8 5 9 , ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Italy ▁to ▁meet ▁French ▁em peror ▁Nap ol éon ▁III ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁of ▁discuss ing ▁difficulties ▁in ▁conduct ing ▁business ▁in ▁Al ger ia , ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁occupied ▁by ▁France . ▁He ▁arrived ▁in ▁the ▁small ▁town ▁of ▁Sol fer ino ▁on ▁the ▁evening ▁of ▁ 2 4 ▁June ▁after ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Sol fer ino , ▁an ▁eng agement ▁in ▁the ▁Aust ro - S ardin ian ▁War . ▁In ▁a ▁single ▁day , ▁about ▁ 4 0 , 0 0 0 ▁soldiers ▁on ▁both ▁sides ▁died ▁or ▁were ▁left ▁wounded ▁on ▁the ▁field . ▁Jean - Hen ri ▁Dun ant ▁was ▁shock ed ▁by ▁the ▁terrible ▁after math ▁of ▁the ▁battle , ▁the ▁suffering ▁of ▁the ▁wounded ▁soldiers , ▁and ▁the ▁near - total ▁lack ▁of ▁medical ▁attend ance ▁and ▁basic ▁care . ▁He ▁completely ▁abandoned ▁the ▁original ▁intent ▁of ▁his ▁trip ▁and ▁for ▁several ▁days ▁he ▁devoted ▁himself ▁to ▁helping ▁with ▁the ▁treatment ▁and ▁care ▁for ▁the ▁wounded . ▁He ▁took ▁point ▁in ▁organ izing ▁an ▁over wh el ming ▁level ▁of ▁relief ▁assistance ▁with ▁the ▁local ▁vill agers ▁to ▁aid ▁without ▁disc rim ination . ▁ ▁Back ▁in ▁his ▁home ▁in ▁Gene va , ▁he ▁decided ▁to ▁write ▁a ▁book ▁entitled ▁A ▁Memory ▁of ▁Sol fer ino ▁which ▁he ▁published ▁using ▁his ▁own ▁money ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 2 . ▁He ▁sent ▁copies ▁of ▁the ▁book ▁to ▁leading ▁political ▁and ▁military ▁figures ▁throughout ▁Europe , ▁and ▁people ▁he