Tucked away in the text either side of the Osprey 520 colour plates there is a very neat summary of volunteer units from both the 1848/49 and 1859/60 Wars of the Italian Unification (WotIU).
One such detail is about the first three expeditions of volunteers sent in 1860, from Piedmont, after Garibaldis’ first success in Sicily.
One wave of reinforcements was led by Enrico Consenz and I have shown what some might have worn here.
Three figures are depicted as infantrymen in a “ticking” blouse with white trousers for the fierce sicilian summer.
The sharpshooter (Bersaglieri) is dressed in dark blue tunic and grey/blue trousers. This reflects the uniforms of the Pidemontese/Sardinian line infantry.
I guess the elite Bersaglieri might have been supplied by the Piedmontese/Volunteer funders better than the ordinary infantryman who in a “ticking” material uniform might have looked less impressive.
In the summer heat of Sicily I wonder who was the easier target?
The figures are by Lucky Toys.
The Wargaming Erratic 