Page 93 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

THE 1849 CAMPAIGN 91

approval for Garibaldi’s initiative, declared to be absolutely against either any
attack to the Bourbon troops who were still in Velletri or any pursuit of those
withdrawing. When, the morning after, Manara’s Bersaglieri entered Velletri
he found only empty and silent streets.
The episode of Velletri could perhaps have been turned into a great victo-
ry, but it nevertheless sufficed to create great enthusiasm in Rome and to
reawaken hopes of a final triumph for the republican cause. General Roselli
went immediately back to the Capital, but Garibaldi was allowed to go on to
Frosinone and Arce, in the hope that his presence could lead to an uprising
of the populations on the borders of the Neapolitan State. From Rocca
th
d’Arce, however, the general was called back to Rome in a hurry on the 27 ,
as the French had again taken up a threatening attitude.
In fact, an agreement had been long discussed with them, according to
which the Roman States would put themselves under the protection of
France; Rome would welcome the French troops in friendship and the two
armies would cooperate to maintain public order. But the French troops had
to set their camp outside Rome. This last clause was strongly opposed by
General Oudinot, and, despite the fact that an agreement had been signed on
st
May 31 by de Lesseps and the Triumvirs, he declared that, as far as he was
concerned, negotiations had been broken off and, consequently, the armistice
had been broken.
De Lesseps protested that the commander of the troops could not open
hostilities before receiving instructions from Paris, where the text of the
agreement signed had been immediately transmitted. But from Paris a dis-
patch was already on its way in which the French government ordered de
Lesseps to set sail from Civitavecchia and go back to France and General
Oudinot to resume the operations and enter Rome as soon as possible. As a
st
consequence, on June 1 , the French general informed Roselli that the
armistice should be considered officially denounced; however, to give the
French citizens time to leave the city, he added that he would not attack the
th
city before Monday, June 4 .
The Roman Assembly boldly replied that Rome defenders would prefer
being buried under the debris of their city to any shameful surrender.
The last act of the drama was therefore prepared.