The fight of 1866

The battle that makes famous the name of Bezzecca thanks to the heroic achievements of Garibaldi, who was trying to annex Trentino to the Kingdom of Italy during the Third Indipendence War.

In 1866, Prussia entered into war against Austria. Italy allied with Prussia, hoping to set free Veneto from the Austrian occupation. The Third Independence War of Italy began.
Few days after the beginning of the war, Garibaldi started the operations to invade Trentino, part of the Hapsburg Empire, at the head of 40.000 volunteers. After months of fighting, mostly around Mount Suello and in Condino ( Val Giudicarie), the Austrian that garrisoned the Ampola fort surrendered after five days of siege. This allowed Garibaldi to continue to Val di Ledro and the 21st July 1866 took place in Bezzecca a bloody battle. At the end of it the Austrian troops, led by Genaral Kuhn, withdrew to their emplacements on the surrounding mountains.
While Garibaldi was preparing to continue the invasion toward Garda to conquer the forts of Lardaro, the 9th of August came the message of the armistice between Italy and Austria and the order of general La Marmora, commander- in- chief of the Piedmonts army, to abandon Trentino. In that occasion, exactly on the square of Bezzecca, Giuseppe Garibaldi replied with the famous telegram, with only one world " Obbedisco", I obey.

When: 21st July 1866
Where: Bezzecca, Trentino
Esito: Victory of the Garibaldi's troups
Schieramenti: Kingdom of Italy, Austro-Hungarian Empire 
Comandanti: Giuseppe Garibaldi; Franz Kuhn von Kuhnenfeld