Gaeta. The Savoy army, which had now replaced Garibaldi’s men, managed to overcome the last of the barriers placed by the Bourbons to slow down the advance to Gaeta. They faced a formidable fortress with 12,000 soldiers and 700 cannons and howitzers. They spent several weeks positioning and preparing the siege, including the brand-new Cavalli cannons, designed by a Piedmontese officer. These rifled, breech-loading guns had a greater range than the Bourbon ones, allowing them to bombard them without fear of being hit.
