LIFB OF G.l.BIB.lLDI.

33

of infantry and a battalion of apied; the second of a r egiment
of mounted chn.aaeura and a regiment of dragoons. The second division,
commanded by General Boatolan, was formed of two brigades, earh of
two infantry rE1gimenta ; while the third brigade, commanded by General
Gueawiller wa:s also composed of four infantry regimente. The engi­
neers, with rn: companies of aappers, . were under General Vaillant.
The artillery, of four field and one siege batteries, was directed by
General Thierry. Somewhat later, the army was reinforced by four regi­
ments of infantry, one 12-pounder battery, a company of aappera and
one of pontomliers. General Oudinot had then under his orders forty­
four infantry battallions, eight squadrons of cavalry, thirty-six field-guns
and thirty siege-guus; altogether about 36,000 men of all apna, with
sixty pieces of artillery.

The Romans had seventeen battalliona of regular infantry, amounting
to 9,400 men; 6,600 irregular infantry, divided into twelve corps; 890
cavalry ; 1370 miners, aappers and artillerymen; forming a total, with the
atafF and hol}>ital train, of 18,670 men; and of whom 16,465 were
Romans, 1875 Italians, and 828 foreigners. There were in Rome 108
guns, of which eleven were of heavy calibre, thirty-four of average
calibre, and fifty-two light field-pieces, about eleven howitzers, and not
a single mortar·. Of this artillery, more than thirty pieces were unfit for
service, and twenty others in a bad condition. Such were the forces to
defend Rome, 'whose walls are twenty miles in circuit.

According to a communication from General Oudinot, either badly un­
derstood, or not quite clear, the Romans did not expect the attack till the
4th of June at the earliest, but it took place on the 3rd. On Sunday, at
three in the morning, the Roman picquete at the Pamphili and Corsini
Villas, outside the San Pancrazio Gate, were surrounded while asleep and
made prisoners by two French battalliona. A.t the same time, in an oppo­
site direction, IL French brigade surprised Ponte Molle, where it met a
Yigorous, thoUErh useless resistance. A.a on April :JOth, the bella almost
immediately ga.ve the alarm signal, and the drums called to arms. The
people hurried to the baatious ; Garibaldi's legion and the brave band of
Lombard Volunteers, rushing to the gatea, soon found themselves vigor­
ously engaged in a desperate struggle. Thrice were the contested poai·
tions taken and lost. Though greatly inferior innumbers, and unable, like
the French, to bring up fresh reserves, the Romans auatained the battle for
sixteen hours. Both friend and foe agreed in recognising that Garibaldi
displayed the moat heroic courage during this terrible combat. At one
moment a battalion to a bayonet charge, at another rushing to

D

"' 1zedbyGoogle

LIFE OF GA.BIBALDI.

mlly his men. if he fancied he saw a trace of discouragement, and
exposing himself continually where the showef of bullets was the
tk1ek:esi;, he did not cease to display that bravery of which he had already
given athousand proofs, and which has become proverbial. The only
fault found with the Guerillero was that he did not on the first day evince
that strategical skill so absoh1tely necessary in presence of adversaries sa
dangerous as the French.

Instructed by experience, Garibaldi, on the following day, modified Iris
plan of attack. Not wishing to expose uselessly the lives of his bravest
soldiers, who would assuredly be the first to fall .in a hand-to.hand
encounter, he determined to restrict himself to repeated sallies, and
harass thQ besiegers by a constant canniJ!lade from the walls. 'l'he firing
was, however, speedily checked by the French artillery, and the vigilance
of the F'rench rendered the sorties ineffectual The result was that the
en€my daily gained ground.

Up to this periOd, the resistance of the Romans was chiefly intended
to gain time, so that the Freneh Government might be enabled to accept
the arrn.ngement made with their plenipotentiary. But the arrival of

M . de Courc·eUes at Oudinot's head quarters dissipated all such hopes.
By a letter addressed tO the Chancelliar of the French Embassy, and
which the latter transmitted to Mazzini, the new Envoy declared that
his Government disavowed all participation fu the convention ratified by
by M. de Lesseps, because he had been deprived of his full powers three
days before he signed it. The news of the refusal to ratify, with the
circum s tances that preceded it, so irritated the Romans that they
resolve d to prolong the resistance, though it was generally admitted th&t
so soon as the French had formed a practicable breach, and established a
battery on the wiills, all would he lost. This took place on the night of
June 21. The Roman oflcer, going on his rounds, was surrounded near
the Gat e of St. Pancrazio and made prisoner. Where he had left his
soldiers half an hour before, the enemy were now posted, occupying the
brea c h fLS peaceably as they would have mounted guard in a fortress. This
ev e nt was surrounded by an inextricable misery. The t errified sentries
declared that the French had made their appearance from underground ;
others 11tated that they hall discovered a secret gate leading from the
bottom of the wall into the City. Suspicions of treason were not
wantin@ : to heighten the general discouragement-all w&s terror and
doubt. On the same night another bastion fell into the hands of the
French ; but not vritho11t an obstinate resistance, Garibaldi being pre­
sent among the combatant1, having hurried up at the first cry of danger.
u.

1 zedbyGooglc

Previous Page Next Page