The Charge of the "Savoia Cavalleria" at Izbushensky was a clash between the Italian cavalry Regiment "Savoia Cavalleria" (3rd) and the Soviet 812th Rifle Regiment (304th Rifle Division) that took place on August 24, 1942, near the hamlet (khutor) of Izbushensky (Избушенский), close to the junction between the Don and Khopyor rivers.

[1] The Regiment "Savoia Cavalleria" (3rd) under command of Colonel Alessandro, Count Bettoni Cazzago, was sent as a relief force in the area, with orders to occupy "objective spot height 213,5".

With the camp under fire, Bettoni had no choice but to order, as a last resort, a cavalry charge with drawn sabers and hand grenades against entrenched infantry.

Under the command of Captain De Leone, the squadron began a winding maneuver through a gorge, succeeding in engaging the Soviets at the left end of the front, outflanking it and storming it longitudinally with drawn sabers and hand grenades.

[3] Some horses, even though riddled by bullets, would keep galloping for hundreds of meters, squirting blood at every beat, suddenly collapsing only a while after their actual death.

This was performed by 3rd squadron, led by the impatient Captain Marchio, who rushed frontally at the Soviets without taking the detour through the gorge at the side of the battlefield.

Major Alberto Litta Modignani decided on his own accord to join the 3rd squadron charge, together with the remaining dozen horsemen of the command.

The relatively high casualties that would have resulted from pursuing the Soviet troops would have had the effect of precluding the launching of any more charges, should the need arise.

Given this consideration, Commander Bettoni decided not to pursue the Soviets, who therefore retained a solid foothold on the west bank of the Don River.

[5] In September 1942 the "Istituto Luce" dispatched a film crew in order to take staged footage of the Savoia in action.