I fratelli Bandiera

The experience of the Bandiera’s broders in Calabria fits inside that political atmosphere developed in Italy thanks to the diffusion of the values of the libertarian spirit, that had inspired the Jacobins that had affected even the Italian carbonaro groups. Giuseppe Mazzini, through the secret associations Giovine Italia and Giovine Europa, went on with his opera of conspiracy aimed at the liberation of the Italian population from the oppressors and unity of the Italian states into one Republic. These ideas of liberty had even reached that part of Calabria, where on the 15th March of 1844,in Cosenza, after an attempt of insurrection, arranged by the Neapolitan liberal committee that had a negative result, brought at the fucilation of the insorted. The rumour of a general insurrection in Calabria had reached the Venetian broders Attilio and Emilio Bandiera, young liberal founders of a secret society, called the Esperia. Carried by the enthusiasm risen from the rebellion decided to organise a revolution in South Italy that started from Calabria.
The two along with 17 comrades sailed from Corfù the night between the 12th and 13th June on the Trabaccolo Spiridione. Were part of the expedition: Nicola Ricciotti from Frosinone, Domenico Moro from Venice, the modenese lawyer Anacarsi Nardi, Giovanni Vannucci from Rimini, Giacomo Rocchi and Francesco Berti from Lugo, Domenico Lupatelli from Perugia, Giovanni Manesci from Venice, Carlo Osmani from Ancona, Giuseppe Pacchioni from Bologna, Luigi Nanni, Piazzoli Pietro and Luigi Miller from Forlí, Francesco and Giuseppe Tesei from Pesaro, the Milanese Paolo Mariani, and the bolognese Tommaso Mazzoli.
At the head the calabrese Battistino Meluso, even called the Nivaro. Furthermore there was a corse from Oletta called Pietro Boccheciampe. The night of the 16th landed at the estuary of the river Neto, near Laganetto (Cantorato) and headed for the inland in search of a shelter. After spending the night at the church of (fondo Sala) attached to the Marquese Madja’s Palace they were took in by the tower keeper Bernardo Acciardi, then set off at dawn of the 17th, and found shelter in the Poerio estate, property of the marquise Albani, about 8km. from Crotone.
Informed by two farmers, Bruno Abruzzini and G.Battista Misiano and by the farm expert the Marquese Albani, Girolamo Calojro, about the atmosphere of peace going through the area, decided to proceed for Cosenza. On the 18th of June set off for S.Severina. During the path realised that one of their companions, Pietro Boccheciampe, had disappeared. In fact he had gone to Crotone to report his comrades to the authorities. It is said that on 17th June he was housed in a tavern called “Da Bastuna” located at the plaza Umberto I in Crotone. The patriots spent the night between the 18th and the 19th of June in the wood of S.Elena, property of the Dramis of Scandale. In the morning crossed the river Neto near “Passo del Carro”, through the passage of S.Elena, founding themselves on the left riverside. Then proceeded for the caravan of Topanello-Macchiole, Ceramidio, Bruchetto. Meanwhile the comitive headed for Belvedere Spinello, in the district of Petralonga, between the cliff of Salto and the river course, at 17:30 took place a battle, resulting in two deaths among the Urbani of Belvedere Spinello.
The Bandiera’s broders with their companions proceeded for Caccuri. After having stopped in a place called Laconi, they headed for S.Giovanni in Fiore. Passing through the towns of Cerenzia and Casino(now Castelsilano) and briefly stopping at Casino of “Vordò”, owned by mr. Lopez. Here the bandit Meluso was recognised by the locals that having trust of the bandit patriots, had a warning received to the Urban chief of S.Giovanni in Fiore. When the comitive resumed its path, once arrived in Stragola, a firefight took place where lost their lives Giuseppe Miller and Francesco Tesei. Domenico Moro was wounded in the arm and Anacorsi Nardi in the thigh. In that occasion were taken prisoners 12 people: Attilio and Emilio Bandiera, Moro, Ricciotti, Nardi, Rocca, Venerucci, Pacchioni, Lupatelli, Manessi, Berti, Piazzoli. The bandit Meluso was able to escape the capture. The prisoners were conducted in S.Giovanni in Fiore. The other five, that during the fight were able to escape, were then captured near Castelsilano. The fallen (Miller and F. Tesei) were buried in the church of S.Annunziata in S.Giovanni in Fiore. On the 23rd of June the prisoners were taken along the streets of Sila in Cosenza where the trial took place. The broders Attilio and Emilio Bandiera and 7 of their companions,by the will of the king Ferdinand, were sentenced to death and fucilated in the valley of Rovito on the 25th July 1844 at the cry of “long live Italy!”. The other comrades were pardoned and their punishment switched to life imprisonment. The bodies of the the two broders and the one of Moro were moved in Venice in 1867. The other ones initially buried at the church of S.Agostino in Cosenza and after being moved in 1848 in the Cathedral, were through the years sent in their respective hometowns.