In February 1793 La Maddalena risked becoming French. A naval squadron departed from Corsica targeted the archipelago, occupied the island of Santo Stefano and began to bombard the town. On board, as an artillery officer, was a twenty-three-year-old Corsican lieutenant: Napoleon Bonaparte.
The plan was clear: place the batteries on Santo Stefano, within range of the town, wear down the defences and then land on the main island. Bonaparte set up his cannons and for days hammered La Maddalena. But the decisive landing never came because the islanders, with a bold move, transported cannons to the Sardinian coast and began to bombard the French frigate Fauvette and the enemy positions.
Leading the defence was Domenico Millelire, from La Maddalena, in command of a small garrison. With few means he kept the enemy ships under fire and prevented their manoeuvring, helping to make the operation fail. When the French withdrew, Bonaparte was forced to hastily abandon part of the artillery on the islet.
For that conduct Millelire received the first Gold Medal for Military Valour of the Sardinian Navy, a recognition that made him a reference name for the entire Italian Navy. Bonaparte, for his part, took home one of the first defeats of his career, in a corner of sea that a few years later, with Nelson, would return to the centre of the ambitions of the European powers.
In La Maddalena that episode has never been forgotten. One of the main squares bears the date of 23 February and still guards the bust of Millelire and a mortar ball fired from those batteries: two objects that the islanders show with the pride of those who, once, said no to Napoleon.
Final tip
The best way to fully enjoy the magic of the archipelago is to stay in La Maddalena so you can experience the island in a unique way.
