Very rare letter entirely handwritten and circulated addressed to Garibaldi's Peppino di Napoli di Nicastro, 1860

The beautiful letter, written by Di Napoli's brother-in-law and certainly a commander of the Calabrian fighters, is a true chronicle that witnesses firsthand the passage of the Hero of the Two Worlds from Calabria to Rome.

The writer tells of the defeat of the Neapolitan army made up of 12,000 men who capitulated at Rogliano and was forced to surrender "leaving our Garibaldi with weapons and baggage"; he then narrates that for many hours he was in the company of the Hero and his group, made up of "common men belonging to the first Italian families" and how this meeting gave him such an emotion that he defines as "hippochondria" that he still struggles to fade away. . He reports that Garibaldi and his soldiers were particularly happy with the "Calabrian valor" and that the Calabrian fighters appeared to be "the Italian flower".

He also reports a very important feat of arms: the The Neapolitan army had been defeated under Philadelphia by a  group of 100 National men, of which 7 died. Due to a false order from Garibaldi delivered to Mr. Stocco and Donato Morelli (who would shortly thereafter be appointed Governor of Upper Calabria by Garibaldi himself), the army was forced to a forced retreat that saw him pass through Maida.

He then reports having met and gotten to know Gen. Sirtori and provides the interlocutor with a series of information on the common relatives who are fighting and who they have followed General Garibaldi, whose deeds they will still hear but whom they will certainly never see again.

From Polia, 1 September 1860.

The letter is trimmed at the top , with a slight loss of head which does not however compromise its understanding, and is missing a rectangular piece on the reverse where no writing was present. We note a small conservative restoration in the central part of the first sheet; the black wax seal and the postmark of Nicastro are present, dated 5 September 1860