The Life of General Garibaldi / Translated from his private papers; with the history of his splendid exploits in Rome, Lombardy, Sicily and Naples, to the present time.

by Giuseppe Garibaldi

"Our Vice-Consul, with the captains of the Intrepid and Argus (both here fortunately for us at the time), went on board the frigate during the firing to inquire into the meaning of their missiles, so capriciously injuring our factories, on each of which the English flag was flying, and to inculcate more caution and accuracy in their operations. The Neapolitan commanders, wisely considering that it was their duty to expend a certain quantity of powder and shot on such an important occasion, gave the town the benefit of the residuary dose, after the enemy was snug within the walls, and laughing at this exhibition of impotent rage. It was, however, no laughing matter to the poor inhabitants, who, not accustomed to such phenomena, took to flight in all directions to avoid the effects of the shell, which did considerable damage about the Porta di Mare and the Grazzia Vecchia, but fortunately without loss of life, as many families were in the country for their spring trip. A considerable number, high and low, flocked under the protection of our flag here, and the old baglio is as crowded as Noah's Ark, only the animals are all human."

MARCH INTO THE INTERIOR.

"In the morning the whole of Garibaldi's party set off for Salemi, reinforced by a good many Marsalese volunteers, and well provided with horses for the officers, carts for their spare arms and ammunition, and mules for the few field-pieces they brought with them. Everything was managed with admirable order, and apparently to the satisfaction of General Garibaldi; though under the effect of the bombardment from the Neapolitan vessels the poor Marsalese did not show an enthusiastic welcome to their unexpected visitors.

"May 14.—At Salemi they were received with open arms, after having been joined on their march by several large armed bands under Coppola, of the Monte, Baron Sant Anna, of Alcamo, etc. Other two bands of armed countrymen have set off from this place to join the brave general, and with the reinforcements expected from Castelvetrano, Santa Ninfa, and other neighboring towns, they will soon muster a very formidable force. Even their artillery is increasing, as some light brass field-pieces, buried since 1849, have been brought out, and found in good condition. Several Franciscan monks have put themselves at the head, with the cross in one hand and the sword in the other."

FIRST EFFECTS OF THE ARRIVAL OF GARIBALDI.

"The arrival of Garibaldi changed the nature of the insurrection in Sicily completely. Until then the different squadre (bands) of picciotti (youngsters) had carried on a kind of desultory guerrilla warfare without much connection between them. The landowner, if influential enough, or else some popular man more energetic than the rest, collected for this purpose whoever wanted to come and had some sort or other of arms. Their tactics were to appear and disappear in different parts of the country, and harass from safe places the royal troops passing through the interior, but as for concerting a plan or meeting the royalists in the open field, no one would ever have dreamed of it. The mountainous country, and the want of roads, greatly facilitated this kind of warfare, while the absence of danger and fatigue was sufficient inducement even for those who were not driven there by their hatred against the Neapolitans. The country between Palermo, Trapani, Marsala, and Corleone was the chief seat of these squadre, not a few of which were collected at the time in the mountain chain above Palermo.

"Garibaldi's name and prestige, and the succors which he brought, became a link between these different squadre, which placed themselves under his orders. Scarce had the news of his landing spread, when the bands from Trapani, Corleone, and one or two other places joined. It was to meet this force, which was every day swelling, that Brigadier-General Landi was sent in the direction of Marsala and Trapani. The road to these places is the same as far as Calata Fimi, situated on the top of an elevated plateau; from thence it separates. A force, therefore, stationed at the intersection, shuts off all communication by regular roads from Palermo to Trapani and Marsala. It was on the lower slopes of the plateau that General Landi had taken his position, with four battalions, one of them riflemen, and four mountain guns. The road from Marsala, after passing Salemi, descends one of those long terraced plateaus which are a characteristic feature of this part of Sicily, and after crossing a little valley, rises up to the other plateau, where Calata Fimi is situate. The position was, therefore, one of the most difficult to carry. Like all soldiers of the same kind, the Neapolitans, whose muskets are excellent, rely altogether on their fire, especially if it can be carried on from afar. The reception, therefore, of Garibaldi and his troops was so hot that the squadre soon sought shelter where they could, leaving all the work to the troops Garibaldi had brought with him. The Cacciatori delle Alpi justified their renown, and in spite of the heat of the day, the advantage of position and numbers, drove the Neapolitans, at the point of the bayonet, from one position to another, taking one of the mountain guns. One of the students from Pavia, a youth certainly not more than eighteen, was the first to lay hands on it. In less than two hours, the Neapolitans were driven from all their positions and flying back toward Palermo. A letter, written by General Landi, was found in the village. In it he writes to the commander of Palermo to send him reinforcements, as he could not hold the place. He excuses at the same time the loss of the gun, by saying that the mule which carried it was shot—a falsehood, for the gun carriage was taken with it, as well as the two mules, which are in perfect health.

"The retreat of the brigade, which had lost considerably, was not molested at first, and they passed Alcamo without being attacked, but at Partenico, where they had sacked, burned, and murdered promiscuously, throwing women and children into the fire, the people were up and had occupied the houses, from which they fired on the troops, converting their flight into a regular rout, the eleventh regiment losing its colors. Garibaldi is not the man to lose much time, but still the necessity of concerting a common action with the bands in the neighborhood of Palermo, prevented him from taking the position of Monreale by surprise."

PALERMO.

"In order to understand the importance of this position, as well as the rest of the operations, I must say something about the topography of the basin of Palermo. Long before you arrive at Palermo by sea, you have before you a bold limestone mountain, standing there isolated, and resembling somewhat the rock of Gibraltar, but not so lofty. This rock forms the northern limit of the Bay of Palermo and of the Conca d'Oro (Gold Shell), the fertile plain in which the town lies. The plain stretches out in a northwesterly and southeasterly direction, which is likewise followed in a circular sweep by the mountain chain.