LlF:& 09 G.lBDALDL
territory. :r...tly, aeveral A1Ditrian earpa had shown t.bemaelTes iD
lleighb<nll'hood of Aquapendente, while others occtlpied Umbria and tlae
Marehe,s. All these muses of troops, however, remained quiet, await
ing information &8 to the real intentions ofthe daring ea.ptain.
On the night of July 11, Garibaldi quitted Terni, and marched ia the
direetion of San-Germini. From this moment began the mournful
epittode!l which were to mark this unhappy retreat. ExhaUBted
by fatig;ue, 1meertain of their object, lmt very certain of suffering and
danger, a great mnnber of the troops who at Rome resolved to follow the
general, and many of the centuries 100. by Colonel Fnrbes, deserted their
ranks. The weakest, espeeially the natives, disappeared as they puaed
by then· home-villages.
by the Talue of the
lt.orset1 they l'Ode, disbanded, and thus gave the worst poBBible example to
their Thus wu sown the first seed of discouragement, fded
eventually to become almost universal. The injury done the corps by
their deserters, hencefort:h. unworthy the name of republicans, was not eon
fined to the Joss of hones and arms, for fresh crimes an triffing to men
who han committed a first one. The soldiers of yesterday, the thieves
and robbers to day, in their disgraceful Hight, made illegal requisitions,
indulged in pillage, and committed crimes of every description. Hence,
through. a confusion, produced by the eaemies of the ea.nse, came tbe
odious brought against the columB, and only applicable to
those who had it. Let us speak out openly and boldly : the
6ag ever remained unstained, and the only guilty persons
were th011e over whom it no longer waved. And, yet, what opportunity
for reprisals, had not the thought that a noble cause rnu!t only be served
by noble means, elented the minds of the gallant defenders of Italy !
Take the following episode for instance, selected from a score of othen :
On the road leading to Orvieto, and which we shall presently follow
with thEI republican legions, there is a Calmeldolese Monastery, about
eight miles from Todi. vast and mundane edifice was only inha
bited by fif'teen white brothers, who consumed its enormous reventtetl,
which would have been sufficient for ten times their number. This
'building seemed well adapted for a halting place, and the troops rested
in the spacious court yard. The IMUlctity of the spot, tbe presence of the
general, and the carefully discipline, all contributed to render
an hour's stay quite inoffensive to the brothers. Still, the colu'lllDI Bad to
11ndergo the bitterest reproachl'tl from them for the alleged violation of
their retirement. This was not all. A field-officer arrinng tll"o houre
u,
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