Hunters of the Alps

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A Garibaldino of the Hunters of the Alps, ca. 1866
A Garibaldino of the Hunters of the Alps, ca. 1866

The Hunters of the Alps (Italian: Cacciatori delle Alpi) were a special military corps created by Giuseppe Garibaldi in Cuneo on February 20, 1859 to help the regular Sardinian army to free the northern part of Italy in the Austro-Sardinian War.

As their name suggests, they operated in the Alps. Among their victories in the Austro-Sardininan War of 1859, were those over the Austrians at Varese and Como.

Their general used them even during the Third Italian Independence War in 1866 against the Austrians, fighting on the Prussian side. On this occasion, the 40,000 volunteers showed their value by achieving the only Italian victory during the conflict (the battle of Bezzecca, 21 July 1866), and by nearly reaching the town of Trento.

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