik forces greatly outnumbered those units,
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in the Army Staff and started teaching logistics at the School of War. In 1888 he was assigned to the Special Operation Corps of
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recently shipped from Italy. By mid February 1896, the Italian expeditionary force concentrated on the Sauria hills, near
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Convincing himself that Baratieri wanted him to threaten those positions, he sent forward the 1st Native Battalion of
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ordered a preemptive retreat. His conflictual relationship with Arimondi, however, led to the massacre of
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Albertone returned in Eritrea in 1895, when the tensions upon diverging interpretations of the
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at his request. For his valiant deeds during the battle of Adwa, Albertone received the
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The faulty map given to Italian brigadiers at Adwa, that shows "Mount Kidane Meret" (
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Regiment. When the Corps was disbanded, he was reassigned to garrison duties in
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in 1898. He died peacefully and almost forgotten in Rome, in 1919.
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With the officers urging an attack and pressed by telegrams from
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563:"Italy in Africa: A Brief Introduction to Italian Colonial Wars"
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305:, the opening engagement of the war. The Italian then invaded
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350:, a small settlement where the Ethiopian army was encamped.
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Italian military personnel of the First Italo-Ethiopian War
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76:
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695:"Royal Decree 27 September 1897 (pdf in italian)"
241:in 1870. In the following years he was appointed
27:Italian general during Battle of Adwa (1840–1919)
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213:Born in Alessandria when the town was still in
334:and the loss of the isolated Fort of Mek'ele (
725:"Royal Decree 19 March 1898 (pdf in italian)"
764:"Royal Decree 27 June 1895 (pdf in italian)"
504:Commander of the Order of the Crown of Italy
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660:"Royal Decree 9 July 1897 (pdf in italian)"
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293:: the latter, almost entirely composed by
205:and was taken prisoner by the Ethiopians.
190:(29 March 1840 – 13 February 1919) was an
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793:the equivalent Italian-language article
201:. He led the Native Brigade during the
197:, mostly known for his role during the
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14:
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528:Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani.
338:in Italian sources) after a two-weeks
688:He was substituted by Major General
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223:proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy
313:was slowly gathering his forces in
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808:Armies of the Adowa Campaign 1896
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247:Alessandro Asinari di San Marzano
791:This article uses material from
561:The Victorian Military Society.
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456:Silver Medal of Military Valour
450:) Brigade, he retired from the
795:, retrieved 25 September 2017.
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494:Bosco Monticchio, 29 July 1864
490:Silver Medal of Military Valor
473:Silver Medal of Military Valor
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174:Silver Medal of Military Valor
13:
1:
530:"Albertone, Matteo Francesco"
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253:and took command of the 1st
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221:in Turin shortly after the
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567:Victorian Military Society
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183:Matteo Francesco Albertone
806:MacLachlan, Sean (2011).
753:Royal Decree 20 July 1895
283:First Italo-Ethiopian War
265:First Italo-Ethiopian War
199:First Italo-Ethiopian War
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148:First Italo-Ethiopian War
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875:Italian prisoners of war
369:and the newly appointed
317:. By November, when the
217:, he graduated from the
870:People from Alessandria
692:on 1 October 1897. See
235:1866 Austro-Italian War
462:Awards and decorations
409:Menelik's first attack
401:
860:Italian Army generals
534:Treccani Enciclopedia
441:Treaty of Addis Ababa
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301:, won the victory at
124:Years of service
398:Monte Chidane Meret
281:escalated into the
255:Cacciatori d'Africa
233:, he fought in the
225:in 1861. Appointed
61:Kingdom of Sardinia
835:I generali di Adua
810:. Oxford: Osprey.
774:on 31 October 2016
735:on 31 October 2016
705:on 31 October 2016
670:on 31 October 2016
402:
367:Vittorio Dabormida
118:Royal Italian Army
817:978-1-84908-457-4
647:MacLachlan (2011)
635:MacLachlan (2011)
623:MacLachlan (2011)
611:MacLachlan (2011)
599:MacLachlan (2011)
587:MacLachlan (2011)
330:'s column at the
289:and the other in
271:Treaty of Wuchale
215:Sardinia-Piedmont
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16:(Redirected from
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70:13 February 1919
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360:Battle of Adwa
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800:Bibliography
776:. Retrieved
772:the original
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739:30 September
737:. Retrieved
733:the original
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707:. Retrieved
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690:Carlo Caneva
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261:until 1890.
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142:Battles/wars
72:(1919-02-13)
29:
855:1919 deaths
850:1840 births
384:Night march
315:Addis Abeba
237:and in the
231:Bersaglieri
57:Alessandria
844:Categories
768:Au.G.U.Sto
729:Au.G.U.Sto
699:Au.G.U.Sto
664:Au.G.U.Sto
510:References
448:King's Own
435:Last years
332:Amba Alagi
311:Menelik II
209:Early life
87:Allegiance
778:3 October
709:3 October
674:3 October
324:Baratieri
127:1861–1897
18:Albertone
572:28 March
309:, while
299:Arimondi
279:Ethiopia
273:between
104:Service/
419:Turitto
336:Macallè
328:Toselli
291:Mek'ele
287:Adigrat
259:Massawa
251:Eritrea
243:captain
229:in the
195:general
192:Italian
155: (
814:
378:Crispi
307:Tigray
303:Coatit
295:ascari
170:Awards
115:
106:branch
416:major
340:siege
319:negus
275:Italy
832:(it)
812:ISBN
780:2017
741:2017
711:2017
676:2017
574:2017
541:2017
478:Adwa
452:Army
348:Adwa
277:and
132:Rank
77:Rome
67:Died
51:Born
249:in
187:OCI
176:(2)
158:POW
846::
766:.
727:.
697:.
662:.
565:.
549:^
532:.
518:^
492:–
475:–
342:.
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