Page 48 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

46 GENERAL GIUSEPPE GARIBALDI

and fix those few concise considerations that better highlight the very singu-
lar figure of our Hero, as shown on the eve, so to speak, of his return to Italy
to take part in the liberation of the Homeland.
The aim of the expedition on the Uruguay was twofold: to revive the
never really suppressed uprising in the districts of the very vast country
invaded by the enemy and gather and put in order what was left of the
national army of general Rivera, who had been defeated (as previously men-
tioned) at India Muerta on the 24 March 1845.
The main objective was to have a stable foothold in the very important
locality of Salto, 500 km from Montevideo, from which it would be possi-
ble to gather those men scattered and wandering in that region and give a
helping hand to the rebels of Corrientes still not subdued, and also the near-
by regions of Brazil, where many missing soldiers from the India Muerta had
taken refuge.
This time Garibaldi will have no need to fear the relentless chase of the
enemy’s fleet that, thanks to the action of the allied Anglo-French fleet, had
been in part destroyed and was in part stuck in Buenos Ayres. On the other
hand, at least at the beginning of the campaign, that is, during the journey
to the estuary of the Plata and up to the entrance of the Uruguay, he can
count on the support of allied ships that dominated in that estuary. And in
fact, with their support, Garibaldi lands in the city of Colonia and takes
control of it, and then manages, without firing a shot, to take the already
known island of Martin Garcia at the entrance of the Paranà. Still together
with the allied ships, they go up a stretch of the Paranà, destroying a little at
the time all the enemy’s coastal batteries, despite their fierce resistance.
In the course of these preliminary operations, the tireless activity and the
great valour of our Hero as leader roused the admiration and the enthusiasm
of the allied admirals, expert connoisseurs of the situation and its real diffi-
culties; but at the same time, they roused, in some foreigners, jealousy and
fierce envy that gave rise to atrocious defamations, but justice was amply
restored with time and authoritative and reliable witnesses proved them
untrue. In particular emissaries of the foxy diplomacy of the French under
Louis Philip who then and later made accusations of banditism, highway
robbery and filibustering, all of which, as said before, was proved to be clear-
ly and absolutely unfounded. A solemn refutation was publicly made by the
English representative in Montevideo; Lord Howden, who, in a memorable