Order of Battle

Neapolitan Army: Marshal Giosue Ritucci

Royal Guards Division: Marshal Francesco Tabacchi

1st Brigade: Colonel d'Orgemont (3,000 men, 4 guns)

Guard Cacciatori Regiment,
Division of Tiraliatori Battalion (4 coys.),
Platoon, Horse Chasseurs,
Battery of four 6# field guns

2nd Brigade: Colonel Marulli (5,300 men, 8 guns)

1st Guard Grenadier Regiment,
2nd Guard Grenadier Regiment,
Division of 9th Line Infantry (half battalion),
Platoon, Horse Chasseurs,
Battery of eight 12# field guns

Cacciatori Division: Marshal Afan de Rivera

1st Brigade: Brig. Gen. Polizzi (3,600 men, 8 guns)

7th Cacciatori Battalion,
8th Cacciatori Battalion,
9th Cacciatori Battalion,
10th Cacciatori Battalion,
Platoon, Horse Chasseurs,
Battery of eight 6# rifled field guns

2nd Brigade: Brig.Gen. Barbalonga (3,200 men, 8 guns)
2nd Cacciatori Battalion,
11th Cacciatori Battalion,
14th Cacciatori Battalion,
Division of Tiraliatori Battalion (4 coys.),
Platoon, Horse Chasseurs,
Battery of four 4# rifled guns

Carabineer Division: Lt. Gen. Luke von Meckel

1st Brigade: (3000 Inf., 250 Cav., 10 guns.)

1st Foreign Carabineers,
2nd Foreign Carabineers,
3rd Foreign Carabineers,
3rd Dragoon Regiment (one squadron),
1st Guard Hussars Regiment (one squadron)
Mountain Battery of four 6# mountain guns,
Battery of six 6# rifled guns.

2nd Brigade: Col. Ruiz de Ballesteros (5000 men)

6th Line Infantry Regiment,
8th Line Infantry Regiment,
Elements of the 2nd, 4th, 13th and 15th Line


Infantry Regiments*,
3rd Dragoon Regiment (one squadron)

Reserve Cav. Division: Brig.Gen. Ruggiero (3,000 Cav, 12 guns)

2nd Guard Hussar Regt. (5 squadrons),
1st Lancer Regiment (3 squadrons),
2nd Lancer Regiment (3 squadrons),
1st Dragoon Regiment (5 squadrons),
2nd Dragoon Regiment (5 Squadrons),
Horse Carabineers (3 squadrons),
Horse Artillery Battery of four 4# rifled guns,
Horse Artillery Battery of four 6# field guns

Garabaldists: Giuseppe Garibaldi

15th (Turr's) Division: General Stephan Turr

Brigade Sacchi: (2,300 men)

1st Regiment: Lt. Col. Isnardi (2 btns),
2nd Regiment: Lt. Col. Pellegrini (2 btns),
3rd Regiment: Major Bossi (2 btns),
Engineer Battalion

Brigade Eber: (2,060 men)

Regiment Bassini (3 btns),
Regiment Cassovich (2 btns),
Bersaglieri Battalion Tanara,
Foreign (Swiss) Coy. Wolff,
Hungarian Legion (100 men),
Squadron, Hungarian Hussars

Brigade Milano: Col. de Giorgia

1st Line Infantry Battalion,
2nd Line Infantry Battalion,
3rd Line Infantry Battalion,
Lombard Bersaglieri Battalion,
Squadron, Hungarian Hussars

16th (Milbitz's) Division: Gen. Alexander Milbitz

Brigade Assanti: (2,680 men)

Regiment Fazioli (2 btns),
Regiment Borghesi (2 btns),
Regiment Albini (2 btns),
Bersaglieri Battalion Specchi,
Bersaglieri Battalion Sgarallino,
Bersaglieri Battalion Bronzetti

Brigade Milbitz: Col. Malechini (3,094 men)

Regiment Malechini (2 btns),
Battalion Palizzolo,
Battalion Pace,
Battalion Louge,
Battalion Sprovieri,
Battalion Fardella,
Battalion Bentivegna,
French Company de Flotte

Brigade La Masa:

Regiment Corrao,
Regiment La Porta

Divisional Artillery:

One battery with 2(?) guns

17th (Medici's) Division: Gen. Giacomo Medici

Brigade Simonetta: (1,450 men),

Regiment Cadolini (2 btns),
Regiment Vacchieri (2 btns)

Brigade Corte: (616 men)

Regiment Carava,
Regiment Griziotti

Brigade Spangaro: (1,964 men)

Line Infantry (4 btns),
Bersaglieri Battalion Farinelli,
Genoese Carabineers: Major Mosto (350 men)

Brigade Dunne:

Foreign (British) Infantry, (2btns?)

Divisional Artillery:

One Battery with six guns and three howitzers

18th (Bixio's) Division: General Nino Bixio

Brigade Spinazzi: (500 men)

Bersaglieri Battalion Menotti Garibaldi,
Bersaglieri Battalion Boldrini

Brigade Dezza: (2,000 men)

Line Infantry, (8 btns)

Brigade Eberhardt: (1,500 men)

Regiment Penzo (2 btns),
Regiment Dunyow (2 btns),

Brigade Fabrizi: (1,530)

Line Infantry (6 btns)

Divisional Artillery:

One battery with six guns and howitzers

Wargaming the Battle of the Volturno:

This is a big battle, at least physically. It is certainly one of the biggest to take place during the Risorgimento (Rise of Italy.) In the Age of Bismark and Napoleon III would be my first rules choice, although Pat Condray has set of Grand Tactical rules that would allow gamers to play out the entire battle.

For smaller divisional level scenarios, I suggest splitting the battle into separate actions; The Royal Guard against Santa Maria, possibly with the attack in the center as well; Von Meckel's sweep up the valley. For an intresting hypothetical scenario, try throwing forward Ruiz's stalled attack upon the Garibaldist reserve.

BNIII has ratings for the Garibaldini from the 1859 war: I feel justified in using those for this battle as well. For the Bourbons, use something that simulates the Piedmontese: the Bourban soldiers were very loyal, and there are numerous accounts of Bourbon troops having been captured, disarmed and then released, only to have them journey to Gaeta on foot to rejoin the Royal Army.

The only source that I have for consistently decent Bourban troops is Frei Corps. Garibaldists can be gotten from Battle Honours, but will be a "trifle biggish" when compared to the Euroscale figs. You can easily improvise the Garibaldini by using civil war figures in tunics, shell jackets and kepis - they look identical save for colour scheme.

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