Battle of San Martino

In 1859, during the Italian Risorgimento – the Second Italian War of Independence, – there was another greater battle here, more commonly called the Battle of Solferino or the Battle of Solferino and San Martino (it was that portion of the struggle, which was fought out between Benedek (Austrian 8th Corps, on the right flank) and the Piedmontese army, that is sometimes called the battle of San Martino - Benedek's corps held its own all day and covered the retreat of the defeated Austrian army, at the end of the action). Solferino was the largest battle since that at Leipzig in 1813. As a result of their defeat, the Austrians lost their grip on the region.

Battle of San Martino
Part of Second Italian War of Independence
Date 24 June 1859 Location Italy, Lombardy Result Italian victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Sardinia	Austrian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Victor Emmanuel II	Ludwig von Benedek
Strength
22,000 men 40 canons	39,000 men 80 canons
Casualties and losses
5,572	2,536

The village of San Martino was renamed San Martino della Battaglia and a tower, museum and ossuary have been erected as a monument to the battle and its fallen.

The site is a few kilometres to the South of Lago di Garda. Nowadays the village is a frazione (hamlet) of the comune of Desenzano del Garda (province of Brescia).

Businessman Henri Dunant was so affected by the plight of the wounded in the aftermath, that he embarked on a path that led to the formation of the Red Cross and the writing of the Geneva Convention. Each year, San Martino holds a festival to remember this battle.

King Victor Emmanuel II. of Italy

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  The Tower of San Martino della Battaglia
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  The Ossuary of San Martino della Battaglia