Military history and question

[EllenCatusco]

My question is What forces held Gaeta in 1819? My Ancestor died in a military hospital there in that year. According to his death record sent to his home town of Marsico, from Gaeta he was with Gaeta, regiment ____ Napoli, company A, 1st battalion. Everything I have read states the town fell in 1815 and trouble again starts in 1820. Is there anything I can read that will tell me what was going on at the time of his death and why a military presence there?

[joetucciarone]

Hi Ellen - I looked but I didn't find anything that will help you. However, here's what I found, in case you're curious.

A book titled “Statuto Penale Militare per lo regno delle due sicilie” [in English, “Military Criminal Statute for the kingdom of the two Sicilies”] was published in Naples in 1819. Here’s a link to the book:

https://www.internetculturale.it/jmms/i ... eca+-+ICCU

Gaeta is mentioned on pages 8 and 9, but I think it's only a description about the town's military organization. Here's the translation from those pages:

“The square of Gaeta, being excluded from the provincial command and from which military division, will have, in addition to the body councils, its garrison council and divisional councils, like the government of Naples."

“The governor of the square of Gaeta, in what concerns the military judicial part, will have the faculties and attributions of the General commanders of the military divisions; and the lieutenant of the King those of provincial commander."

"The appointment of the members of the councils of the square of Gaeta will be made in accordance with the provisions of chapters 1 of this title.”

I clicked through the first 70 of its 151 pages but I didn’t see anything date-specific; I just saw a lot of organizational details about the military.

I also found a book published in 1904, “The Napoleonic Empire in Southern Italy and the Rise of the Secret Societies," that describes, among many other things, an 1820 Revolution:

https://brittlebooks.library.illinois.e ... v00002.pdf

Page 99 of this book describes a serious disturbance that occurred in the first weeks of that Revolution:

“The Farnese regiment of infantry was placed under orders for garrison duty at Gaeta, a station that the soldiers strongly disliked. Three hundred of the men accordingly deserted with their arms. They were promptly pursued and attacked by detachments of the Guard . . . sixty of the Farnese deserters were shot down. General Rosaroll, Governor of Capua, flogged seventeen more to death.”

Of course, this happened the year after your ancestor's death, but it is interesting!

Good luck,

Joe

[mmogno]

Can we see the death record?

[AngelaGrace56]

Here is the 1819 death record for Augustale Catuosco: http://dl.antenati.san.beniculturali.it ... =133420932

I think this may be the person Ellen’s referring to. I haven’t got time to translate the record, but I’m understanding he was a Soldier who was admitted to hospital on 19 March 1819 and died a month later on 13 April 1819, as a result of fever. (It's quite possibile that he died from the Spanish Flu???)

Angela

[EllenCatusco]

Thank you Joe, it is very interesting.

[EllenCatusco]

Yes Angela that is him. I do have a transcript of most of it. Describe his facial features but give no age. Thats a little frustrating.

[mmogno]

My question is What forces held Gaeta in 1819? My Ancestor died in a military hospital there in that year. According to his death record sent to his home town of Marsico, from Gaeta he was with Gaeta, regiment (7°) Real Napoli, 4th company, 1st battalion. ..... Is there anything I can read that will tell me what was going on at the time of his death and why a military presence there?

When Augustale died, was serving in Gaeta.

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esercito_ ... ue_Sicilie
"Nel 1816, con la Restaurazione, la coscrizione obbligatoria fu nuovamente ridotta: si richiedevano 3 coscritti ogni 2.000 abitanti con un'età compresa tra i 21 e i 25 anni, la ferma durava 6 anni per la fanteria e 9 per i soldati dell'artiglieria e della cavalleria"

[EllenCatusco]

mmogno

Thank you so much. Especially with the company and regiment. I read the wiki page and now I have an understanding of why he was there. Thank you again.