Francesco Costanzo (Catania, 1767 – Naples, 4 October 1822)
Coming from a bourgeois family, Costanzo entered the Military Academy of Naples in 1779, passing out in 1785 as a second lieutenant of the engineering corps. In 1786 he switched to the hydrographic engineers and was sent to France for further training until 1789. In 1790 he was sent to the Papal States to put the coasts in a state of defence. In 1792 he returned to Naples, being appointed lieutenant in the corps of hydrographic engineers and professor of fortification at the Military Academy. In 1796 he was promoted to captain and the following year to major. In 1798 he was the chief of staff in the vanguard of the Neapolitan army, and then during the Neapolitan Republic was promoted to battalion chief, commander-in-chief of the geographical engineers. He participated in the defence of Fort St. Elmo, was taken prisoner for 10 months and was eventually exiled to France. On 6 May 1800 he was appointed battalion chief in the Cisalpine Engineer Brigade. In 1805 he was detailed by Chasseloup-Laubat to accompany Gaspard Prony, French inspector general of the Roads-and-Bridges, on a visit to the Polesine “to carry out the works needed to facilitate navigation of the Po”. The two, however, also went to Venice, being held by the Austrians. Chasseloup considered Costanzo a “bon officier de guerre”. Returning to the Kingdom of Naples in 1806, Costanzo was promoted to colonel, then to brigadier in 1813. He was a member of the Council for Public Works in 1807, then governor of the Polytechnic School in 1811, chairman of the Committee of Fortifications and Ports from 1812, and director of the Corps of Roads-and-Bridges from 1814 to 1817, when it was dissolved (see MSA, WO 542, 1488 bis, d’Ayala, Mariano. 1843. Le vite de’ più celebri capitani e soldati napoletani dalla giornata di Bitonto fino ai dì nostri. Naples: Stamperia dell’Iride: 39-59, Coraccini, Federico [Giuseppe Valeriani]. 1823. Storia dell’amministrazione del Regno d’Italia durante il dominio francese. Lugano, 1823: 59-60).