Having for many years served as a soldier—first at Naples, and then amongst his own people—he afterwards added the profession of a monk to his military occupations.
Entering the convent of Morosaglia, he emerged from it only to fight his country's battles, with a courage and a skill that seemed unparalleled.
Burning with enthusiasm, at once for his religion and his country's cause, he spent the night in prayer, and the day in deeds of unheard-of prowess. His success was wonderful; his spirit never failed, nor was his hope quenched; and he constantly rescued his brother from difficulty and danger, gaining many a brilliant action over the foe.
He was said to be a dead shot, and to have an eagle eye, and instant judgment in battle; but in daily life to be gentle, grave, and melancholy.
The French, not content with their overwhelming forces, essayed the corruption of some of the national leaders by gold and by fair promises, and managed to sow distrust amongst the Corsican generals.
Meanwhile, the country was being destroyed, and the troops becoming exhausted; and none but Clemens Paoli could now believe in the ultimate success of the Corsicans.
The battle of Ponte Nuovo, on the 9th of May, 1769, at once and for ever annihilated the Corsican cause, and lost the brave islanders their independence.
After this victory, the French rapidly gained possession of the whole island, and shortly afterwards the struggle was abandoned. Paoli foresaw the uselessness of protracting a bloody and hopeless contest; and, preferring the possible sneers of a few to the ruin of his beloved country, left Corsica with most of his generals for the continent.
In the same year, 1769, Napoleon Buonaparte was born in the house out of the Place du Marché at Ajaccio. "I was born," he said himself in a letter to Paoli, "the year my country died."
For some years exiled Corsicans of note endeavoured to resume the struggle, landing from the continent here and there on the shores of their own country; but none of these efforts were successful, and Marboeuf, who succeeded Count de Vaux as governor of the island, did much, by his wise and benevolent rule, to reconcile the people to their new masters, and to promote the prosperity of Corsica.