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| 29 February |
| Night |
During the night four brigades, totalling 17,700 men (10,600 Italian infantry and 7,100 Askari) and 56 guns, advance the nine kilometres from the Italian base camp at Sauria to a line of three defensive peaks overlooking the Ethiopian camp near Adowa. |
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| 1 March |
| 2:30 |
The Italian commander, General Oreste Baratieri, and Brigadier General Giuseppe Ellena's reserve brigade halt near Mount Eshasho. |
| 4:00 |
Brigadier General Giuseppe Arimondi's brigade (Italian infantry) halts its advance to allow Brigadier General Matteo Albertone's Native brigade (Askari) passage, the two brigades have become entangled in the dark and the unfamiliar terrain. |
| 5:30 |
A Shoan horseman arrives at Adowa and informs Emperor Menelik II that The Ferangi (the foreigners) have been spotted north of Abba Garima. Menelik II, Empress Taitu, and the royal Shoan forces ride out to the church at Abba Garima to observe. |
| 6:00 |
Albertone's brigade, now well in advance of the rest of the Italian army, encounters the Ethiopian right wing, commanded by Ras Tekla-Haymanot, which had been camped near to Edna Chidane Meret. |
| 6:15 |
General Baratieri, based near Mount Eshasho with the reserve brigade, sends out runners to discover the location of Albertone's brigade. |
| 7:45 |
Baratieri issues orders to Brigadier General Vittorio Dabormida to support the centre. Dabormida actually turns away and heads down the valley of Mariam Shavitu. Ras Makonnen and Ras Alula, joint commanders of the 30,000 strong Ethiopian left wing, take advantage of Dabormida's isolation. |
| 8:15 |
Albertone sends a message back to Baratieri urgently requesting reinforcements. |
| 8:30 |
Albertone's brigade begins to fragment. Baratieri observes battle smoke from the top of Mount Eshasho. |
| 9:00 |
Menelik II has kept his 25,000 Shoan reserves back from the fight at Abba Garima. Empress Taitu seizes the initiative and encourages Menelik to release them by sending out her own bodyguard (3,000 infantry and 600 cavalry) into the fight. Albertone is overwhelmed and then taken prisoner. His remaining Askari attempt to flee back towards the camp at Sauria. |
| 9:15 |
Baratieri finally receives Albertone's message and moves forward with reserve brigade. He observes the retreating Askari from Albertone's Native brigade running down the valley to the right of his position. Unfortunately he does not notice that Ethiopian troops are also amongst them. |
| 10:00 |
Dabormida's brigade encounters the Ethiopian left wing in the narrow valley of Miriam Shavitu. Meanwhile the northern spur of Mount Bellah has fallen to the Ethiopian centre, commanded by Ras Mashanga and Ras Mikail: Arimondi's brigade crumbled when his left flank was stormed. Arimondi is killed in ensuring battle. |
| 11:30 |
Baratieri, on the southern side of Mount Bellah, orders retreat. It almost immediately becomes a rout. |
| 14:00 |
Dabormida realises his brigade is surrounded in the valley of Miriam Shavitu. He consults his brigade staff: "It is a serious thing, a serious thing. No message, nor order, no reinforcements - nothing." |
| 15:00 |
Dabormida begins orderly retreat northwards. |
| Late Afternoon |
Albertone's surviving Askari and remaining Italian soldiers from Baratieri and Arimondi's brigades retreat to Sauria and then to Adigat. Most don't stop until they reach the border. |
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| 4 March |
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A telegram from Baratieri describing the armies defeat in Ethiopia is published by the Italian government. Baratieri is made a scapegoat and tried before a military court in Asmara. He is acquitted but considered unfit for command. |
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