By 27 February, both the Italian and the Ethiopian armies had only a few days of supply left. Unable or unwilling to decide between a temporary withdrawal or a small advance, Baratieri asked for the advice of his brigade commanders: Giuseppe Arimondi, Albertone,
Vittorio Dabormida and the newly appointed
Giuseppe Ellena. Albertone informed his commander that, according to native informants, the Ethiopians were scattered across the hills of Adwa, foraging. This was later proved to be wrong, but, with Arimondi's mistaken estimate of Menelik's forces, it suggested to the commanders that Baratieri was moving away from an easy victory. Following Arimondi, Albertone urged an aggressive attack and was soon joined by his colleagues. At midnight it was found that the paths followed by Albertone and Arimondi were converging. Albertone took the lead, forcing Arimondi to stop for an entire hour. Since the Native Brigade marched faster than the two others, by 3:30 a.m. Albertone reached his intended position, on what he thought was the Kidane Meret. His guides, though, informed him that the brigade was on Erarà Hill. After an hour, not seeing Arimondi coming into line on his right as he expected, Albertone deemed that he was on the wrong position and decided to resume the march toward the real Kidane Meret, away.
Menelik's first attack Albertone's move opened a wide gap in the Italian lines, and isolated his brigade from Arimondi and Dabormida. By 5:30 a.m., at sunrise, while the two Italian brigades deployed on the Rebbi Arienni, from his position overlooking the Mariam Shavitu valley Albertone sighted the Ethiopian camp. Convincing himself that Baratieri wanted him to threaten those positions, he sent forward the 1st Native Battalion of
major Turitto to scout the ground. Around 6 p.m. the advanced battalion came under heavy attacks from nearby Ethiopian troops, and Menelik was rapidly binging fresh forces to this side. The assault was so fierce that it reached the Italian second line, and the entire Native Brigade was forced to retreat, protected by the fire of Albertone's two mountain artillery batteries. At 6:45 Baratieri, who heard the sound of the fighting, ordered Dabormida to advance in support of Albertone, whom he assumed to be at the false Kidane Meret, a little ahead. Once Dabormida discovered the Native Brigade was further away, he continued to slowly march westwards, reaching the Mariam Shavitu valley 3 miles north of Albertone's positions.
Mount Semaiata By 7:00 a.m. Albertone was arraying his remaining battalions on the nearby Mount Semaiata, leaving Turitto and the two batteries on the Kidane Meret to cover his movements. He wrote a message to Baratieri, informing him that he was under heavy attack and in dire need of reinforcements: it would reach the commander only at 8:15. From 7:30, the 1st Native Battalion held off increasing numbers of enemy troops until 8:30, when it was forced to retreat. At this time, about 18,000 Ethiopians were converging on Albertone's brigade in a half moon formation, trying to encircle it, and the strong Ethiopian northern wing occupied Mount Gusoso, cutting any existing link between Albertone and Dabormida's relief attempt. For about two hours, the ascari under Albertone held their position, the artillery inflicting heavy casualties on the attackers, but then the Ethiopians set up quick-firing batteries on the Kidane Meret. While Menelik was committing more troops from his own command, the badly mauled flanks of the Native Brigade collapsed, and by 10:30 the whole brigade, low on ammunition, started a fighting retreat that soon turned into a rout. The batteries that tried to cover the withdrawal were captured, retaken by ascari with a bayonet charge, then definitely lost, their crews annihilated. Albertone was captured leading his troops, and his brigade was shattered shortly afterwards. ==Last years==