In 1859, aged 19, Garibaldi joined his father's newly formed legion of Redshirts, the Hunters of the Alps, created to assist Sardinia against Austria in the Second Italian War of Independence.

Two years later, during the Third Italian War of Independence, Garibaldi fought alongside his brother Ricciotti, father and brother-in-law at the Battle of Bezzecca, which resulted in a victory over the Austrians.

His own military skill was recognised in 1867, when his father asked him to lead volunteers in an invasion of the Papal States, which ended in defeat at the Battle of Mentana.

In the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871, he fought for France as commander of the 3rd brigade of the Army of the Vosges, a volunteer force led by his father, and served at the Third Battle of Dijon.

[7] After the war Garibaldi was elected to the Chamber of Deputies, and tried to raise an Italian legion to support the ʻUrabi revolt in Egypt.