<sod>  The remaining two brigades under Baratieri himself were outflanked and destroyed piecemeal on the slopes of Mount Belah. By noon, the survivors of the Italian army were in full retreat and the battle was over.
 
 == Aftermath ==
The Italians suffered about 5,900 casualties in the battle and subsequent retreat back into Eritrea, while the Ethiopian losses exceeded 10,000. Italian prisoners, who included General Albertone, appear to have been treated as well as could be expected under difficult circumstances, though about 200 hundred died of their wounds in captivity.<ref>Chris Proutky notes that Albertone was given into the care of Azaj Zamanel, commander of Empress Taytu's personal army, and "had a tent to himself, a horse and servants". ''Empress Taytu and Menilek II'' (Trenton: The Red Sea Press, 1986), pp. 169f.</ref> However 800 captured askaris, regarded as traitors by the Ethiopians, had their right hands and left feet amputated. There does not appear to be any foundation for reports that some Italians were castrated and these may reflect confusion with the atrocious treatement of the askari prisoners.   
 
 Baratieri was relieved of his command and later charged with preparing an "inexcusable" plan of attack and for abandoning his troops in the field. He was acquitted on these charges but was descibed by the court martial judges as being "entirely unfitted" for his command.  The [[Francesco Crispi|Crispi]] government fell, and was replaced by a new administration with a policy of avoiding further colonial adventures.
 
 <eod> <sod> The remaining two brigades under Baratieri himself were outflanked and destroyed piecemeal on the slopes of Mount Belah. By noon, the survivors of the Italian army were in full retreat and the battle was over.
 
 == Aftermath ==
The Italians suffered about 5,900 casualties in the battle and subsequent retreat back into Eritrea, while the Ethiopian losses exceeded 10,000. Italian prisoners, who included General Albertone, appear to have been treated as well as could be expected under difficult circumstances, though about 200 died of their wounds in captivity.<ref>Chris Proutky notes that Albertone was given into the care of Azaj Zamanel, commander of Empress Taytu's personal army, and "had a tent to himself, a horse and servants". ''Empress Taytu and Menilek II'' (Trenton: The Red Sea Press, 1986), pp. 169f.</ref> However 800 captured askaris, regarded as traitors by the Ethiopians, had their right hands and left feet amputated. There does not appear to be any foundation for reports that some Italians were castrated and these may reflect confusion with the atrocious treatement of the askari prisoners.   
 
 Baratieri was relieved of his command and later charged with preparing an "inexcusable" plan of attack and for abandoning his troops in the field. He was acquitted on these charges but was descibed by the court martial judges as being "entirely unfitted" for his command.  The [[Francesco Crispi|Crispi]] government fell, and was replaced by a new administration with a policy of avoiding further colonial adventures.
 
 <eod>