Page 184 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

182 GENERAL GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI

deceive them, invaders who had come to raise a civil war in Sicily. The royal
troops are chasing them”.
But, despite all this, the disintegration of the State was more obvious and
complete with every passing day; the treasury offices closed down, the police-
men famous for their overbearing behaviour (Danaro, Pontillo, Carreca)
were hiding or took flight, the Jesuits hired some ships to flee the island, the
foreigners were leaving in crowds and seeking safety on the ships anchored in
the harbour, and so did the few (very few) nobles devoted to the government.
Everyone felt that this time the Bourbon rule was inexorably doomed.

THE VICTORY

The city of Palermo has the shape of a rectangle, whose side of Villa Giulia
(Flora) alla Cala is covered by the seaside promenade (at that time called ‘Foro
Borbonico’, now renamed ‘Foro Umberto I’), then the sea penetrates into the
land up to the stronghold of Castellammare. From Porta Felice, on the seaside,
Via Toledo or Cassero (now Victor Emmanuel) crosses the city and continues
straight for about nine kilometres up to Monreale. In the city centre (Quattro
Canti), Via Toledo is perpendicular with Via Maqueda, whose continuation is
now Viale Della Libertà, one of the most beautiful promenades in Europe. At
the time of the events narrated here, the city was surrounded by ramparts (now
demolished by its expansion), in which twelve main gates opened; outside the
city, there were large suburban districts gathered around the streets and divid-
ed by gardens, orchards, woods, prickly pears, lemon and orange trees, i.e. a
very intricate land completely covered by trees.
The western and southern sides of the city were protected, respectively, by
the 9 th line regiment from the stronghold of Castellammare, and the 4 th and
6 th light infantryman battalions from the royal palace; the 8 th regiment pro-
tected the eastern side; the rest of the troops were garrisoned inside the city.
In the suburban districts, sentry post were located in Camastra (via di
Mezzomonreale), Porrazzi, Ponte Rotto, Ponte Ammiraglio, Scaffa crossroad,
and the sea on one side; Altarello di Baida, Olivuzza, Quattro Venti, Molo on
the other side.
On the eastern side, the deployment was as follows: two companies at
Porta Montalto, two at Porta S. Agata, two at Ponte Ammiraglio, two with
artillery at Porta S. Antonino, one at Porta Termini, and three in Piazza