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PRELUDE
Morning of the 21 March 1848, Milan, near Palazzo del Genio To the People of Milan, from the Municipality.
Brave Citizens of Milan, please CEASE the fight, leave the streets and return to the safety of your homes!
No more blood needs to be spilled, the noble city of Milan can return to its usual peace and operosity, for the military authorities, in the person of Fieldmarshal Radetzky, have assured that they will retreat to their barracks for a period of fifteen days, and that, during this ceasefire, the just grievances of this city will be addressed by the Imperial Government. Who leaves its weapon and returns to peaceful life today, must not fear any repercussion for the the events of the last three days, as an amnesty will no doubt be conceded. The Municipality will take all the necessary measures to succor the wounded and the families of the fallen. IN CONCLUSION, the Municipality asks, in the interests of PEACE, to facilitate a political resolution to the crisis and to avoid the horror of a bombardment of the city, to desist from any further clash or provocation with the Imperial troops, who have agreed to FIFTEEN days of CEASEFIRE, starting today. Signed, Gabrio CASATI, Podestà di Milano
The young student could barely finish reading the placard affixed, like many similar ones all over Milan, on the walls of one of the houses that had been transformed by the insurgents in an impromptu stronghold during the last days of vicious fighting. He was submersed by jeers, insults to Casati and cries of “War!” “Barbarians Out!”. Indeed the proclamation appeared outrageous, as the insurgents, after the first confused day, had taken control of most of the city center, relegating the Austrians on the city walls and in some public palaces they had occupied and fortified, like the Palazzo del Genio that was soon to be assaulted by the patriots. Victory appeared to be at hand, especially if the rumors that great crowds of armed peasants coming to their aid from the countryside turned out to be real. Then why had Casati consented to an armistice, how did he dare recalling the people from the barricades that had been hallowed by the bloods of so many martyrs to the Italian cause? Finally how could he trust that the Austrians wouldn’t just use the ceasefire to reorganize and undo all the progress of the past two days?
While the student made these and similar thoughts, he watched the small crowd that had formed around him: there were some students like him, but most were shopkeepers, bakers, smiths and labourers, all dirtied, some bloodied from previous fights. They were armed with a bizarre array of weapons, including Austrian muskets, foaling pieces, cavalry sabres, pistols, even ancient looking arquebuses. Many had just hatchets, long knives, or simple hooks tied to poles. All were shouting and the cry of treason was becoming almost unanimous.
But our student managed to keep his head calm and shouted: “Citizens, please calm down! Go to the barricade, and be vigilant, this might be an Austrian trick to confuse us! Pierino” he continued, talking to a very young child, probably a martinett,(1) “take this poster to Anfossi (2), he will know what to do. Ask him for instructions and say that we will hold our positions. Understood? Now go, and be quick to come back!”
Notes:
1- Orphans, taking their name from the St.Martin oratory where they were lodged. In OTL they served an invaluable role as messengers and munitions bearers during the five days of Milan 2- Augusto Anfossi, born in Nice in 1812, had served with the French Foreign Legion and then as an artillery instructor for the Egyptian Khedivé, reaching the rank of colonel. He was one of the chief military leaders of the insurrection in Milan.