Giuseppe Cesare Abba

His literary work is limited to revolutionary memories; after retiring to private life, first at Pisa, then in his native town, he attempted to write a romantic poem in five canti by the title Arrigo.

In 1880 it became Noterelle di uno dei Mille edite dopo vent’anni ("Notes by one of the Thousand twenty years later"), assuming its final title, Da Quarto al Volturno: Noterelle d’uno dei Mille ("From Quarto to Volturno: Notes by one of the Thousand"), only in 1891.

Carducci was at that time considering writing a work on the life of Garibaldi, and encouraged the survivors of the campaign to give him historical testimonies.

When he had read the Noterelle, he appreciated it so much that gave it to the editor Zanichelli to be published, telling the author that now he might never write the biography of the hero.

Abba quickly acquired fame, so much so that he became first teacher at the secondary school at Faenza, then principal of the technological institute of Brescia, where he worked until his death.