LlFB OF G_.BIBJo.LDI,

board some .A,meriean vessels of war, whicll had shown themselves off
San Stefano, General d 'Aapre had concentrated a large body of troops at
Sienna. Gent!ral Stadion, who commanded them, received instructions
to wait till Garibaldi's movements were more fully developed, but he
must take such a tepa in any ca.ae as would prevent the colWIUl reaching
the Mediterranean. In addition, Duke Ernest, sent from Florence with
3,000 men, in 1search of Garibaldi, wa.a stationed near Montepulciano, and
wu in a po11ition to attack. All those movements were owing to
confidential CCJ>mmunica.tions made to General D'Aapre by the diplomatic
Agents. Mr. Cass, the .American Envoy at Rome, had repeatedly offered
to protect Garibaldi and his men; the AustriAn Commander, informed of

this fact, hence redoubled his vigilance.

In fact, everybody was combined to pursue and overwhelm this
unlucky column in its retreat. More than once, armed bands of farmers
led by their monks, showed themselves on the summits of the .Appeninea
to cut o.fl' the Garibaldiana who· remained behind the column, and who
lost in the diffieult paths. When they could do nothing
better, these tiwatica served as acouts for the foreigners. But, in spite
of all their adnntages, the Austrians never ventured to offer battle; or
rather, would not do so, until joined by the Tuscan troops, so that they
might save th.eir own men. Hence, the Garibaldians were offered the
cruel alternative of either fighting against Italians who had been their
comrades in Lombardy, or refusing the combat. Garibaldi always chose
the latter, an<l the result redounded to his glory. Rapid marches and
principally at night: the dispersion of the corps in
small columns in various directions : unexpected concentrations,
continual eToRutions, wondrous stratagems, permitted him to avoid a
fratricidal contest, while gradually drawing nearer to his great object.
Soldiers who have studied the details of these combinations and
innumerable stratagems, declare unanimously that they evince the
experience of a consummate general. But what could skill and courage
avail Garibaldi, when he had everything against him, while his opponents
had all in thei:r favour P

In ordel' to reconnoitre the enemy's position, and mask his own designs,
Garibaldi sent a squadron from Cetona in the direction of Sienna. The
wretched con1mander of the troops, lacking, perhaps, heart for the
enterpriae, halted when ten miles from that city. He then sold his
horaes to the enemy, and escaped to .America. Eternal infamy on the
traitor! WhEm the legions reached Foiano, provisions ran short, and the
General, unaware of the made at Chiuai by the fugitivee

lJ

1zedbyGoogle

LIFB OF GAJUJIALDI.

from CE1tona, sent out a detachment of cavalry to forage . On drawing
near that town, they fell into an ambuscade : two men were taken
prisoners and handed over to the Bishop, and Garibaldi demanded their
releue in vain. To save their lives, he thought it his duty to seize aome
monks at an adjacent monastery, and carry them off with him. But the
very clE1rgy who in the IDtramontane journals accused Garibaldi of
f«ding on tM flu! of ni1 enemie1, were well aware that they had only
generosity to expect at the hands of the Champion of Italy. The
GuerillE1ro's reprisals so little alarmed the Bishop of Chiusi, that he caused
the two prisoners to undergo infamous treatment, and then delivered
them to the Austrians. More than one general would not have hesitated
to take exemplary vengeance for snt'h an act, but what wu Garibaldi's
conduct P After keeping the monks prisoners for three days, he set them
all at liberty. Such was the atrocious conduct of this Chief of the
Brigands!

On at Montepulciano, the Guerillero, in a proclamation full of

energetic and generous sentiments, called on the Tuscan people to expel

the foreigners, and shake off for the second time the cruel yoke of the

Grand Duke. Offering the assistance of his legions, he set out for

Florence, the place selected u the focus of the insurrectionary

movemEmt. The enterprise was irresistibly perilous : in addition to

General. Stadion's corps, amounting to 5,000 men, and Duke Ernest's,

which '117as already in a position to attack the legionaries ; the garrison of

Florence, commanded by General d'Aspre in person, was not less than

8,000 men of all arms. To these forces, so considerable in themselves,

must be added the garrisons of Leghorn and the other cities, and the

Tuscan troope stationed in various parts of the country. Lastly, the

troops in occupation of the Romagnas, at least equal in number to those

in Tuac:any, by leaving weak in the most important towne,

might, in a few days, act in concert, or even join General d'Aspre. In

this wa;r, if the insurrection he was about to attempt wu unauccessfu1,

Garibaldi would have no hope of escape.

And the non-success was presumable. We han said that in the moun­

tains the reactionary party, though weak, were aiding, with arms in their
hands, 1to prevent the overthrow of the re-established state of things.
there was a good spirit rife in the capital, people whispered to
each other that the nation had been weakened by recent int{!stine com­
motions , rendered desponding by the misfortunes of Italy, and little pre­
pared to rise in revolt ata moment of general prostration. To add to the
diacourltgement, the news from Hungary and Venice, received solely

lJ

1zedbyGooglc

Previous Page Next Page