Cavour Timeline

1821

Thursday 11 January: the untidiness of his math notes results in an exclusion from using the common passage;

Sunday 28 January: a new punishment measure states that “Mr. Cavour having made himself reprehensible today by hindering and making it difficult for the team he is part of to carry out the usual service routine to be followed both inside and mainly outside of the Academy, which makes his lacking even more serious, will be placed into isolation until new orders to follow during the day”;

Thursday 15 February: “A negative red mark has been assigned in the calligraphy class to Mr. Cavour with much outrage by his superiors”;

Saturday 17 February: “Mr. Cavour has redeemed his red mark from the 15th”;

Thursday 22 March: “Mr. Cavour has for three times transgressed disciplinary orders by three ministries, thus he shall be placed in confinement until new orders are issued”;

Friday 4 May: “Cavour may be admitted to Easter first communion. For demerits due to ignorance the following will not be admitted: Messrs.…”;

Tuesday 24 June: “Mr. Cavour is deserving of an honorary mention due to three favorable marks by as many superiors, two of which heads of the military ministries, and one a study supervisor”;

Thursday 26 June: he writes to his mother;

Thursday 12 July: His father Michele visits him in the parlor of the military Academy;

Friday 13 July: he writes to his grandmother;

Thursday 2 August: “The invitation made to the cadets to manifest their most intimate grief for the loss of our former Commander General, and their feelings for his dear and ever honorable memory, was met more expressly by those cadets who summarized in writing the merits of that egregious and virtuous figure. (The names of the cadets follow in order of merit for their essay; the others follow in order of the date of presentation of their work for a total of 13: Cavour features at number 12). The Commander has decided that this hereby mention to the Order will be considered for merit for all the above cadets as appropriately chosen by the superiors. In the meantime the present article of Order will be, for the honor of said cadets, copied to be entered in the book gathering all documents relating to the tragic loss they concern”;

Friday 10 August: Cavour turns 11 years old;

Friday 31 August: “Mr. Cavour has obtained an honorable mention (two consecutive days)”;

Wednesday 26 December: “Mr. Cavour has deserved on this evening a red mark from the ministry of studies”;

Sunday 30 December: “A redemption mention is granted concerning Mr. Cavour’s red mark”.

1822

Monday 28 January: “This hereby permit (a one-day leave for tomorrow) is granted to cadet Mr. Cavour because of the celebrations held by his family, due to his mother’s lineage, to the memory of St. Francesco di Sales, glorious bishop, sanctified by the Church on 29 January”;

Tuesday 29 January: on leave from the Academy he dines at Palazzo Cavour in Torino, attends mass in the Palace chapel and goes to the theater to watch an opera;

Friday 8 February: he writes to uncle Aynardo;

Tuesday 19 February: “Messrs Cavour and X… are guilty of grave disobedience to the presiding superior in School n. 4, as they ignored the general rules of the schools, as imposed by the teacher of class n. 4. The above cadets will be fed on bread and water and confined for three days including today, and receive a red mark of demerit from the school’s head office”;

Tuesday 26 February: “Messrs Cavour and X... have redeemed their red marks with five favorable comments by as many superiors”;

Sunday 7 April: “It is with much satisfaction that an honorable mention is awarded to Mr. Cavour”;

Sunday 16 June: his brother Gustavo leaves for Santena in the evening;

Friday 21 June: he writes to his aunt Pauline de Roussy from Torino;

Monday 24 June: Gustavo leaves with his mother Adele and the Auzers for Valdieri;

Wednesday 26 June: “With a total of 9 white comments Mr. Cavour has deserved the triple honorable mention, as recommended with favorable appraisal by Prefect Sir Pallavicini”;

Tuesday 16 July: uncle Franchino visits Camillo;

Wednesday 17 July: Camillo is made corporal “d’école de français” and wears his stripes. He writes to his grandmother;

Thursday 18 July: he spends his name day inside the Academy;

Wednesday 31 July: Agilberto and Demetrio Turinetti di Priero join the Academy. From Torino he informs his mother of the letters sent to Tonnerre and to Pauline de Sales;

Saturday 10 August: Camillo turns 12 years old;

Thursday 5 September: they arrive in Ivrea at 12.30 after setting off from Foglizzo at 4.30 and marching to Ivrea. They had spent the night in the Seminary and were welcomed by the citizenry with a brass band. From Ivrea he writes to his brother Gustavo;

Wednesday 2 October: he writes to his grandmother from Torino;

Monday 18 November: he writes to his mother from Torino.

1823

Wednesday 8 January: he is suspended from “taking part in theatrical exercises”;

Monday 13 January: “Mr. Cavour during the hour dedicated to infantry drills between 4.30 and 5.30 pm will be confined to study assigned for the special French language school lead by professor Bertherat, under whose supervision he will remain until new orders are issued”;

Tuesday 28 January: “Mr. Cavour has deserved an honorable mention due to favorable statements and marks from his superiors; he is also awarded a day of leave for tomorrow, the day of St. Francesco di Sales.”;

Sunday 2 March: “Mr. Cavour is to be set free from confinement”;

Thursday 12 June: he meets his father in the Academy’s parlor; he writes to his grandmother;

Sunday 10 August: he turns 13 years old;

Tuesday 12 August: “Cadet Mr. Cavour is to be put under arrest immediately for 11 days for having kept books without permission from his superiors”;

Saturday 23 August: “Mr. Cavour is to be released from arrest”;

Thursday 28 August: “Following notes by all his direct superiors Mr. Cavour has achieved redemption for his red mark”;

Tuesday 2 September: a military march begins with 86 other cadets from the Academy, of which he is to write a written report as school work. They leave from Torino and stop in Stupinigi for some food; they set off for Pinerolo, passing through None, Airasca and Riva. They spend the night in a castle on a hill by the name of Monte Oliveto;

Thursday 4 September: after leaving Pinerolo they take the road to France. After a two hour march they enter the valley of Perosa and arrive in Fenestrelle at 5 PM where they set up camp in San Carlo Fort;

Saturday 6 September: they leave Fenestrelle and take the route for Colle dell’Assietta reaching it after a five-hour march. They spend the night in Oulx;

Sunday 7 September: Oulx;

Monday 8 September: they stay in Oulx, but go on an outing to Exilles;

Tuesday 9 September: they head for Cesana, go to visit the road to Monginevro and return to Cesana to spend the night;

Wednesday 10 September: they take the road to Fenestrelle passing through Sestrieres, Manaducal (Champlas du Col?), Sestiere and Traverses. From Fenestrelle they reach Pinerolo, staying in the same place as on their way up;

Thursday 11 September: they leave Pinerolo heading for Torre Pellice, through Bricherasio, Villar, Bobbio Pellice. They visit Mirabocco Castle;

Friday 12 September: they return to Torre Pellice;

Saturday 13 September: they go to Barge, but heavy rains force them to change plans. Instead of going to visit Monviso and Val Maira, they decide to return to Torino via Saluzzo;

Thursday 18 September: Cavour is still stuck in Barge due to the rain; he writes to his mother; they leave Barge and arrive in Saluzzo and spend the night in the Seminary. On the following day they leave for Fossano, and get there in the evening after taking a detour through Villafalletto. The day after they visit Fossano and its Hospital;

Wednesday 24 September: they take the road for Racconigi, stopping in Savigliano for food and walking through Cavallermaggiore;

Thursday 25 and Friday 26 September: they stay to visit the castle and park of Racconigi;

Saturday 27 September: they leave for Bra and pass through Caramagna, Sommariva del Bosco, and Sanfré;

Monday 29 September: they reach Torino under very heavy rain after traveling through Sommariva and Carignano;

Tuesday 30 September: his father, uncle Franchino and aunt Henriette visit him in the Academy;

End of September: his report on the military March is published inside the volume Viaggio Valli Cozie 1823;

Wednesday 1 October: Cavour writes to his grandmother from Torino, together with abbot Frèzet.

1824

Tuesday 27 April: he becomes a Cadet in the corps of engineers.

Saturday 29 May: he writes to his aunt Victoire from Torino;

Friday 9 July: the Prince of Carignano appoints him as page-boy;

Saturday 10 July: he meets abbot Tosti;

Monday 12 July: Marina and countess Malines visit him at the Academy. He writes to Gustavo;

Saturday 17 July: the Commander of the Academy is informed of Camillo’s appointment as page-boy;

Monday 19 July: he is not very well (headache);

Tuesday 20 July: he writes to his father;

Friday 23 July: his father visits between 5 and 8 pm;

24 luglio, sabato: he writes to his grandmother telling her that for a while he has been having bread, “orgeade” and milk for breakfast;

Monday 26 July: he writes to his father from the Academy reluctantly accepting his appointment as page boy;

Tuesday 10 August agosto: he turns 14 years old;

Monday 2 September: he writes to his aunt Victoire from the vineyard;

Sunday 24 October: on leave from the Academy he visits his convalescing father and his mother at home;

Monday 25 October: he writes to his aunt Henriette.

1825

Wednesday 12 January: he writes to his aunt Victoire from Torino;

Tuesday 15 March: he is excluded from horse-riding practice for turning up “extremely unkempt”;

Wednesday 16 March: Cavour is arrested “until further notice” for having “formally disobeyed his immediate superior, the inspection prefect”;

Tuesday 19 April: he ends up in the brig again because he “refused to obey the adjutant officer and then replied arrogantly”;

Saturday 30 July: at just fifteen years of age he is made second lieutenant;

Saturday 17 September: he writes from Torino to his mother Adele, who is in Geneva;

Saturday 12 November: for the first time he wears his officer epaulets although he is a student of the Academy;

1826

22 March-26 August: he sits his final exams on a wide range of subjects, achieving 50/50 in almost all of them;

Sunday 30 July: he is made army lieutenant and stays in the Academy;

Thursday 10 August: Camillo turns sixteen;

Saturday 16 September: he is promoted lieutenant of the Engineering Corps and completes his spell at the Academy;

Wednesday 27 September: he obtains a forty-day leave;

October: he suffers a long illness.

1827

Friday 12 January: he is promoted lieutenant second class;

Saturday 10 February: he starts on duty service at the Engineering Corps Headquarters;

Saturday 4 August: he goes to Santena to spend the weekend;

Sunday 5 August: he writes to his uncle Aynard from Santena;

Friday 10 August: he turns seventeen;

Wednesday 29 August: he obtains a leave for family reasons;

September: he travels to Geneva and stays there until December.

1828

Tuesday 29 January: he writes from Torino to his uncle Jean-Jacques de Sellon;

Friday 4 April: he writes from Torino to his uncle Jean-Jacques de Sellon;

Tuesday 16 June: he writes from Torino to his uncle Jean-Jacques de Sellon;

Friday 18 July: he writes to his mother who is staying in Valdieri;

Monday 4 August: he writes to his mother who is staying in Valdieri;

Sunday 10 August: he turns 18;

Sunday 19 October: he writes to his mother from Nice, telling her about his journey to Torino via Col di Tenda;

Saturday 25 October: he is transferred to Ventimiglia to work on fortifications;

Thursday 20 November: he receives a letter from uncle de Sellon;

Friday 21 November: he writes to his mother from Ventimiglia;

Monday 24 November: he writes to his grandmother from Ventimiglia;

Thursday 27 November: Gustavo’s first child Augusto is born, Camillo’s nephew;

Sunday 30 November: he writes to his brother Gustavo;

Tuesday 16 December: he writes to his uncle Jean-Jacques, starting to express more pragmatic ideas than those of his uncle;

Friday 19 December: he writes to his grandmother from Ventimiglia; in the morning he receives a letter from his uncle Franchino;

1829

Tuesday 20 January: he writes to his grandmother Philippine;

Sunday 1 February: he writes to his grandmother Philippine from Ventimiglia;

Sunday 15 February: he writes to his cousin Adèle Maurice from Ventimiglia;

Wednesday 25 February: he is transferred to the fort of Exilles to conduct fortification work;

Thursday 5 March: he writes to his uncle Jean-Jacques de Sellon from Torino;

June: he is transferred to the fort of L’Esseillon, near Modane;

Friday 5 June: he writes to his grandmother Philippine from the fort of L’Esseillon, near Modane;

Thursday 9 July: he writes to his grandmother from L’Esseillon;

Monday 10 August: he turns 19 years old;

Tuesday 11 August: he writes to his mother from L’Esseillon, after spending the morning on the “grande route” waiting for the Marquis d’Yenne;

Late August: he obtains a three-month leave;

Thursday 20 August: he writes to his grandmother from L’Esseillon describing preparations for his trip to Switzerland;

Friday 4 September: he writes to his mother from Le Bocage telling her he has already been to Geneva in the morning to do some shopping;

Wednesday 7 October: he writes to his brother from Geneva;

Friday 9 October: he writes to his grandmother from Le Bocage;

Monday 9 November: from Santena he writes with his mother to his cousin Adèle;

Saturday 28 November: he writes to his uncle De Sellon and cousin Amèlie from Torino;

1830

Saturday 16 January: he writes to his uncle Jean-Jacques de Sellon;

Friday 19 March: he writes from Torino to his cousin in Geneva Adèle Maurice, lamenting, among other things, the bad health of uncle d’Auzers;

Monday 29 March: he gets transferred to the Engineering Corps headquarters in Genova. He meets Marquess Anna (Nina) Giustiniani;

Wednesday 31 March: from Genova he writes to his aunt Cécile de Sellon;

Friday 21 May: lunch at restaurant “Michel”;

Saturday 22 May: from Genova he writes to his brother Gustavo, pleased because he is beginning to understand “Galignani’s Messenger”;

Tuesday 25 May: he goes to dinner on board the “Berold” frigate, under the command of De Viry and then he plays short whist;

Thursday 17 June: he writes to his grandmother Philippine from Genova;

Tuesday 10 August: he turns 20 years old;

Sunday 3 October: he dines with Fabio Pallavicini;

Monday 4 October: he writes to uncle Franchino from Genova; he dines with David-Julien De la Rüe in Menthon;

Saturday 23 October: he writes to his uncle Jean-Jacques de Sellon d’Allaman from Genova;

Thursday 28 October: king Carlo Felice arrives in Genova;

Saturday 30 October: he writes to his mother from Genova, informing her he has learned about the decision made by Gustavo and Adelaide to separate Giuseppina Lascaris from her husband;

Monday 15 November: He writes to his aunt Victoire and to his mother from Genova, complaining about the rain but pleased because a servant from the Cavour household has brought him his boots;

Saturday 27 November: he gets promoted lieutenant first class;

Thursday 2 December: he receives a letter from his father in Genova and replies on the same day;

Friday 24 December: he writes to Monsignor Tosti from Genova;

Monday 27 December: he is promoted first lieutenant and assigned to the Engineering Corps headquarters in Torino.