Emilio Ferrero

Emilio Maurizio Ferrero (Cuneo, 13 January 1819 – Florence, 1 December 1887) was an Italian politician and general. He was a senator of the Kingdom of Italy in the 14th legislature. He served as Minister of War of the Kingdom of Italy in the third Cairoli government and in the fourth, fifth and sixth Depretis governments.

Early life and career A student of the Royal Academy of Turin, he took part in the First Italian War of Independence as a captain, earning an honorable mention for the siege of Peschiera del Garda and the silver medal of military valor at the battle of Novara. In 1855-56 he was part of the Sardinian expeditionary force in the Crimean War, where he obtained another mention for the offensive march on the Chernaya.

In 1862 he assumed command of the "Parma" brigade; the following year, appointed major general, he became director of the Military Academy of Modena, returning to active service during the Third Italian War of Independence. In 1870 he commanded the 13th division which was part of the force sent under Raffaele Cadorna to conquer Rome.

In November and December 1881 Ferrero he presented bills covering a wide range of military reforms. He proposed to increase the army from ten corps to twelve, increasing conscription by ten thousand men per year. To contain the consequent increases in costs he planned to discharge conscripts earlier so that the total armed forces did not exceed 200,000 men. He also abolished the General Staff Committee and with a decree of 29 July 1881 he established the new position of Chief of Staff of the army.

Minister of War, 1884 1884 was a year of economic difficulties in Italy as well as of declining health for Ferrero. Political problems mounted too following a cabinet reshuffle in 1883 which brought in more focus from the Historical Right.

In March he introduced a bill for the expansion of the artillery and cavalry and a new plan of 243 million for extraordinary expenses. His proposals were harshly criticized by the former minister Cesare Ricotti-Magnani for their extravagance and opposed outright by Ferrero’s cabinet colleague Treasury Minister Agostino Magliani.

Ferrero felt let down by the lack of support he received, and complained to Pelloux that he had been "deliberately deceived" into presenting the bills. In October 1884 he decided to resign, and was replaced by Ricotti-Magnani. With serious health problems, he asked to be placed on auxiliary duty. He died in Florence on 1 December 1887.

Honours