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Page 102

Scene 42

Garibaldi cutting down the
Neapolitan Captains
Battle of Malazzo

During the Battle of Melazzo, one advance
bolder than the rest brought them to the guns
An English sailor was the first across the wall
behind which the guns were posted, and the
next momont they were carried in triumph.
Just at that instant a cry arose of
Cavalry!—Cavalry! and excited con­
fusion—vain were the attempts of
Garibaldi and his officers to overcome
this bugbear of young troops, they
pressed against a garden wall on one
side, and jumping a ditch on the other,
they opened a road to about a dozen bold
horsemen who with their captain at
their head rushed through this break in
our line to recapture the guns.—Garibaldi
had only time to pass aside when the
horsemen passed sabreing right and left.
But they did not go far, for after the
first panic, the infantry recovered and
soon emptied the greater part of their
saddles.

Page 103

The Captain, a Sergeant, and a private tried to
make their escape, and would have succeeded
but for Garibaldi's personal bravery, he went
into the middle of the road, having left his
revolvers in the holsters when he dismounted.
—he drew his sword and placed himself in
a position to stop the captain, the only
person with him at the time was Captain Missori
who was also on foot, but armed with a revolver
his first shot wounding the horse of the
Neapolitan Captain, brought it on its haunches
Garibaldi siezed hold of the bridle, intending to
to secure the captain as his prisoner,
but the captain answered to the demand to
surrender by a blow with his sword at
Garibaldi, who parried & retaliated, cutting the Neapolitan
captain with one stroke down the face and
neck and prostrating him dead at his feet
While Garibaldi was thus engaged in this
single handed combat, Captain Misori
managed to dispatch the other two.

This brilliant incident we are told served not
a little to animate the troops

Page 104

Scene 43

English Batallion at the foot of the
round tower, Citadel of Malazzo

At the Battle of Malazo a body of troops called
the English Batallion, commanded by Lieutenant
Colonel Dunne did Garibaldi good service.
When the Neapolitan troops were beaten off
the field of battle into the town they made
for the upper portion firing down the street
as they retreated. The English Battalion
followed them close to the fortress and got one
of the most advanced posts. Throwing up a
barricade at the top of the narrow thoroughfare,
which leads immediately to the citadel, they
maintained a hot fire against the Neapolitans
until a stop was put to hostilities by the
truce.

Although the whole movement was under
the order more especially of Medici, Garibaldi
was of course the soul of the fight, finding
himself invariably at the point most exposed.
He was with the centre, which was making
its way slowly over and through all obstacles,
when the news arrived, that the left, unable
to resist the superior force of the enemy,
was giving way

Page 105

Peter Cunningham, a young English sailor
belonging the English Battalion, asked Colonel—
Windham to pitch him over the vinyard wall,
behind which were the Neapolitan Riflemen.
The wall was seven feet high and he fell among
the enemy like a bombshell, and with nearly
the same effect, for they scampered ran off right
and left, Startled at his sudden appearance

Page 106

Scene 43

Capture of Reggio
Struggle at the Baricades

The capture of Reggio was achieved in masterly
style, the Garibaldian army attacking the town
at different sides at once, so that the Neapolitan troops had their retreat cut off in all directions.

Meanwhile the first cannon shots had been
the signal for a general crossing from the
Faro point, ninty boats full of men made
a rush for the opposite coast escaping the
notice of the only Neapolitan steamer at the
enterance of the Straits. It was indeed quick
work, such as the war steamers of Naples are
not used to. both the steamers from Reggio
made a race to overtake the boats and all they
could do was to fire at the beach shattering the
empty boats while the troops they contained
took up a position on the heights. In
the meantime Bixio had likewise entered
by the main street. At the Piazza of the
Duomo some obstinate fighting took
place. At the Baricades to the
left of the church, the volunteers performed
remarkable deed of daring. They fought

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The town was thus clear in less than two
hours from the time the first fire began.
At half past four the Garibaldians were in the heart
of the Royalist camp and found the troops completely
panic stricken. The soldiers had thrown on the ground
their arms and baggage, the cannon were
abandoned and the officers stood with their swords
in their scabbards. Garibaldi advanced amongst
them, and silence was enjoined, he spoke in a loud voice, "Soldiers! you as well as my
companions are the sons of Italy, remember
this you are at liberty, whoever wishes to remain
with us may enlist, whoever wishes to go home
may do so," after these words, all the Royal
soldiers began shouting Viva Garibaldi! Viva
l'Italy. Then they rushed forwards and kissed
Garibaldi's hands, arms and feet, they
thronged round him as if they would have
smothered him. They were absolutely mad
with delight.

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Scene 45

View of Capua. From Monte
St Angelo

The view before us is Capua, from the Monte
St Angelo. In the field in the foreground is
bivouacked a Batallion of Garibaldians
Capua stands on the left bank of the Vulturno
which forms so extensive a curve as to
surround nearly two thirds of the town
Its fortifications were reconstructed and
enlarged by Vauban on the modern
system. Capua ranks as one of
the three military stations of the first
class in the Neapolitan Kingdom.

———Scene 46.———

Battle of Vulturno
Neapolitans Burning the
wounded Garabaldians

Our view represents a deed of abominable
cruelty on the part of the Neapolitans,
near one of the batteries which had been
taken and retaken several times in the
day. The Neapolitans, when in posses­
ion of it, piled up the dead and
wounded in a large fire and if a

Page 109

There seems little doubt that the fight was
marked by great ferocity. But the more
serious matter was the idea of getting no
quarters roused that ferocity, several soldiers
were found half burnt, although no
longer in Sicily Burning and plunder seems
to be the order of the day with the Neapolitans.

Scene 2 47.

Battle of Vulturno, arrival of the
piedmontese on the field of
Capua

Everyone is deeply interested in that last
struggle made by Garibaldi for the liberty of
Italy. In which his troops maintained
such a desparate conflict with the
Neapolitan army on the banks of the
Vulturno,—twenty thousand soldiers
of the King of Naples were intrenched
behind considerable works while the
patriots, numbered about fifteen
thousand. After six hours fighting

Page 110

The Neapolitans were driven
across the river into Capua, and
two thousand prisoners were taken
with arms and Baggage

Still later in the history of this splendid
campaign when the news reached
Garibaldi of the arrival of the pied­
montese with Victor Emmanuel, we
find him determining to pass the
Vulturno with the division of Bixio.
Just before arriving at the first village
—Bixio was seen bleeding on the ground his
horse had sliped so unfortunately that
the gallant general had broken his
leg in two places and injured his head.
Hurrying up along the road they were
exposed to a shower of shot and shell
dropping upon them from an unseen
force—In an instant confusion