Affairs in Italy [pp. 196]

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19( iAJ~:1J~ ARI 81
AFFAIRS IN ITALY.
FRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.
ROMFE, April 1st.
DEAR VANI TY:-I write
_ _........(>... - -you under the
effects of a tre.....'.... - = —.. -—:: mendous ex citement.
This is the
proudest mo ment of m
life 1
Let me. how ever, calm my
_i'i- — emotions, afd
begin....at.
beginning.
As I pro d+_ —-~ ~'' S ~posed in'my
last, I assum -. _ - fied the manag
!.' —' =-'-'~- D ement of the
'f9 i opera-h h ouse
immediat elIy
on my return
po ltin:g to Rome, and
produce d the
T,rovatore, with
I.IEVO, ~k_ STCO ffLPATIr others,all wel-nw an swe
''~ t ntmy new prima
donna, the bri gand's daugh ter, as Leonora.
The diff iculty was to procure a tenor, capabl e of prop- erly supporting her.
I was in d espai r.
I tried half-a-dozen celebrated tenori-FIDf FELLI, MEZZO DI RELIEVO, STUCCO, UGLIPARTI-and others, all well-known and sweet
singers; but none would do. My prima donna was too good for
theni, and their voices sounded wretchedly thin by the side of
hers.
So I had to sing the part of Manrico myself.
There was not a dry eye in the house.
While I was repeating the " Non ti scordar di me" for the
twelfth time, in obedience to the whirlwind of calls I received, a Zouave,' one of my own battalion, brought me a dispatch...
T'he war had reopened..
GARIBALDI, with a hundred thousand men, had invested the
Quininal, and a bombardment was about to commence!
Nineteen batteries, constructed of sandbags, railroad-iron and
fascines, lined the shores of the Tiber, and a large floating battei-y had been moored within short gunshot of the Pope's
palace.
All this work had been done while I was up in the mountai rs.
I left the opera-house instantly, breaking my aria off in the
middle, and rushed to the scene.
GARIBALDI had just opened the ball by firing two shots at the
Qktirinal.
This was twenty-two and a third minutes past four in the
morning. The Pope did not reply until sunrise, when he fired
several barbette guns back, and three batteries opened upon
him.
The fight was now fairly inaugurated. Ten thousand more men
arrived at the batteries.
Shot and shell rained thick upon us, but we were so well protected that nobody was hurt.
Our men were perfectly reckless. After every shot, they
climbed up the flag-staffs, looked at the effect of their fire, and
cheered.
Their precision was wonderful. Each discharge told fearfully.
All the windows in the palace were broken.
Three vessels of the Papal navy appeared below the bar, in the
Tiber, but rendered no assistance.
A party of drago(mns at the STEPHANO iron battery played
a game of seven-up on the parapet during the hottest fire.
I was in my operatic costume, with only a dress sword, but the
intrepidity I displayed was almost superhuman.
An immense crowd g:thered in the Coliseum, to watch the battle with their eyeglasses. Five hundred thousand ladies held
themselves ready for any emergency.
A sharp rainstorm came on in the afternoon, but did not
damp the ardor of our soldiers. They were mostly stripped to
the waist, and fought valiantly under umbrellas. Ten thousand
more men arrived.
Night alone stopped the cannonade, though not entirely. I
gave orders that each of the nineteen batteries should throw
twelve shells a minute into the palace, just to keep his holiness
wide awake, all night.
'Vie battlements of the Quirinal were greatly demolished, and
several of the barbette guns dismounted. No breach appeared
as yet.
Seven hundred balls riddled the floating battery below the
water-line, but produced no effect upon it.
The shells were thrown during the night, as I had ordered. The display... also according to my command... was
'splendid.
'In.themorning, one of our batteries commenced firing redhot shot, and the palace took fire in eighteen different places.
Many loud explosions were heard inside, and it was reported
thati the Pope was blowing up his own stronghold.
It was found, however, that he was only blowing up his
servants.
Sheets of flame now burst out from every window and porthole of the palace. This did not, however, interfere with Pius's
fie, in the least.
It was observed that hlie launched a raft on the Tiber, and sent
out his entire force with buckets to dip up water for extinguishing
the flames. Our batteries were directed towards this raft, and
made sad havoc with the poor fellows upon it.
A heavy bombardment was still kept up from the Quirinal.
Ten thousand more men arrived at our batteries.
Every one of our soldiers was knocked down many times
by pieces of shell. One fragment struck my head, glanced
off, and buried itself two inches deep in a mahogany plank.
Up to this time, nobody was hurt.
The Papal flag was shot away from the Quirinal, and waved
triumphantly in the breeze.
There was hardly any firing from the other side. It was thought
that His Holiness was heating shot.
Every gun now told upon the palace, and it was plain
that the Papal forces... consisting of only three men, including the officers, band, and laborers... could not hold out much
longer.
At three o'clock in the afternoon, a white flag was hoisted from
the ramparts. GARIBALDI and I rowed across the Tiber in an
open boat, with the bombs skipping about us in every di rection.
Pius received us at a case-mate.
"Why do your men fire upon me after I have hoisted a flag of
truce?"
"You must strike the Papal colors," I replied.
The objectionable bunting was withdrawn, and a mighty cheer
spread up and down the line of batteries, as the firing ceased.
" How many are killed on your side, MAc?" asked Pius.
"Not a man; and none wounded. How many on your side?"
"Not one hurt. Send me a fire-engine. All the brickwork in
the palace is on fire. Bring a flatboat with you to take me off.
Here is my sword, General GARIBALDI."
JOE waved his hand toward me.
"That is the man to receive it," said he, with emotion.
Pius tendered the weapon to me. I took it, hit him a play ful wipe over the head with it, and handed it back.
"I wont take it, old fellow. You are too much of a brick," I
said.
This sublime magnanimity, of which I have given so many
proofs, touched him. He wept.
The flag of United Italy now floats over the Quirinal. The
flames were extinguished easily, and it was found that not the
slightest damage had been done on either side, to life or prop erty.
The Pope is the guest of General (GARIBALDI, and is treated with
the greatest kindness. All is quiet, and I am happy.
I feel certain that your readers would find it difficult to believe
the strange particulars of this unparalleled battle, were they not
told upon the honor of
McARONE.
In Regard to Leaving in Peace.'
When we discover a party of burglarious persons in the house
we may possibly conclude to let them leave in peace, but shall
object to their carrying off our spoons and things. Seceshers who
have stolen our forts, arsenals, navy-yards, mints, etc, please
notice.
196
VAN ITY FAIR.
[APRIL 27, 1861.