Garibaldi and the Making of Italy, by George M. Trevelyan. Part I.

Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882) was an Italian general and politician who played a large role in making of what Italy is today. He is known as one of Italy's "fathers of the fatherland". Garibaldi was a central figure in the Italian Risorgimento (Resurrection), and led the famous Expedition of the Thousand on behalf and with the consent of Victor Emmanuel II. The volunteers under his command wore red shirts as their uniform and became known in the popular stories as, "The Red Shirts."

He gained his military expertise from his experiences in Brazil, Uruguay as well as Europe. Because of his international notoriety the United States and the UK helped in his cause, both financially and militarily. Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, and George Sand, intellectuals of the time, greatly admired him.