[2] By 1871, Garibaldi was still respected by socialists elsewhere in Italy, but it was only in Romagna that his leadership was seen as essential for a people's republic.

[3] Garibaldi planned to call a democratic congress, but he canceled it due to the factional squabbles.

With Mikhail Bakunin's support, Nabruzzi, Ceretti, Andrea Costa and others arranged a conference on 17 March 1872 in Bologna, where most of the internationalist sections of Romagna were represented.

[4] The congress rejected Giuseppe Mazzini's view that the question of social reform could follow creation of a republic and also voted against participating in elections, in effect moving towards Bakunin's position.

In 1875, he commanded the Italian Legion in Serbia with the rank of major in the struggle against Turkish rule.

That year in Mirandola, he founded the socialist periodical Il Sole dell'Avvenire (The Sun of the Future).