Giuseppe Rondizzoni

Who was Giuseppe Rondizzoni?

Giuseppe Rondizzoni was an Italian army officer who contributed to the independence of Chile.

He was born in Mezzano Superiore on March 14, 1788. He joined the French Imperial Guard in 1807. With Napoleon's army did the Spanish campaign in 1808 and the Austrian one in 1809. In 1812 he participated in the campaign of Russia and the year following in that of Germany. With Napoleon fought till his end: in 1813 and 1814 in Germany. In 1815, with the rank of Captain, gave evidence of great value in Waterloo. The Napoleonic Wars caused him a total of four wounds, earned him twenty mentions in dispatches for his courage and the Legion of Honor.

Back to Italy after Waterloo was admitted to the Regiment of the Duchy of Parma then ruled by Marie Louise of Austria. Later he moved to USA in Philadelphia, in this city, he met the Chilean General Jose Miguel Carrera and in February 1817 he traveled with him to Buenos Aires on the schooner Clifton.

In July 1817 he joined the Chilean army and took part in Sorpresa de Cancha Rayada battle. He left the army after the shooting of the Carrera brothers, but came back in 1823 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.