waeh this gdaat lepm ,... ineeu&utly engaged, would lead \18 too far,
atill we cumot refnm fl'om deearibing one brilliant exploit, ee1eoted from
otaen·M· leal remazk:able.
SeDt ofF a dinanoe of 300 leagaea to dislodge the enemy from 8 pro
't'i.nce whioh their presence ditturbed, Garibaldi, with. 184. legion8rie&,
&ud a of homemen, fought for eight hours ag&m.t l,liOO mea,
without yielding 1111 inch of ground. When nigllt fell, the Guerillero'a
little band wu reduced to half ita original 35 were killed, 50
aerioualy -.vmmded. The BU.rrivors exhausted by fatigue, and in 11"8D.t of
food, seemed eearce strong enough to drag themaelvee to Salta, where
Garibaldi bad eetabliabed his head quarters. :&t to leave the wounded
at the me'rcy of the :
AyriaDB, already ao irritated by their defeat,
could enw tile mind of such 8 CCPDlDnder. The wounded were
placed and threes on all the honea that could be collected, ud
taeir CODll'ades, though 110 uhauated, -.vere obliged to support them on
eiihersid•e. BytumsenootlNging,
andpraimlg, Garibaldi, after
a wearyi:rJLg aaroh, which luted no leas than three bonn, had the bappi
ne• of seeing all hill eomracles in glory sheltered behind the walla of
SaUa. The nelnl of this 1'8Dl8l'kable retreat, as well as of an action in
wmch tJae, eDe1DJ loet more than 500 killed and woliDded, produced BD
isteule e1lthuiaam atMonte Video. The government orderedthatthe date
of the b&We, February 8, &hoold be inscribed in letters of gold on
tbe Sag ofthe legion, while the French admiral commanding at Rio sent
8letter of'c<mgratulation to Garibaldi, declaring " that such exploit. would
have eut fNeh luatre even 0:11. the soldiers ofNapoleon's grand army."
In the autumn of 184.6, Garibaldi returned to Monte Video, after
aoaompliahing his million to the entire aawfaction of Uruguay. .Aa a
reward his br:illimt achievement., the government oonferredon him tae
raDk of g•meral. The Guerillero at firat declined thia honour, but public
10lioitatiom at length induced him to accept it. But it wu otberwiae
with his refuaal of estates and herda for himeelf and his legionariea.
Eatreaty and advice-all was powerleaa to lhalce hill determination. He
protested that the Italians of lloate Video bad taken up arms only "to
obey tae appeal of liberty and aot thNugh ambitious viewa ofprofit or
promotio!L.'' Ally persilltance, after 10 clear a deelaration, would baTe
wounded his pride. This refuaal on Garibaldi's part waa the more
meritori01:u, when it wu known, at a later date, t1u.t at the moment he
gave it, hill family aad himtelf were reduced to live OD 1W ratione, and aa
these did not include amdles, the general' a house wu Dever illuminated
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