1887 DOGALI: 500 ITALIAN HEROES

 Very little is known by English-speaking readers (and historians as well) about this fighting in Eritrea in 1887. Italy after conquering around 1000 km of coast in that Region decided to enter into the internal regions of Eritrea (or Abyssinia as called at the epoch) ro expand and set up her first colony.

As the Italians considered themselves strong enough to advance in Abyssina they seized some internal villages and the town of Sahati (now Eirtrea) setting up a little fort. Ras Alula Engida - governor of that zone - while in mission elsewhere decided to attack the Italians. The Italians hence reinforced the fort fo Sahati. By 25th January 1887 the Fort of Sahati was held by 167 Italians and 1000 native troops. The Ras attacked the Italians with 25.000 men but he was strongly repulsed and just 4 Italians were injured. The besieged Italians needed anyway some ammunition and supplies.

It was decided then to send to the Fort a relief coloumn under the Command of Lietenant Colonel Tommaso de Cristofori, with around 550 men. The Ras learned of their departure and decided to attack the coloumn with around 10.000 or 15.000 men. The Italians were outnumbered and notwithstanding the better guns they could not resist to the attack. They held out for hours, fighting like real lions untill they exhsuseted all their ammunition. 

In that moment, the Commande, surrounded by his last men asked them to pay their military honours to the dead all around them. He asked them to shout aloud "VIVA L'ITALIA!"; they shouted, knowing to die on the battlefield, like heroes Then he died along with the men.

Out of 548 men (518 Italians - whose 24 officers - and 12 allied Bazi-Bozuk) 453 Italians (whose 23 Officers) died , 83 were wounded (whose 1 Officer) and the rest of Bazi-Bozouk fled, ; even not 1 men was able to escape or survive the battle sound and safe. 

ONORE!

Battle of Dogali 
26 January 1887

Italian Order of Battle

Commander in Chief: Lieutenant Colonel Tommaso de Cristofori

9th Company of the 41st Regiment "Modena"

11th Company of the 15th Regiment "Savona"

20th Company of the 41st Regiment "Modena"

Commissioned Company:

                                1 Peloton of the 6th Regiment "Aosta"

                                1 Peloton of the 7th Regiment "Cuneo"

                                1 Pelotono of the 48th Regiment "Ferrara"

Horde of Bazi-Bozouk

1 Section of the 17th Fortress Artillery Regiment with 2 authomatic-gun "Gatling"

Coloumn with camels

To honour this heroes I decided to transform a soldier of the Adua Campaing into a Caporal fighting at Dogali; there is no doubt that the uniforms were white with some differences. The kaki uniforms were indeed issued that year (1887) but they came to the troops in Abyssinia just in 1889.

1887 - Caporal of the 15th Infantry Regiment "Savona"
Battle of Dogali 

Leutenant - Colonel

Tommaso de Cristoforis

(1841 - 1887)