Garibaldi’s lines were spread in the shape of a semi-circle, of which the two ends started from Santa Maria on the left, and Maddaloni on the right, with Castel Morone at the apex.  The country is hilly, and this fact, together with the great distance covered, divided the 20,000 men into a number of practically distinct bodies, each of which, in the decisive battle, had to fight its own fight.  Here and there improvised fortifications were thrown up.  Garibaldi was aware that his line of battle was perilously extended, but the necessity of blocking all the roads and by-ways which led to Naples, dictated tactics which he was the last to defend.

The best policy for the Royalists would have been to bring overwhelming numbers to bear on a single point, and, breaking the line, to march straight on the capital.  They were doubtless afraid of an advance which would have left a portion of the Garibaldian army unbeaten in their rear.  Nevertheless, of the chances that remained to them, this was the best.  At Naples there were no Garibaldian troops to speak of, and the powers of reaction had been working night and day to procure for the rightful King the reception due to a saviour of society.  Perhaps they would not have completely failed.  There were nobles who were sulking, shopkeepers who were frightened, professional beggars with whom the Dictator had opened a fierce but unequal contest, for no blue-bottle fly is more difficult to tackle than a genuine Neapolitan mendicant; there were priests who, though not by any means all unpatriotic, were beginning to be scared by Garibaldi’s gift of a piece of land for the erection of an English church, and by the sale of Diodati’s Bible in the streets.  And finally, there was the Carrozzella driver whom a Garibaldian officer had struck because he beat his horse.  These individuals formed a nucleus respectably numerous, if not otherwise respectable, of anxious watchers for the Happy Return.

If anyone question the fairness of this catalogue of the partisans of the fallen dynasty, the answer is, that had their ranks contained worthier elements, they would not have carefully reserved the demonstration of their allegiance till the King should prove that he had the right of the strongest.

Towards five o’clock in the morning of the 1st of October, the royalists, who crossed the river in three columns, fired the first shots, and the fight soon became general.  King Francis had come from Gaeta to Capua to witness what was meant to be an auspicious celebration of his birthday.  General Ritucci held the chief command.  Of the Garibaldians, Milbitz and Medici commanded the left wing (Santa Maria and Sant’ Angelo), and Bixio the right (Maddaloni), while Castel Morone, through which a road led to Caserta, was entrusted to Colonel Pilade Bronzetti and three hundred picked volunteers.  Garibaldi’s own headquarters was with the reserves at Caserta, but he appeared, as if by magic, at all parts of the line