(Editors note: Upon my initial research into the Piedmontese campaign of 1860 against the Papal States, I grew curious about the Papalist commander, Lamorciere. He seems to have been both moderately competent and popular, having formed a body guard of volunteers early in the campaign. What was he doing in Italy instead of Algeria? A search on the internet resulted in the following biography.)

Lamorcière, Louis Christophe Léon Juchault de (1806-1865) A prominent general, he made his reputation during the Algerian conquest. Veteran of eighteen Algerian campaigns, he had risen in rank rapidly, making his final move from colonel to general in only nine months.

Earning a reputation for bravery, he served with most of the officers later prominent in the Second Empire, such as Bosquet, Canrobert and Pelissier who commanded a column under his command at the battle of Isly. He personally accepted the surrender of Abd-el-Kader in December of 1847. An admirer of Marshal Bugeaud, he was nevertheless a critic of his colonization policies. Politically he was an ardent republican but supported the July monarchy at its very end before adhering to the provisional government in 1848.

During the bloody June Days he served under Cavaignac and subsequently became minister of war. Openly hostile to Louis Napoleon and the Bonaparte dynasty, he was proscribed in 1851, taking residence in Belgium, along with other officers who lamented the passing of the Second Republic. This group, including also Cavaignac, Changarnier, Bedeau and Le Flô, was commonly referred to as the "Belgian Generals."

Lamorcière then took on the task of reorganizing the Papal army for which he recruited a large number of French legitimist officers. On September 18, 1861 he led his army to a major defeat at the hand of Victor Emmanuel at Castelfidardo.