Colonel Ferdinando Beneventano del Bosco commanded the Milazzo garrison with 4,500 infantry and cavalry.

Garibaldi's force consisted of about 4,000 men, under the command of Giacomo Medici and Enrico Cosenz.

On 21 July, Garibaldi's Türkory started bombarding the fortress, followed by the arrival of Admiral Carlo Pellion di Persano's Piedmontese squadron.

On 1 August, Bosco surrendered and was taken by ship to the Messina citadel commanded by Clary.

Commanding an army of over 40,000, he prepared over the next three weeks to cross the Straits of Messina.