the morning of the 3rd he made himself master of the suburbs of Rome by a fresh surprise. About 300 men were posted on guard outside the Porta San Pancrazio, at the Villa Panfili and the adjoining places, when the French suddenly attacked them before dawn, surrounded them, made them prisoners, and took possession of the Villas Panfili, Corsini, Giraud, and Vascello. As soon as the Romans received intelligence of this mishap, they attempted to retake those places, and General Bartolomeo Galletti, who was doing duty instead of Garibaldi, who was indisposed, pushed on some companies of the line, commanded by Colonel Pasi, to the assaults of the Villa Vascello and Villa Corsini, which is called the "Casino de' Quattro Venti," and regained possession of them. But short time afterwards they fell again into the hands of the enemy, who had attacked them with artillery posted at the flanks, and were continually sending fresh reinforcements to the attack. Garibaldi hastened thither, though he was still indisposed, and began to lead his troops to battle, a few at a time, pushing them on, wherever the peril was greatest, without any determined plan. These brave men gave striking proofs of courage and audacity, and went in parties of twenty or forty, according to the orders of the General, to the assaults of the villas, which were well defended by the French; the officers fighting as private soldiers, and risking much valuable life in these combats. But boldness being of little avail, when opposed to numbers and discipline, the French were masters of all the villas which surround and command the Porta San Pancrazio by nine o'clock in the morning. Garibaldi sent reinforcements to the battle frequently, and despatched first one and then another company, now sixty now twenty men to the assault, always directing them to charge the enemy with the bayonet. On one occasion he armed his lancers (hardly fifty in number, and commanded by Masina, a Bolognese) with muskets, and led them towards the Villa Corsini, ordering them to go at full gallop and take possession of it: they charged with such impetuosity that the French became alarmed and retreated, whilst they mounted the steps leading up to the house on horseback; but as they had to hold the place unassisted, they lost it anew, and Masina and almost all of them were killed. In the evening Lieutenant Mangiagalli, with a few picked soldiers, recovered the Villas Corsini and Valentini, killed thirty Frenchmen and took as many others prisoners, but they could only spare forty men to keep guard in one villa and twelve in the other, nor could they obtain any reinforcements from Garibaldi, who had scattered his people in different combats. Three times, at least, the most important positions were taken and lost by the Romans, but at the close of the day the French. remained masters of all those of which they had taken possession in the morning. Colonels Daverio, Masina, and Pollini lost their lives in these desperate combats, together with Majors Ramorini and Peralta, Captains Dandolo and David, Lieutenants Cavalleri, Bonetti, Scarani, Grossi, Sorete, and Gazzaniga; others died afterwards of wounds received on that day, amongst whom were the Marquis Mellara, of Bologna, a courageous soldier and worthy citizen, and Mameli, of Genoa, a youth of much promise; many soldiers were killed, 400 perhaps; of officers and soldiers wounded there were more than 500. Whilst the combat was raging on the Monte Janiculo, the assailants attempted the Ponte Molle, on their left, with the intention of getting possession of the bridge, which had been injured, but not destroyed, by the Romans, then transporting their artillery, after they had repaired it, to the opposite bank of the Tiber, and occupying the Monti Parioli. Up to mid-day the Romans had bravely repulsed the attack, after which time the artillery that thundered from Monte Mario weakened their resistance, and a little while afterwards Bartolucci, who had the command in that engagement, ordered a retreat, so that the French were able, during the night, to restore the bridge at their leisure, and, having passed their artillery, to fortify the tête-de-pont. They afterwards constructed a bridge of boats, the same which Colonel Le Blanc had proposed in his plan of attack, to communicate freely with the left bank of the Tiber; and having thus made themselves masters of the places which were necessary for the preliminary works of the siege, they began on the fourth day those of approach. The Romans, meanwhile, went on making futile efforts to disturb them, by skirmishes which they conducted with success by no means commensurate with their valour. The struggle was carried on principally by the artillery, in the direction and command of which, Calandrelli, Lopez, de Sere, and Stewart, were certainly equal, if not superior, in skill to the French. But the Romans gained no advantage by their sorties, which were made more under the influence of boldness than of discipline and experience, whilst the French were always on the alert, and observed all the vigilance which is customary in armies well disciplined and commanded. The Romans sallied forth on the 5th and 6th with too much noise and impetuosity; they sallied forth every day to protect the defences, and often fought hand to hand with the enemy. Two companies of the first battalion ventured one day too far from the works, and encountered a large party of French, whom they determined to attack, and did attack with such impetuosity that they drove them beyond the lines of which they made themselves masters, and when their ammunition was exhausted, they continued to pelt them with stones. Stern, a Pole, who had served in Africa with the French, and was decorated with the Cross of the Legion of Honour, cried out, "Aim at my breast, aim at this cross, you villains!" and being struck on the head by a bullet, dripping with blood he still cried out, "Fire lower, traitors, fire lower!" and continued to cry out and to shoot till he was killed. A captain belonging to the legion of Manara, who had been wounded in the breast on the 3rd, was resolved, a few days afterwards, to sally forth and fight in the front ranks, and to fire with his carbine, which he well knew how to use; being again wounded, he still went on firing, until his valiant spirit departed with his blood. CHAPTER X. THE SPANIARDS AT TERRACINA.-DELEGATES FROM THE ARMIES OF SPAIN AND NAPLES TO GENERAL OUDINOT.-OUDINOT'S ANSWER.PROVISIONS MADE BY THE ROMAN GOVERNMENT.-HYPOCRISY. RAPINE.-INSTANCES GIVEN. MENACES OF OUDINOT.- ANSWERS OF THE ASSEMBLY AND THE TRIUMVIRS.-REASONS OF MAZZINI'S OBSTINACY. HIS FANCIES.- NATURAL CONSEQUENCES OF HIS FANCIES.-OBSERVATIONS. REMARKS ON THE PARISIAN EVENTS OF THE 13TH OF JUNE.-CONSEQUENCES AT ROME.-RUSCONI'S LETTER OF OPINION. OBSTINACY.-BOASTING.- OBSERVATIONS.- ABOUT this time, from 6000 to 8000 Spaniards, commanded by General Cordova, loaded with the blessings of the Pope and the caresses of the Court of Gaeta, landed on the Roman territory, and occupied Terracina and the environs, hoping to take part in the siege and in the conquest of Rome. The King of Naples also, when he saw that the negotiations undertaken by Lesseps had failed, and that a violent turn had been given to the French enterprise, imagined that the Via Sacra to the triumphs of the Capitol was open to him. On the 7th of June, therefore, Colonel de Agostino, and Lieutenant-Colonel Nunziante, his Aides-de-camp, accompanied Colonel Bunenaga, the Head of the Spanish Staff, to General Oudinot, to offer the aid of the Spanish and Neapolitan troops. The Frenchman |