The landing at Magnavacca and the flight

Eight of the fishing boats were captured by the Austrians and two grounded on the sand banks, one of which contained Garibaldi, Anita - in a very serious condition - and "Leggero". The exact point where they landed was in the tideway, about 8 kilometres north of Magnavacca at about 8 o'clock. (3) The other three landed a short distance away between Volano and Magnavacca.

At sea 162 of Garibaldi's followers were captured including 11 officers and 31 owners and fishermen from Chioggia. 

At Ariano Angelo Brunetti (known as Ciceruacchio) and his sons, Don Stefano Ramorino and another 16 followers were captured ashore. (Ciceruacchio with his two sons and Don Stefano Ramorino were executed by firing squad at Cà Tiepolo on 10 August 1849 together with Lorenzo Parodi, Francesco Laudadio, Gaetano Fraternali and Paolo Bacigalupi). 

At Comacchio another 11 were captured including Father Ugo Bassi and captain Livraghi who were shot in Bologna on 8 August 1849. 

The exact landing point of the fishing boats is a controversial point but it is certain that they landed on the beach near one of the tideways between Magnavacca and the mouth of the Canal Bianco (3)

Here the General, lifting Anita in his arms, stepped into the water which came up to his chest and after a short wade, placed his sick wife on the beach and ordered his companions to disperse quickly. 

Cavalieri's Hut and Nino Bonnet 

After the painful separation, only his inseparable "Leggero" remained with him. (*) 

A witness to the event was a poor inhabitant of Comacchio - Batista Barilari - known as Baramoro - who offered his services and took the General, Anita and "Leggero" to a low hut of bulrushes (4) belonging to Ignazio Cavalieri, inhabited by a poor widow - Caterina - who had practically nothing to offer the fugitives by way of comfort. At about 9 o'clock "Leggero" went off to explore the surrounding area in search of help and met Gioacchimo (known as Nino) Bonnet, the brother of Gaetano Bonnet (one of the defenders of Rome in Villa Corsini beside Angelo Masini) and with him returned to Cavalieri's hut. By now it was 10 o'clock. The General was happy to see Nino Bonnet whom he had met the year before in Ravenna to form a group of lancers to be commanded by Masini. 

Nino Bonnet - and his 'agent' Battista Carli (known as Carlon) - agreed to leave immediately because the Austrian patrols were already out. At 11 o'clock they all left the hut. The march was laborious because Anita had to be carried and supported under the arms. 

Along the way (about 3 km) the group was joined by Filippo Patrignani. Garibaldi and Leggero were holding up Anita who was then set on a young white donkey and lead by Bonnet through the difficult stretches. Known only to Carli they were heading towards the farmhouse of the Cavallina estate where Anita then received her first care but the danger was no less insistent. Everything was lacking for Anita and Garibaldi told Leggero to go ahead some distance to find a better place for her. Finally, at the Cavallina inn Anita obtained some comfort from the housewives. Bonnet proposed transporting Anita to his house in Comacchio but she would hear nothing of it preferring to stay beside her Josè. 

The beginning of the 'trafila garibaldina' 

After a short rest (while Nino Bonnet returned to Comacchio to arrange the 'trafila'), the three fugitives accompanied by Filippo Patrignani set off again at 3 p.m. from the 'Cavallina'. After crossing some farmland they followed the Romea road and at milestone 2,600 km they reached the house of the Zanetto estate (6) around 5 p.m. 

The host, who was very kind and knowing well who her guests were, was Teresa De Carli, the wife of Antonio Patrignani, formerly a lieutenant colonel of the Ravenna National Guard and standard-bearer of Comacchio. 

Leggero stood watch hidden in a tree. Before sunset (7.30) Colonel Bonnet returned after arranging the arrival of a boat manned by a head guard of the Comacchio lagoons - Gaspare Matteucci - from Sant'Alberto and sailed by the boatmen Girolamo Carli and Mariano Cavallari (known as Sgiorz). 

The flight now had be continued through the lagoons (7) where the Austrian patrols could not pass. Anita was carefully laid in the small boat on a mattress provided by De Carli (still suffering more and more). But it was necessary to leave immediately and the General wearing the Bonnet's trousers and Patrignani's jacket got into the boat with Leggero.

They left for Ave Maria (8.30) and travelling about 10 km arrived before midnight at "Casone Piviero" (8) after changing boats at the signalman's house on the provincial road of Comacchio "Lanterna" where Gaspare Matteucci was waiting. 

The new destination was the farm of the Marquis Ignazio Guiccioli at Madriole. Celeste Bonnet, Nino's brother, gave indirect help to the flight as he was the temporary administrator of the lagoon area. 

(*) The information that could be collected indicates as those embarked the following: 1. Giuseppe Garibaldi, 2. Anita, 3. Captain Giovanni Battista Culiolo (known as Leggero). 4. Ugo Bassi, Chaplain major, 5. Captain Giovanni Livraghi (captured in Comacchio and shot in Bologna on 8 August), 6. Angelo Brunetti known as Ciceruacchio, 7 and 8, Luigi and Lorenzo Brunetti sons of Angelo, 9. Stefano Ramorino, chaplain, 10. Captain Lorenzo Parodi, 11. Francesco Laudadio, 12. Luigi Rossi, 13. Gaetano Fraternali, 14. Paolo Bacigalupo (the last nine were shot on 10 August in Cà Tiepolo, including the thirteen-year-old Lorenzo Brunetti), 15-18. Four officers who were found by Battisti Carli in the Eliseo wood on the morning of 4 August, kept hidden until the 7th and then sent towards Venice along the Mesola. Among those disembarked there was also the prisoner Sereni, Papal Vice Brigadier, who owed his life to Ugo Bassi who had prevented his shooting in Cesenatico. Bassi ran to Comacchio to the authorities and was sent after Garibaldi and his companions at the head of a patrol.