Case Rubicon
Villa Borghi, 6 April 1848 - Noon
Prince Ferdinando was quietly congratulating Camillo Benso on a speech very well done, when his aide approached him:
"An urgent message from our embassy in Rome, Your Highness. It has just been decoded and is marked Priority/Secret."
"Thank you, Augusto." Ferdinando opened the message, and read it intently. He stood thinking for a few seconds, then he handed it to Cavour: "Case Rubicon, Camillo."
While the count was reading, he turned to his aide: "I will need Admiral Graziani and General Menabrea quickly, Augusto. Fetch them for me, please. I'll be in the usual meeting room."
Camillo had finished reading the message: "It's happening, and faster than we thought."
"A good sign: it smells of desperation. Desperate people are known to make mistakes, mistakes we avoid by planning for different contingencies in advance. Camillo, please bring colonel Bignami to the meeting room: do it personally, but try to be inconspicuous. We do not want anybody suspect that a crisis is brewing in Rome, not today, at least." Awed, Camillo did not respond: he just did as his... friend? Lieutenant? No.. as his Commander-in-Chief ordered.
Ferdinando started walking toward the main staircase, returning the greetings of the delegates, but stopping only to collect Count Mocenigo on the way, murmuring: "A word in private, my dear Count ".
By the time Ferdinando and Mocenigo reached the meeting room, Cavour and Bignami were already there.
"Your Highness, Count Mocenigo: may I introduce Colonel Bignami, Commander of the National Guard in Bologna and just recently arrived from Ferrara?"
"Welcome to Isola della Scala, colonel. I heard many good things of yourself and of your men (1). I understand you have travelled here in order to ask for a chance to play a more active role in the war."
"I do thank Your Highness for your kind words, on behalf of my men, too. It is true: we would like to play some role in the war, if there is an opportunity." The colonel was standing at a rigid parade rest.
"An opportunity has indeed come up, Colonel, and for an independent command too." The prince smiled thinly, before continuing: "Let us be seated. Two other participants in this little meeting are expected, and they should be here shortly. "
As on cue, there was a knock on the door, and Menabrea and Graziani entered. "Welcome gentlemen, please be seated too. Augusto, please remain in the corridor and make sure we are not disturbed."
"Gentlemen, before starting: the information I am going to present is strictly confidential, and cannot be revealed to anyone without our explicit consent. Is this understood?"
The prince waited for a round of confirmations before continuing:
"I have just received an important message from Marquis Pareto (2), our ambassador in Rome. Trouble has been brewing in that city for the last couple of weeks, and I am sure that everyone remembers the disorders of 29 March, when a peaceful demonstration ended up in a riot and was brutally repressed. Two thirds of the Roman National Guard have volunteered to fight in the war, and the battalions left home are too undermanned to guarantee the order in the city, as they have done since the Holy Father granted them leave to be mustered. The presence of volunteers in Friuli and in Dalmatia is certainly welcome, but we would be undutiful sons of Mother Church if we were not concerned with the possibility of increasing unrest and civil disturbances in Rome. This eventuality was discussed with Gen. Durando and Admiral Graziani during my recent visit in Venice. The government of the Republic of St. Mark and General Ferrari, commanding the volunteers, were also made privy to the plans, denominated Case Rubicon, that have been prepared as a contingency. As a consequence, 7,000 volunteers from the Papal States were kept in Ferrara, as a strategic reserve for any possible need.
When Case Rubicon was discussed, it was assumed that the possibility of unrest in Rome would have been detected early enough to make sure that the Papal Volunteers would have the time to reach Rome before it was too late. Unfortunately, it appears that events are moving at a very fast pace. The telegram sent by Marquis Pareto is very revealing in this regard. The Holy Father has rescinded the obligation for all Jews to be confined in the Ghetto, and the wall surrounding it was demolished on 31 March. The following day, the Ghetto was assaulted by bands of marauders (3), allegedly protesting Jewish competition on the labor market. There has been an attempt to blame Jacobins and liberals for this outrage, but the ambassador is positive that the assault was fueled by sermons preached in the parish churches close to the Ghetto, and criminals and ruffians were part of it. Similarly, ferocious brawling has erupted between carters and draymen based in Rome and their competitors from the countryside (4). It may seem a little thing, but Roman populace is dependent on a steady flow of foodstuff from the country to the city, and these disturbances are increasing their discontent. It is believed that agents provocateurs have been instrumental in firing up the brawling. Finally, the Austrian embassy in Rome has increased their pressure on the Secretary of State, openly threatening a schism if Papal troops cross the border to fight against the troops of another Catholic monarch. Obviously this was not an issue when Austrian troops occupied Bologna for 5 years in the 1830s, or when the same troops garrisoned the citadel of Ferrara for a mere 30 years."
Ferdinando's irony was as dry as the Sahara desert, but then he continued in a very formal tone:
"I have decided, under my authority as Commander-in-Chief, to activate Case Rubicon and I do hereby inform the Government of the Republic of St. Mark, pursuant to our alliance treaty. Do you concur, Count Mocenigo?"
The count paled a bit, this development was completely unexpected, but there was a core of steel under his suave and courteous appearance and he did not hesitate: "I do concur, Your Highness."
"Very well.. The commander of the fortress of Ferrara is in possession of sealed orders for this contingency: he will be notified of the activation of Case Rubicon, and six fully manned battalions of the Roman Volunteers will be released immediately, to be transported by sea to Ancona. Admiral Graziani, you will provide the required ships: time is of essence here, and I expect the troops to board ships and depart for Ancona on the morning tide of 10 April. You will also send a message to General Ferrari in Dalmatia, informing him of the activation of Case Rubicon. He knows what to do. Both Gen. Ferrari and the Volunteers should be in Ancona by the evening of April 11. Can this schedule be met?"
"I am confident we can do it, assuming that sea and wind conditions are not too bad. I will send immediately the necessary orders."
"Colonel Bignami, now is your turn. Six battalions of Volunteers, chosen among those mustered in the Legations, will ensure that civilian order is not disrupted in Bologna and in Romagna: I'd suggest three battalions in Bologna and three in Imola. These battalions will leave Ferrara on 10 April, and should be in place not later than 12 April: it is just a couple of days of easy march. You will be in charge of them, with the brevet rank of Brigadier, and are authorized to deploy according to your needs: within the boundaries of the strategic goal, it is an independent command. Congratulations on your promotion, Brigadier Bignami."
A murmur of approval around the table.
"Thank you, Your Highness. I would have never thought my command would be in Bologna... So be it. With your permission, I will leave immediately for Ferrara to collect my battalions."
"You will do nothing like that, Brigadier. Today you will continue to attend the Convention, and the celebration which is likely to follow. Tomorrow you will leave for Bologna... for family reasons. I want you to start assessing the situation on the ground: the battalions can march under the command of their senior colonel, and you can meet them close to the city. Your task is not to repress an insurrection, but to guarantee that law and order are not disturbed: a fit task for the National Guard. The Legate, Cardinal D'Amat, is leaning towards the liberals, and should not oppose your efforts. Be on guard anyway against agents provocateurs, who might try to fuel discontent, and also against bands of Centurioni (5). I suggest you may say you are patrolling against bands of Austrian stragglers roaming the countryside. If the objection is that no one has seen such stragglers...it's because you are just doing a stunning job."
The prince stopped for a moment, then went on:
"Before releasing you to your tasks, gentlemen, I want to make one point crystal clear: Case Rubicon is not aimed against the Holy Father and the Constitutional Government of the Papal States, but rather intends to defend them against the plots of the reactionaries in the Curia, aided and abetted by the Austrian Embassy in Rome. I have always had the utmost respect for the Holy Father, whom I wish to hail soon as President of the Italian Confederation." He sounded very sincere. A princely pause, before ordering: "Dismissed."
When Ferdinando left the meeting room, his aide handed him another message.
The prince read it quickly, and smiled: "Archduke Ranieri has accepted the parley, Camillo. It has been arranged for the day after tomorrow, as proposed. It will be at one hour past noon, at Cavidavid (6). An easy ride. I will take Menabrea and Graziani with me, and also a Tuscan officer. Ask Ricasoli if there is any objection to colonel Montanelli: the man has proved his mettle, and the Volunteers will be pleased. Let us show my dear father-in-law that the Italian Confederacy is already a reality."
Somewhere in the Tyrrhenian Sea, noon
Vincenzo Gioberti was standing right on the ship's bow, staring intently at the horizon, lost in thought. He knew he was still far away from Rome, but deep inside, he had the certainty that the Almighty was giving wings to this very ship, to hasten the pace of history, to finally... He had to pause for a second, to puke in the sea for the hundredth time. His eyes were sparkling though, in stark contrast with his greenish complexion. He put a hand to his chest, as if he could feel Italy's destiny in the form of the sealed parchment he was to deliver to the Pope, but it was not yet there: it would be waiting for him in Rome. Pius IX, the Pope he had dreamed about, almost summoned to history by his pen and prayers, when he had written "Del Primato morale e civile degli Italiani"(7) would finally be offered his rightful place. He could picture the moment he would deliver the message, the smile on the Pope's face, bells ringing and people singing, no, they were angels... He felt compelled to sing as well, a mighty hymn in his thin voice...
"Rex tremendae maiestatis, qui salvandos salvas gratis, salva me, fons pietatis"(8)
How fit, the Angels were singing the Dies Irae... Wait, really?
Footnotes
ITTL Bignami had led a column of National Guards in support of the Modenese insurgents, after the duke fled to Austria
Historical. A cousin of the Sardinian Foreign Minister
Historical. IOTL it happened a week later than TTL, but again on the day after the demolition of the Ghetto wall.
Historical.
Historical. The "Centurioni" were a paramilitary militia recruited by the Conservative Faction of the Curia among vagrants and petty criminals, and used to repress civil disturbances. Their crimes against civilians during the insurrection of Rimini in 1845 had attracted universal condemnation
A small hamlet, 5 miles south of Verona
"On the moral and civil primacy of the Italians", written in 1843. With millions of copies sold, it was massively influential in the debate over the liberation and unification of Italy.
"King of fearsome majesty, Who gladly saves those fit to be saved,save me, O fount of mercy." The eighth stanza of the medieval hymn "Dies Irae" ("Day of Wrath").