A Tapestry of Kings,
Fools, and Traitors

The Formation and Fall
of the Parthenon Republic
of Naples in 1799

Internal Problems in The Republic

by Robert Fletcher, USA

Championnet, before being relieved, had ordered the formation of a French and Republican expedition to pacify southern Italy. MacDonald upon taking over command dispatched this expedition. Three expeditionary forces were to be sent, a Naples Republican led force under Naples Republican General Guiseppe Schipani to subdue Calabria, a combined FrenchRepublican force under Naples Republican General Ettore Carafa to the Basilicata region, and another combined force under General Duhesme to the Puglia region. As French fortunes declined in Northern Italy, MacDonald recalled Duhesme and the larger part of the French contingent. French General Broussier was sent to replace Duhesme. MacDonald in an attempt to halt Ruffo's advance, issued proclamations ordering the death of anyone found not fully supporting the Parthenopean Republic and the French Directory, acts which could never successfully gather support in such Bourbon strongholds. In fact, southern Italian cities and towns in spontaneous uprisings massacred a number of small French and Republican units. On April 2nd, a British fleet appeared in the gulf of Naples. Their presence provoked great consternation and many antiRepublican incidents and Bourbon agents agitated the Lazzaroni into marches and protests. On April 5, French and Republican soldiers swept through the streets of Naples, imprisoning several Bourbon supporters and conducting searches of suspect residences. The Parthenopean Republic soldiers under General Schipani were defeated at Cilento on April 14, by an armed bandit group before engaging the Sanfedisti army. Armed counter revolutionary bands acted as an advance guard screen to Ruffo's anny, which continued to advance. In late April, French forces in northern Italy were now engaged in fighting the Austrians and Russians. McDonald received dispatches from French forces in Northern Italy and secretly made preparations to leave Naples to head North and join his army with those fighting. As he departed, he promised to return and left French garrisons at Castle Saint Elmo, Capua, and Gaeta. In Castle Saint Elmo, 935 men were left under Commandant Joseph Mejean, another 1500 men in the fortress at Gaeta, and 2100 men at Capua both under the command of General Antoine Giradon. British ships under Admiral Thomas Troubridge landed troops on the islands of Procida, Ischia, and Capri, in the Bay of Naples. The Bourbons disembarked troops and a special court to take their revenge on captured Republicans. Admiral Francesco Caracciolo, who had returned to Naples, had been persuaded to join the Republicans in March. As commander of the Parthenopean gunboats, he led and ably engaged British ships that ventured into shallow waters. As MacDonald withdrew his forces from Naples, General Scherer lost to the Austrians at Verona on 30 March on the Adige River. The Directory ordered his replacement by General Moreau. In April, Russian General Suvarov invaded northern Italy pushing the French back capturing Cremona, Bergamo, Crema, and Brescia. He defeated the French on 27 April at the Adda River. Moreau retreated and the Cisapline Republic was left to fall, leaving the Rome and Parthenopean republics for a short while longer. The Cardinal's Success Meanwhile Ruffo's campaign continued unabated moving from Calabria to the Basilicata region. Ruffo at a council with his staff decided to invade the Puglia region before trying to take Naples, thus securing the entire area behind and next to him. The Bourbon court agreed and decided to assist by landing an expedition on the Puglia coast. On 12 May, some 3000 Russians and Turkish landed at Brindisi under Bourbon General Micheroux. The force advanced up the coast rapidly without resistance, occupying Bari on the 14th, Barletta on the 16th, and Foggia on the 22nd . Micheroux's force then turned inland and joined Ruffo's Sanfedisti army. A counter-French movement spread with town after town proclaiming for the Bourbons, which was also in their best interests. The few towns left supporting the Republic in Calabria and Puglia were sacked and many inhabitants died gruesomely. The Republicans had not remained idle in their defense. The Republican National Guard had formed mobile flying columns to fight against the advancing Sanfedisti. Between 3-7 June, Sanfedisti and Republicans fought at Torre Annuziata, Aftagola, Caserta, Barra, Ponticelli, Portici, and at Campobasso. In Naples, the Parterropean Republic fearing a counterrevolution formed revolutionary tribunals to punish suspected Bourbon supporters with maximum severity. General Manthone was appointed commander of the Republican forces and General Giradon was the overall French commander, but stayed in Capua. Brigade Commander (Chef) Manthone San Martino Museum On June 10, Nola outside Naples fell to the Sanfedisti with Russians, Bourbon regulars, Sanfedisti, and even 84 Turks under a Captain Acmet participating in the fight. On the 13th, a suburb of Naples, San Giovanni a Teduccio also fell as the noose drew tighter on the fledgling republic. Bourbon troops and Republican defenders both perished in an assault on a star shaped fort of Vigliena on the gulf of Naples, when the magazine spectacularly exploded. Neapolitan legend has it that the defenders fired the magazine rather than leaving it to fall to the Bourbons. Republican gunboats under Admiral Caracciolo supported this combat from the sea and created a nuisance for the British fleet. Meanwhile, Republicans in Naples shot several noted Bourbon supporters. By evening of the 13th Ruffo halted the Sanfedisti after heavy fighting at the La Maddalena bridge, not wanting to fight inside the dark city streets of Naples. On 13 June, the Parthenopean Republic ended and the former Republican army and government- sought refuge inside Naples fortified castles. The Lazzari rose in support of Ruffo's army. Any Republican caught by the crowd was torn to pieces and dragged through the streets. The Commander of the Castle of Sant' Elmo, Mejean refused to let the Republicans into the fortress, allowing them to occupy only the outer works. On 14 June, the Fort of Carmine fell to the Sanfedisti aided by the rioting Lazzari. Cardinal General Ruffo kept his headquarters in the granary at the Maddalena Bridge. Prisoners surviving the Lazzari and Sanfedisti were brought to the granary and consigned to arrest. Ruffo sent for the King, asking for him to come to Naples, to quell the rioting and end the bloodshed. King Ferdinand, hearing of a French fleet in the Mediterranean used this as an excuse to remain in Palermo, until the time was right. Continued next issue ... A Tapestry of Kings, Fools, and Traitors Formation and Fall of the Parthenon Republic of Naples in 1799 Introduction Naples Declares War on Rome A Neapolitan Solution To Take The City Of Naples The Parthenopean Republic of Naples Internal Problems in The Republic A Tapestry of Kings, Fools, and Traitors Formation and Fall of the Parthenon Republic of Naples in 1799 Part II The Honorable Surrender of Republican Naples The National Guard, 1799 Back to Table of Contents -- First Empire #64 Back to First Empire List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2002 by First Empire. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com