Alessandro Ferrero La Marmora facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alessandro Ferrero La Marmora
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| Born | 27 March 1799 Turin, Kingdom of Sardinia |
| Died | 7 June 1855 (aged 56) |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Sardinia |
| Service/ |
Royal Sardinian Army |
| Battles/wars | First Italian War of Independence Crimean War |
Alessandro Ferrero La Marmora (born March 27, 1799 – died June 7, 1855) was an important Italian general. He is best known for creating a special military group called the Bersaglieri. His brothers included Alfonso Ferrero La Marmora, who was also a general, and Alberto Ferrero la Marmora, a famous scientist.
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The Bersaglieri: A New Kind of Soldier
Alessandro La Marmora was born in Turin, a city in what was then called the Kingdom of Sardinia. He was very interested in how armies worked.
Studying Armies Around the World
To learn more, he traveled to many countries. He visited France, Britain, Bavaria, Saxony, Switzerland, and the Austrian region of Tyrol. He carefully studied their armies, their fighting styles, and their weapons.
La Marmora was also very keen on new military technology. He worked hard to make breech-loading guns better. These guns could be loaded from the back, which was faster than loading from the front. He even built a workshop at his own house to test out his ideas for military equipment.
The Bersaglieri's First Appearance
The Bersaglieri first showed themselves to the public on July 1, 1836. This was during a military parade. The new group of soldiers really impressed King Carlo Alberto. Because of this, the King quickly made them a part of the Armata Sarda, which was the regular army of Piedmont.
What the Bersaglieri Did
For many years, under La Marmora's leadership, the Bersaglieri had a special role. They acted as skirmishers. This meant they would go ahead of the main army, which moved slowly, to scout and fight small battles.
If needed, they could also act as powerful shock troops. This meant they would lead attacks and break through enemy lines. The Bersaglieri were also meant to be mountain troops. A famous climber named Jean Antoine Carrel was even a Bersagliere!
Later, in 1872, a new group called the Alpini Corps was created for mountain warfare. This led to a friendly rivalry between these two elite (top-notch) military groups.
Military Service and Battles
Alessandro La Marmora was a brave soldier who fought in important wars.
Fighting for Italian Independence
He took part in the Battle of Goito in 1848. This battle was part of the First Italian War of Independence. In this war, different parts of Italy fought to become one united country.
Serving in the Crimean War
Later, he served as a division commander in the Crimean War. This was a big war fought between 1853 and 1856. Many countries were involved, including Russia, the Ottoman Empire, Britain, France, and Sardinia.
His Final Days
Alessandro La Marmora died in Balaklava. This was a town in Crimea. He passed away from cholera, a serious disease, shortly after arriving there during the Crimean War.
Memorials to a Hero
Today, you can find memorials honoring him. There is a special statue of his head on the Janiculum hill in Rome. This hill has many statues of Italian heroes.
In Turin, there is a park called Giardino La Marmora. This park has a life-size bronze statue of him, remembering his contributions.
