Page 191 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

THE 1860 CAMPAIGN IN SICILY 189

the square: war! war! Was the cry heard from everywhere, from the women, the
old and even the children, thanks! Thanks! And all sent him kisses and blessings.
Garibaldi himself wrote in his «Memoirs» that he withdrew “strengthened,
and from that moment every feeling of fear, hesitation, indecision disap-
peared”. Perhaps it would seem an exaggeration, but it was the truth. “That
evening, just as on the occasion of Saint Rosalia’s day, Palermo was all bright-
ly lit up…. There was no house, as poor and hidden in narrow alleys as it
might be, that did not have a light at every window. And the night was spent
singing and eating and even dancing” (Abba).

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May 31 - In the wait of the truce, the population was however ready to
resume the fight. “Huge barricades stood everywhere, at the access to every
street; they had been multiplied and strengthened in the night with tireless
care, and on them tricolour flags darkened by smoke and riddled with bul-
lets waved; five or six rusty cannons, found with great difficulty, and put on
some carriages in an unpolished condition, near the Pretorio palaces, behind
the barricades; in the sight of the enemy, there were legionnaires, citizens,
farmers from the squads, holding their muskets, showing signs of past battles,
and eager to begin new ones; at the first outposts there were priests and fri-
ars, encouraging with their example and words”.
Garibaldi, for his part, did not stop to encourage the Sicilians to oppose resist-
ance. “Arms and armed people – he said – sharpen your tools and prepare all
means for your defence and offence… We will have time to exult and rejoice when
the country is free from our enemies. Arms and armed people, therefore…those
who in these day do not think of a weapon are but traitors or cowards..”.
He wrote to Orsini and Fuxa in Bagheria ordering them to attack the royal
forces, who are at Porta Termini from the rear: “Tell your brave Sicilians that
today the fate of Sicily is decided, and perhaps the fate of Italy, and to march on
the capital in large number”. However, the situation was always precarious, also
because of a lack of ammunitions; but a certain amount of powder could be
obtained in the night from a Greek vessel that had secretly arrived in the harbour.
On the previous evening, Lanza had called a war council, since he had decided
to resume the hostilities with greater vigour once the truce expired, and orders and
instructions had been immediately given to this purpose: the troops, led by a
Wittembach, Sury, Landi and Mechel were ready to scatter all across the Papireto,
Piazza Ballarò, Via Toledo and Porta Termini. But a few hours before resuming the
hostilities, Colonel Bonopane, deputy chief of Staff, coming from Naples, proposed
to Garibaldi on behalf of the King to extend to three days the 1-day armistice.