Garibaldi, Giuseppe (Nizza, 4 luglio 1807 – Caprera, 2 giugno 1882)

Anton Giulio Barrili (Savona, 14 December 1836 – Carcare, 14 August 1908) was an Italian politician, writer, man of letters, patriot and Garibaldi supporter. Having spent his childhood in Nice, which at the time belonged to the Kingdom of Sardinia, he finished his high school studies in Savona with the Piarists, later graduating in Literature and Philosophy at the University of Genoa. He then embarked on a career as a journalist by founding his first newspaper, L'occhialetto, written entirely by himself. He later became one of the editors of San Giorgio, a newspaper founded and led by Nino Bixio. In 1859 he enlisted as a volunteer in the Piedmontese army, participating in various campaigns with the VII Infantry Regiment. The following year he joined the editorial staff of the Garibaldi propaganda newspaper Il Movimento, becoming director and spokesperson for the general's exploits.

Barrili fought alongside Giuseppe Garibaldi in Trentino in 1866, as a volunteer in the 8th Regiment of the Italian Volunteer Corps; he fought and was wounded on 3 November 1867 in the battle of Mentana, when Garibaldi's troops, in an attempt to conquer Rome, were defeated by Napoleon III's French. His experience in the Risorgimento wars was later narrated in a book of memoirs, With Garibaldi at the gates of Rome (1895).

Returning to Genoa, in 1875 he founded the newspaper Il Caffaro, in which he published some of his works as an appendix. Having run for the Chamber of Deputies on the left-wing lists, he was elected in 1876, but resigned in 1879 to dedicate himself to teaching in high schools.

Having moved to Rome in 1884 to take over the direction of La Domenica literarya, he then returned to Genoa, obtaining in 1894, thanks to the support of Giosuè Carducci, the chair of Italian Literature at the University of Genoa; he was appointed rector in 1903.

In the 80s of the 19th century he was initiated into freemasonry in the Loggia Trionfo Ligure in Genoa [1].

At an advanced age he retired to Villa Maura, his summer residence in Carcare, dying there at 10.50 pm on 14 August 1908.

Anton Giulio Barrili is buried in the Staglieno monumental cemetery in Genoa.