Page 228 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

226 GENERAL GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI

After all, what served to dissuade the King of his strong resolutions, was the
fact that the Bourbon militia gathered in Salerno – against whom Garibaldi
assumed he would have to have to fight to open his way to Naples – heard
about the sudden spreading of the revolt, the approach of Garibaldi and the
defection of General Cardarelli, who had already laid down his arms in
Potenza, and gave clear signs of mistrust and indiscipline, so that it seemed clear
that they would be swept away at the first attack, as had happened to other
units as soon as they had come in contact with the red ranks of the Dictator.
th
And so, on the morning of September 5 , Francis II gave orders to
General Giosuè Ritucci that all available forces should withdraw to the
Volturno line. This provision anticipates his departure.
After hearing his ministers, who advised him to leave the capital, he issued
a proclamation in which he stated his rights and strongly protested against
«an Italian Sovereign, both a relation and a friend», whose name had been
invoked by the «valiant Commander» when invading his territories. Then, on
th
the evening of the 6 , with all his Court and diplomatic Corps, he embarked
on board of the Colòn, a Spanish warship – his fleet had refused to follow
him – and went to Gaeta, to await events.
A wise use of maritime transports had allowed Garibaldi from Consenza
onward, to rapidly concentrate his forces in view of a probable fight with the
Bourbon army, before reaching Naples. Therefore, when he was informed of
what had happened in the capital, he already had within his reach most of the
troops that by land and by sea were reaching Sapri and Salerno and without
delay he ordered them to advance. The Milano Brigade left immediately, fol-
lowed by the Spiazzi and Puppi Brigades. In the meantime, the Spangaro,
Sacchi, Eber and Corrao Brigades arrived and, between September 7 th and
th
10 , divided in several columns, the volunteers gathered in the Cilento by
General Fabrizi arrived. Once the Bourbons left Salerno, Garibaldi entered
the city to the cheers and applause of the enthusiastic population and found
a message by Liborio Romano, certainly prepared when his King was still in
his Palace, where with warm words he invited him to go to Naples immedi-
th
ately. On the morning of the 7 , a Neapolitan delegation led by the mayor
and by General Roberto De Sauget came to repeat this invitation.
Finally, the Dictator consented.
It was advisable that the general could enter the city at the head of his
troops, or, at least, that a good number of them would be present at his
arrival, but the orders given to this end could not be implemented immedi-