FANTI, fan'te, Manfredo, Italian military leader: b. Carpi, 1806; d. Florence, 5 April 1865. He received his education at the military school of Modena and, becoming implicated in the Menotti insurrection, he was condemned to death and hanged in effigy in 1831. He escaped to France and there joined a corps of engineers. With Mazzini in 1833 he took part in the at tempted invasion of Savoy, and two years later went to Spain, where for 13 years he served in Queen Christina's armies against the Carlists, gaining distinction after distinction and becoming a member of the general staff. In 1848 he returned to Italy to fight against the Austrians. Being looked upon with suspicion by the Piedmontese officers his success in this campaign was greatly hampered and he was even court-martialled for his operations under Ramorino. Although acquitted he was not again in service until the Crimean expedition of 1855. In the war of 1859 he commanded the second division and was an important factor in the victories of Palestro, Magenta and San Martino. He next organized the army of the Central Italian League (Tuscany, Modena, Parma), numbering 45,000 men and developed it to a high degree of efficiency. He differed with Garibaldi in the matter of the expediency of invading the papal states and Garibaldi re signed. Fanti became Minister of War and
Marine under Cavour in 1860 and incorporated the League army with the Piedmontese. After Garibaldi had invaded Sicily and Victor Em manuel decided to intervene, Fanti was pnt at the head of a large force with which he took Ancona and other fortresses and inflicted a severe defeat on the papal forces at Castel fidardo, capturing the papal commander, Gen eral Lamoriciere. In three weeks 28,000 prisoners had been taken and the Marche and Umbria conquered. He now became chief of staff to Victor Emmanuel, organized the siege of Gaeta and defeated the Neapolitans at Mola. Fanti now returned to Turin to reorganize the various army departments. His opposition to the induction of Garibaldi's officers into the regular army with their own grades caused severe adverse criticism. Fanti resigned in 1861 and took command of an army corps. His health had broken down and the last four years of his life were a period of constant suffering. Consult Carandini,