Garibaldi in 1870

I recently came across this spirited image of Garibaldi in action against the Prussians in 1870, presumably during the fighting in the Dijon area. It is scarcely realistic – Garibaldi was 63 during the Franco-Prussian war and crippled by rheumatism. He generally travelled by carriage during the campaign, although this further picture of Garibaldi at Dijon also shows him mounted.

Nevertheless, Garibaldi’s generosity of spirit in coming to the defence of the French republic is impressive, given that France had crushed the Roman Republic in 1849 and played a major role in Garibaldi’s defeat at Mentana in 1867.

Charles