Se guardi da Formia c’è un drago che dorme in questo mare nostro dove tutto rallenta dove tutto s’ addormenta. Piangono di ferite antiche le mura sulla rocca custodiscono verità nascoste sogni dimenticati un pezzo di piombo e uno d’argento. E chi a 18 anni in terra di lavoro con le mani callose li aveva mai lucidati tra le corde di canapa bottoni d’argento? E un pezzo di piombo straniero e sabaudo te ne ha strappato uno dal petto piccolo soldatino senza nome. [...]

The King and Queen of Naples in a battery-side of the sea, in Gaeta, January 22, 1861

Why this name?

The fortress of Gaeta was considered unassailable. The ancient and massive walls extend upward, now like in the past, the rock face that looms over the sea. The second fraught with little palm trees and prickly pears, the first with cannons. Like a furious-wounded animal that found refuge in a corner, it was perched on the promontory of a narrow peninsula inspiring for centuries just fear of the attackers. Huge walls, demolished after the war, where surrounding the country fulfilling the picture.. Thereby, Peter Quandel, major of artillery, direct actor, as part of the Bourbon Reign, wrote the last siege in 1861 held by the troops of Enrico Cialdini, general Piedmontese in 1861 (that would be appointed Duke of Gaeta and would began the unification of Italy )" ... Gaeta has not been conquered, but has surrendered to political considerations, to which the only judge was Majesty the King Francis II. "

And in fact it did not make any sense to prolong the needless defense since the reign of the Two Sicilies, left to itself from the rest of the world, was already fallen. The story, the real one, not the one we hear in school, knows that the Bourbon Army, powerful but badly guided, did not give up to the impetus of a little group of followers of Garibaldi, but to the cunning of Cavour who was able to prepare the ground for the conquest both and internationally and within the Bourbon Army. King Francis II of Bourbon could not defend his kingdom Reign from the Machiavellian genius.

The ferocity of the repression Piedmontese capable of real massacres in southern Ital, and the powerful propaganda, afterwards reinforced the image of a new Italy formed from one side by new heroes and from the other by new masters, the Savoy. The Silver Button brag about the Bourbon uniform. With it, however, I like to point out something small and precious as Gaeta, like many small towns of Italy which contain perfect examples of art and history framed by natural beauties that are increasingly valuable as much as threatened. The Silver Button is also the title of a poem written for Gaeta (click here to download the whole poem) and also becomes the name of the Bed & Breakfast located in Gaeta, which is also small but valuable in its own way.