Alfonso Di Lamarmora, marquis, an Italian general, born Nov. 17,1804. He was admitted to the military academy of Turin in 1816, and left it in 1823 with the rank of lieutenant of artillery. He took an active part in introducing reforms into the organization of the army, in the war against Austria in 1848, and in restoring order after the defeat at Novara in 1849. In 1855 he was commander of the Sardinian forces in the Crimean campaign, and in that of 1859 was the principal military adviser of Victor Emanuel. He also officiated on several occasions as minister of Avar and marine. After the peace of Villafranca and the retirement of Cavour, he was for a time chief of the cabinet, a position which he again held in 1864-'6, after having served on missions to Berlin and St. Petersburg, and as commander in Milan and Naples. In 1866 he concluded through Gen. Govone the alliance with Prussia, and resigned his premiership in order to take as chief of staff the virtual command of the army in the field. The defeat at Custozza (June 24), which was attributed to his mismanagement of the campaign, caused his retirement, and involved him in disagreeable controversies.

In 1867 he was sent to Paris, subsequently became member of the Italian parliament, and in 1870-'71 was governor of Rome. In 1873 he published a volume of diplomatic memoirs, which made an immense sensation by the assertion that Bismarck in his negotiations with Gen. Govone in 1866 declared himself willing to cede a portion of Transrhenan Germany to France, in order to secure the friendly attitude of Napoleon III. in the impending war with Austria; a statement which the German chancellor vehemently denied.