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CHAPTER L.

GARIBALDI IN LOMBARDY.

GARIBALDI was marching, as I have said, upon Luino, but before he could reach that place he received the news that it was already occupied by the Austrians, and at the same time, that the column commanded by d'Aspre, after its great victory over us, had taken possession of Arcisate. The retreat of Garibaldi into Switzerland was thus rendered difficult. He decided, therefore, upon marching straight upon Merazzene, a very strong and consequently a very advantageous position. Besides, the report of the cannon he had heard had made his mouth water. Scarcely was he encamped, when he found himself completely surrounded by five thousand Austrians. He had five hundred men with him.

During a whole day, with his five hundred men, he sustained the attack of the five thousand Austrians. When night came he formed his men in close column, and rushed upon the enemy with fixed bayonets. Favoured by the darkness he forced a bloody passage, and gained the open country. At a league from Morazzone he dismissed his men, appointing a rendezvous with them at Lugano, and on foot, with a guide, disguised as a peasant, he directed his course towards Switzerland.

One morning I heard at Lugano that Garibaldi, who was said to have been either killed or made a prisoner at Morazzone, had arrived at a neighbouring village. The prophetic words of Anzani then recurred to my memory. I hastened to him, and found him in bed, exhausted, bruised, scarcely able to speak. He had had a march of sixteen hours, and had escaped the Austrians by a miracle. His first question on seeing me was "Have you your company ready?" replied I. Very well!-let me sleep this one night, then, and to-morrow we will begin again." I could

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"Yes,"

scarcely help smiling, being convinced that the next day he would be so worn out and stiff as not to be able to move a limb.

On the morrow, to my great astonishment Garibaldi was on foot; the body keeps pace with the soul of that man; both are of iron. But there was nothing more for him to do there; Garibaldi's campaign in Lombardy was ended!

Garibaldi then again entered Piedmont, and went back to Genoa.

Whilst there he received proposals brought to him by a Sicilian deputation. These proposals were for him to embark for Sicily, and support the revolutionary cause in that island. He accepted them at once, and went with three hundred men to Leghorn; but whilst there, hearing of what was going on at Rome, he abandoned the idea of his expedition to Sicily, and set out for the holy city. It is there we shall soon meet with him again.

As for me, I remained at Lugano with my company, which, having rallied a few deserters, now amounted to eighty men. I was allowed, with them, to occupy a depôt; our arms were still concealed, but where we could lay our hands on them at any time. During this short moment of repose we organized, not to lose time, an insurrection in Lombardy. The Swiss Government got intelligence of this, and occupied the canton of Tessin with the federal contingents. They likewise resolved to watch me. I was, with two hundred men, the greater part of whom had served under Garibaldi, and others who had served with me, sent to Bellinzona, where they guarded us in a barrack as dangerous men who might violate the frontier.

The project not the less was carried on; generals Orcioni and Apice were to set out from Lugano, and direct their course to Como by La Vallée Itelvi. I on my part was to leave Bellinzona, cross the passage of San Jovio, one of the most elevated and most difficult of the frontier, descend upon lake Como, and

summon the inhabitants to arms. After which, with my troop I was to form a junction with the two generals.

As we were narrowly watched the thing was difficult to execute. Upon an elevation that dominates Bellinzona are the ruins of an ancient castle which formerly belonged to the Visconti. It was there I had deposited our arms and all the munitions I had been able to procure. I had in all two hundred and fifty men. I divided them into eight or ten bands, which were by several routes, carefully avoiding the troops who were watching us, to assemble at the old castle. Contrary to all expectation the affair succeeded perfectly. Every one came to the rendezvous without having met with the least impediment. I armed all my people, and was about to set out for the mountain, that is to say, to cross the frontier.

All at once I heard the drum beat to arms; the troops were preparing to march in pursuit of me. But then the inhabitants, who had taken a great liking for me, arose in my favour, and threatened, if the drum were not silenced, they would sound the tocsin and form barricades. Delivered from this alarm, I gave my men orders to march. It was towards the end of October, the north wind blew keenly, and we had every prospect of a stormy night. We marched all the night against the wind, our faces cut by hail and snow. Day came, and we marched all the day. We had to cross the snow-covered summit of the Jurio; the winter had rendered the passage impracticable; we, however, cleared it, with the snow almost all the way above our knees, and sometimes up to our armpits. After infinite labour, we at length arrived at the summit, but there an enemy more terrible than all we had conquered, awaited us-the tempest! In an instant we were completely blinded; we could not see ten paces before us.

I told my men to keep as close to each other as possible, to march in single file, to follow me, and in as quick a pace as the deep snow would allow of. Three

were left behind never to rise again-they were buried beneath the snow, and sleep, or perhaps watch, on the summit of the Jurio. I marched first, without following any track, without knowing whither I was going, trusting to our good fortune, when all at once I stopped. My forward foot found no resting-place upon the rock-one step more and I should have fallen down a precipice. I threw myself back, cried aloud to my men to halt, and ordered every one to remain where he was till daylight.

Alone, then, with a guide, I groped about during the night in search of a foot-path. At every instant, the ground, or rather the snow, gave way under our feet, or else our feet slipped from under us. It was a miracle that neither of us was smothered in the snow, or killed in our numerous falls. At length, at daybreak, we arrived at some abandoned cabins. Miserable as they were, as they offered shelter, I wished to return to my men, but my strength failed me, and I sank, exhausted by fatigue and stiffened with cold. My guide carried me into one of the cabins, succeeded in lighting a fire, and brought me to myself again. Fortunately, in the mean time my men had followed my track, so that they rejoined me in about two hours. We then again set forward, and descended the mountain to Gravedona, upon Lake Como.

Upon my arrival there, after a rest of half a day, I commenced my march to join the two generals with whom I had appointed a rendezvous, and who during my passage had undertaken to effect a rising. But the two generals instead of having beaten the Austrians, had been beaten, and I was going to throw myself headlong against the Volgemuth division, which already occupied the Val d'Intervi, and against steamboats filled with Austrians. I therefore took a cross route, entered the Val Menaggio, and occupied at its extremity, Partezza, upon Lake Lugano, reserving as a means of retreat the Val Cavarnia, which issues on the Swiss frontier.

The position was magnificent: I was in communication with Lugano, whence I could receive both men and munitions, but nobody joined me, and I remained there eight days useless. At the end of that time the Austrians, having concentrated their forces, marched upon Partezza. I retired to Val Cavarnia, and halted in the mountain of San Lucio, which separates Lombardy from Switzerland. I reckoned, if attacked, upon doing as I had done at San Masseo, but there were only a few shots exchanged. Two of my men died of their wounds.

There was nothing to be done; all the passes were covered with snow; the winter became daily more rigorous, so I returned into Switzerland, concealed my guns, and concealed myself after them. Unfortunately, I could not conceal myself so easily as I could a gun, and as I was deeply compromised, the question was not confined to a simple burying, but imprisonment; as I knew I should be too lucky if, when once arrested, the Swiss authorities did not give me up to the Austrians. I resolved, therefore, to use every exertion to return to Piedmont. A conveyance was lent me in which to leave Lugano; when once free from that place, I might have gained Mazadino, from Mazadino I might have gone to Genoa, and from Genoa-God knows whither!

I had passed through Lugano in a carriage, when a cart loaded with wood stopped the way. We were obliged to wait till it was unloaded; and I sat impatiently biting my moustache. But at that moment the commander of the federal battalion passed; he recognised me, called the guard, and arrested me. I was taken to prison; that was the least I had to expect. Things, however, fell out more fortunately. The principal inhabitants of Lugano being all my friends, they succeeded in obtaining my release from prison, and having me conveyed to the Sardinian frontiers. I only crossed Piedmont; Tuscany was a republic, so I

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