Let Us Die To Make Men Free: Garibaldi's America

"...and having thus chosen our course, without guile, and with pure purpose, let us renew our trust in God, and go forward without fear, and with manly hearts."
--President Abraham Lincoln of the United States of America

“I offer neither pay, nor quarters, nor food; I offer only hunger, thirst, forced marches, battles and death. Let him who loves his country with his heart, and not merely with his lips, follow me.”
--Giuseppe Garibaldi

August 1, 1861
Brussels

It was a strange course of events that had led to this hot night in Brussels. Giuseppe Garibaldi, Hero of the Italians, rugged revolutionary, and a man of fabulous style(1) sat, eyes hooded, across from Henry S. Sanford(2), the U.S. Minister in Brussels. At the opening of the Civil War in faraway America, Garibaldi had sent a communique to Sanford, offering his services to the United States government, and citing his actions in Brazil, Uruguay, and against Austria as proof of his military talent. The Americans had offered him a commission as major general and--as he had little to do as the Sardinians continued to stall on an expedition to Rome--he had traveled to Brussels in person to refuse(3). Now, as he saw the minister's honest, hopeful face, however, he felt uncertain. These people could be convinced, he thought. Even without the proclamation of a war to end slavery(4), he could serve with these people and hopefully convince them otherwise. Even without becoming General-In-Chief, which he had come to understand was a somewhat ineffective position in the American army(5), he could serve. For one of the very few times in his life, Giuseppe Garibaldi found himself willing to compromise to achieve success(6).

The general opened his eyes wide, and, leaning on the table before him, spoke clearly to the young man before him. "I will accept your president's offer. I will serve, at his pleasure, as a major general."

And history changed.

* * *

October 14, 1861
District of Columbia

"Mio Dio! Ci sono così tanti di loro!" Colonel Gouverneur K. Warren, Garibaldi's chosen aide-de-camp(7), eyed the general with some discomfort as he spoke. In the fortnight since Garibaldi's arrival in the United States, Warren had been both offput and strangely seduced by the Italian's paradoxically humble-but-flamboyant style of speech and dress, and his lively, fearless personality. He was not quite sure whether he loved the man or hated him, but it was to at least one of these extremes that his mind leaned. It had to be said, however, that the two had become close in those two weeks. It was not for nothing that the cautious young colonel had become his aide-de-camp.

"Excuse me, sir?" Garibaldi shook his head, waving a hand at Warren. "It is nothing, mio caro figlio. It is only that it is amazing to see such a great amount of men in one place." The Army of Northeastern Virginia(8) was arrayed in military splendor along the banks of the Potomac; thousands of men, well-armed and well-supplied, but with the illusion of distant perspective hiding their fatal flaw--inexperience. Garibaldi smiled. It was perhaps applicable that such an inexperienced group of men should be entrusted to a general so inexperienced in leading such a large force. They would learn together, and be the better for it.

The general was distracted from his thoughts by the appearance of a figure below the small hill upon which he and Warren gathered their thoughts. "Who is that, mio figlio?" Warren squinted in the autumn sun, then frowned as he recognized the man. "It is Irvin McDowell, sir." Garibaldi grinned with excitement. "I have been wanting to meet this man. His strategy at...Bull Run, è corretto? It was quite creative. But not good, I think, for our newborn army here." Warren did not say anything, but continued frowning. More figures came loose from the great beast below them, following McDowell. Seeing better now, Warren said, "Brigadier General Joseph Mansfield and Major General Nathanial Banks, sir."

Finally, the three arrived at Garibaldi's tent, saluting him. He acknowledged them with a sharp salute of his own and spoke, saying, "Signori miei! It is good to finally meet you. Allow me to formally introduce myself; I am Major General Giuseppe Garibaldi, lately of the army of Italy(9)." He held out a hand, and the three shook it in turn, all introducing themselves politely. Turning away, Garibaldi clasped his hands behind his back, and continued speaking. "Firstly, my friends, we must reorganize this army. I propose a division of four corps. I will lead the first personally(10). I would like Brigadier General McDowell to lead the second, Brigadier General Mansfield the third, and Major General Banks the fourth." He turned back to them, smiling serenely. "What do you say?" While Banks bristled silently at being offered a corps so latterly-numbered, McDowell labored to prove his own incompetence at this command. "General, I am not worthy. I am only a supply officer, not a commander(11). I request formally that you allow me instead to organize supply." Garibaldi chuckled, and shook his head. "And polite too! I will not grant this request, my good sir. But if you so wish to be put back in the leadership, take the fourth corps. Major General Banks will take the second, suona bene?" The three nodded, though Banks still seemed somewhat irritated. The general nodded firmly. "Now go and begin organizing your troops. We begin drills at six tomorrow morning."

Garibaldi's war had not yet begun, but when it did, it would be fast, brutal, and fearless. So thought Colonel Warren as he and the general walked down to meet with the troops.

Notes
(1) Look here, here, and here. Just look at the man.
(2) A rather unknown personality IOTL, so I have felt free to invent a young, honest, and thus convincing-to-Garibaldi kind of man.
(3) Our POD. Instead of sending a letter, Garibaldi travels to Brussels himself, and is convinced to change his mind by Sanford.
(4) As he demanded IOTL. I don't see that being very ASB.
(5) He demanded to be General-In-Chief IOTL, but you know, Winfield Scott didn't really dictate the war.
(6) Again, I don't see this being ASB. Garibaldi being in America gives him the opportunity to argue his point of view and prove it through military success. Will it work out that way? I do hope so.
(7) Warren, IOTL, was a very talented military officer, but too cautious for his commanders (unfortunately for him, they did not include the ever overcautious McClellan). His military career was effectively ended after the Battle of the Wilderness, where he was thought to be much too cautious. Here, Garibaldi sees his potential and uses him.
(8) The army that lost at Bull Run and Big Bethel, which later became the famed Army of the Potomac. That's right--no McClellan in the East.
(9) This was something Garibaldi often did--referring to the army of Sardinia-Piedmont as the army of Italy, before it was officially so. I like his confidence.
(10) As per usual, Garibaldi takes a field command as well as his overall command. He liked to be in among the troops, fighting alongside them.
(11) Which is what he said to Washington when they put him in charge of the AoNEV. They didn't listen. His strategy was quite imaginative, though, and he had great potential.

Good start.

Waiting for more, of course...

We need more TL's about the great Garibaldi.

Indeed we do, Historyman. And worry you not, my dear Unknown, we shall have more very soon!

I have been hoping for someone to make a timeline about this forever. Definitely subscribed.

I wounder how Lee, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, and others would think after they hear that an Italian is a major general in the Union Army.

Ooo, Garibaldi serving for the Union? Yes.

Sakura_F said:

Ooo, Garibaldi serving for the Union? Yes.

Click to expand...

Garibaldi VS Lee.

Garibaldi as a Union general? I'm already hooked.

Viva Italia Mafia!

I have wanted this for AGES. Subscribed.

Subscribed!

Confederate troops defending Fredericksburg

November 2, 1861
White House, Washington D.C.

Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, stared at Jessie Fremont, who stood trembling in front of him. The president was stretched out languidly in a cushy chair--one of Madison's, if he remembered correctly--which had become terribly uncomfortable in the last hour. In his head, he was as divided as the great nation which he ruled. Only two months before, General John C. Fremont, commander of the Department of the West, had placed Missouri under martial law without the President's consent, and--most controversially--had declared that the slaves of rebels would be emancipated. Lincoln had urged him to reverse this action, but in the last month, he had felt more and more uncertain about this problem. General Garibaldi, that fearless and idealistic Italian who had taken command of the Army of Northeastern Virginia, had been corresponding with Lincoln on the issue, and, with the utmost, well-written respect, had argued strenuously for Lincoln to support Fremont. That ultimately, this had to be a war for freedom, not simply to integrate the nation. Lincoln's own opinion of Fremont had urged this course as well. It was only the seemly appearance of staying neutral on slavery which had kept him from agreeing with Fremont. But, Lincoln thought suddenly, appearances were to be damned. It was actions that counted.

The lanky president stood, stretching slightly, and took Mrs. Fremont's hand with a kindly smile. "Jessie, my dear. Do not weep. It is true--I will remove John from command, but not permanently. He will continue to serve in the Department of the West. Meanwhile, let's promote good Mr. Lyon and give him the Department. He seems talented." She did weep a little.

But that was alright.(1)

December 16-19, 1861
North of Fredericksburg, Virginia

General Garibaldi looked down upon the surprisingly quiet city of Fredericksburg from his vantage point in the hills across the Rappahannock. Though they could not be heard from here, the city was flooded with Confederate troops--Joseph E. Johnston's Army of North Virginia. Though Garibaldi had moved quickly and quietly, Confederate scouts had seen the Army of Northeastern Virginia moving east from Washington. Union intelligence believed that at first, Johnston had believed it to be a feint, and had directed Stonewall Jackson's Valley District to reinforce the towns of northern Virginia, with the bulk of the force moving to Ball's Bluff. For his own part, Johnston moved his forces to Fredericksburg, in case of an attack. Garibaldi grinned; the Confederate almost certainly believed that either army would be able to defeat this "foreigner". He would know better by the end of this week.

The signal was sent, the attack began. I Corps, led by Garibaldi, moved swiftly on the ferry on this northern side of the Rappahannock, quickly clearly out the few men of P.G.T. Beauregard's First Corps (previously the Confederate Army of the Potomac) that were stationed on this side of the river. Garibaldi's men boarded ferry boats and began crossing the river, at which point they came under strafing fire from Confederate positions in Fredericksburg proper. II, III, and IV Corps, not yet let loose by Garibaldi's orders and holding on the northern side of the river, retaliated with cannon fire, which, though somewhat ineffective due to the river's width, succeeded in scaring the good Johnston into moving his men back from the river's edge(2). As a result, the landing was slightly easier than Garibaldi had thought it would be, despite the sporadic fire from the Confederate positions. The men of I and II Corps then flooded into the beachhead, and the fighting began in earnest, the Union troops aided by artillery fire across the Rappahannock.

The fighting was brutal; as they say, Johnston made Garibaldi pay for every inch he took of the city in blood, throwing everything he had--and he had quite a lot, for this was the army with which to defend Richmond--at the Italian. This, unfortunately for Johnston, was his fatal mistake. Now, McDowell and Mansfield crossed the river to the west, and, before Johnston could react, slammed into the Army of Northern Virginia's left flank. While the defenders shattered at first strike, by the late afternoon, III and IV Corps had become bogged down in house-to-house fighting, while Garibaldi and Banks were able to make only token gains to the east. By nightfall, as fighting began to die down, the Union held the northern and central parts of the city, as well as more northerly parts of Marye Heights, but Johnston's forces still held the vast majority of the Heights and the southerly part of the city, with Johnston himself making his headquarters at Brompton House on the Heights(3). Garibaldi, for his part, moved his command to the Chimmneys, an old and stately house within the city proper.

As night fell, both sides tensely prepared for nighttime skirmishes--neither were disappointed. General Banks, without informing his commander or his co-generals(4), had formulated a plan to capture Marye Heights via a daring nighttime infantry maneuver. After midnight had passed, his plan moved into motion rapidly, with II Corps moving rapidly up the eastern part of the Heights, where they initially defeated the Confederates defending throughout, armed as they were with the element of surprise and a thick pea fog which lay over the entire city. Indeed, it was only at Brompton itself that Banks encountered significant resistance, as Johnston realized that the Union soldiers were making an assault. The general led his troops himself, in fierce hand-to-hand fighting. At around three in the morning, Banks was forced to pull back to the eastern part of the Heights--he had made gains, but not achieved his aim in capturing Brompton. However, little though he knew, Johnston had been gravely wounded in the attack and would not survive the next day(5).

On the Confederate side, P.G.T. Beauregard launched a daring night offensive using his First Corps against Garibaldi's positions in the center of the city. The Union forces were initially forced to fall back, surprised by this night action and depleted by Banks' assault, but Garibaldi, leading his forces himself, managed to rally I Corps and force Beauregard back in heavy fighting. Realizing Banks' forces were gone, Garibaldi was forced to remain where Beauregard had pushed him to keep his forces together. Before morning came, the furious Italian commander found Banks at Marye Heights and, in a famous incident, screamed him into a metaphorical coma. The incident forever changed how Banks would think of Garibaldi, and he remained resentful for the rest of his time in the Army of Northeastern Virginia.

As morning came, both sides proceeded cautiously. The news of Johnston's mortal wound spread through the Confederate army quickly. As the highest-ranked officer present, Beauregard took temporary command of the army, and prepared his men for a counteroffensive. Before that could happen, however, the Army of Northeastern Virginia attacked ferociously at Marye Heights. McDowell and Mansfield charged into Confederate positions, overwhelming them despite fierce resistance. By noon, IV Corps had captured Brompton, with Johnston's body having been removed by retreating Confederate troops. By nightfall, III and IV Corps controlled Marye Heights, upon which they rained down destruction on Beauregard's forces. It was here that Beauregard made a crucial mistake--he decided not to retreat, but defend his position in a bloody battle. This night, unlike that before, was quiet, with only isolated skirmishes occurring between Major General Theophilus Holmes'(6) troops on the Confederates' left flank and McDowell's men.

By six in the morning, many of the Confederates, including Holmes, had realized that their position was a deadly one. Holmes sought out Beauregard and argued strenuously that they must fall back from Fredericksburg, regroup, and wait for reinforcements. Beauregard--perhaps out of some hunger for glory or simple stubbornness--refused to fall back, and ordered Holmes back to his position. As a very light snow began to fall on the city, Garibaldi's army resumed their assault. Mansfield's III Corps moved south, attempting to encircle Beauregard's forces; however, Holmes and his troops managed to stop III Corps' movement, keeping an escape route open. Garibaldi and Banks, meanwhile, assaulted Beauregard fiercely, pushing him back despite stiff resistance. Finally, by three, Beauregard was forced to retreat after suffering a bullet wound to the shoulder. Though it was at first organized, the Army of Northern Virginia began retreating in disarray after Garibaldi continued to assault them. Theophilus Holmes' forces were the only ones to remain coherent, and regrouped west of the city at Spotsylvania Courthouse, joined by the shattered remnants of Beauregard's First Corps. For the rest of the day, the Army of Northeastern Virginia established control over the city, crushing out the shattered pockets of Confederate resistance.

By December 19, 1861, Fredericksburg was firmly in Union hands.

Notes
(1) Unlike as per OTL, where Fremont was fired due to his somewhat forward actions in declaring martial law in Missouri. Here,
Fremont is demoted but not removed from the army. Nathaniel Lyon, meanwhile, survives, and takes charge of the West. Also, something I didn't mention--Lincoln does not accept Winfield Scott's resignation, meaning McClellan remains at the Department of the Ohio.
(2) I would not call Johnston a timid commander, but he did have a certain, er, flair for preserving his troops, as it were.
(3) As in the OTL Battle of Fredericksburg, which would have been a year later.
(4) As per IOTL, Banks is somewhat reckless throughout the first part of the war. This combined with his resentment for Garibaldi causes, well, what you see here.
(5) Yes, that's right. I killed Joseph E. Johnston this early in the war. I'm a badass, I know.
(6) IOTL, a protege of Jefferson Davis who fought at Bull Run. I have big plans for him.

* * *

Thoughts, guys?

Good update.

How far are you going with this?

Unknown said:

Good update.

How far are you going with this?

Click to expand...

Hopefully until the modern day, but I can be not great at keeping TLs going, so let's all hope I don't get lazy!

Considering Johnston was a famed bullet magnet, it isn't hard to kill him.

Also I know next to nothing about Garibaldi as a commander, but I presume he's quite good?

And how long until the average American soldier calls Garibaldi, Gary the Baldy?

An American Garibaldi wank? Hopefully you do not make him infallible, as in that he cannot be beaten. I mean, even with the total reverence of Lee and his 'invincibility', even he had his own setbacks and failures to match his successes. So hopefully you see Garibaldi with some failures as well.

And him becoming Commander in Chief? come on. A foreign General becoming CiC of the Union Armies. The US is way way way too prideful for that.

McClellan not in the east. I would not mind seeing McClellan becoming a Corps commander, tbh, just to see how he would go in that position.

And Fremont? really? I already miss Grant and Sherman.

EDIT: oh, almost forgot.Where is Nathaniel Lyon?

The KKK or whatever equivalent post-war organization will be even more anti-Catholic in this timeline. They will easily portray the Federals as foreign lovers against Americans.

This is cool, but has interesting political ramifications, too.

1. Okay, so Lincoln will be under pressure to state whether he agrees with Fremont or is just letting his generals do whatever. Admittedly, he could (and likely would) argue he is doing the latter. As he might say, "Why should I wholeheartedly endorse Mr. Fremont's actions as though they were my own. I have hired a man as Major General who is from another country, brought here for his incredible skill. He is not running this country, he is an excellent general whom I believe can win us the war. Mr. Fremont is not running this country, either." Still, it will cause some quivering in Kentucky and Maryland.

2. Garibaldi is, I presume, Catholic. This will be an interesting selling point to the Irish Americans, who largely resented being drafted; whether it is a successful selling point I don't know, but Lincoln would clearly tr5y to use it to his advantage.

2. They hired a man who wasn't even a West Pointer. Now, Winfield Scott remaining helps a lot here - with his endorsement it might soothe the feathers of quite a few career generals, but still, Lincoln wouldn't even hire and American? OTOH, I can see Lincoln's sense of humor being useful here, too. "We have with us a variety of generals, some professional, some political. What is Mr. Garibaldi but another political general, one who just happens to be from a different jurisdiction. If the shepherd buys a sheepdog from someplace else to tend to his excess sheep, what does it matter where that sheepdog is from? What matters is, is he capable of keeping the sheep in line?"

This is just the start of Garibaldi bested the CSA.