LII'B OP G!BIB.lLDI. f3
from band to hand. Garibaldi was the vice-president of the society, and,
by his initialdve, printed instructions were issued on the 1st March,
1859, in preplll'ation for the coming druggle.
In the pre11ence of the grave eventualities that were ariaing, the Sar
dinian government now authorized the formation of a corps of volun
teers. Massea of young men of the beat familiea of Lombardy, Tuaoany,
Parma, Mode:na, &c., flocked in at once to enrol themselves beneath the
banner of Piedmont. Of course, the Italian Volunteers could have no
other commander than Garibaldi. Victor Emanuel, in faot, intended
the command of these heroic yonthe for him, but suth were the unjuat
charges constantly brought against the illustrious Guerillero, that M. de
Cavour at first hesitated to proclaim the choice of the cabinet.
On March 5th, 1859, the declared that the .Emperor of the
French had promised the king of Sardinia to defend him against any
aggressive aet on the part of Austria. Thus, Victor Emanuel, was
wise enough not to commence hostilities, and the support of France was
aasured him in the war, which everybody now believed to be imminent.
Lord Cowley's mi11sion had been a failure, and Austria was preparing to
take the field. She completed her military administration, organised her
hospital staff, and recalled the men on furlough. Her forces in Italy
consisted of t.wenty-three infantry regiments amounting to 140,390 men:
two battalion.a of rifles, 10,280 men ; four border battalions, 5,000 men ;
five regiments of light cavalry, 6,400 sabres; four regiments of artillery,
4,000 men ; siege artillery and rocket brigade, 6,000 men ; pioneers,
1,700; engineers, 3,500; forming a grand total of at least 177,000 men
of all arms.
The French government had recalled from Algeria Renaud's division,
and was taking other military steps to keep the promise made through
the M011ikur..
In the pl'tlf•ence of auch preparations it would have been madnees for
Piedmont to disarm, in obedience to the Austrian note of March Slat.
Since 1850, J>iedmont had maintained, without serious financial embar
rassment, an army of 49,500 men and 7,650 honea, and could, if neces
sary, raise it to 112;000 men and 18,750 horses. The government was
the more disposed to place the army on a war footing, for the provinces
as well as thn capital would not allow the national honour to be B&Criflced
for any consideration. And it was not alone in the interior of the State
that this patriotism was shown. Even in foreign countries every man in
whose breast; an Italian heart beat, was impatiently awaiting the com
mencement of the contest with Austria. A proof of this was seen in
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