On the third day, amid their cheerful though by no means light labors, a
second caravan arrived, evidently expected and heartily welcomed. Then,
in another eight-and-forty hours, smaller bodies of men seemed to drop
down from the hills, generally without stores, but always armed. Then
men came from neighboring islands in open boats, and one morning a
considerable detachment crossed the water from Corsica. So that at the
end of a week or ten days there was an armed force of several hundred
men in this once silent valley, now a scene of constant stir and
continual animation, for some one or something was always arriving, and
from every quarter; men and arms and stores crept in from every wild
pass of the mountains and every little rocky harbor of the coast.
About this time, while the officer in command was reviewing a
considerable portion of the troops, the rest laboring in still clearing
the brushwood and establishing the many works incidental to a camp, half
a dozen horsemen were seen descending the mountain-pass by which the
original body had entered the valley. A scout had preceded them, and
the troops with enthusiasm awaited the arrival of that leader, a message
from whose magic name had summoned them to this secluded rendezvous from
many a distant state and city. Unruffled, but with an inspiring fire in
his pleased keen eye, that general answered their devoted salute, whom
hitherto we have known by his travelling name of Captain Bruges.
It was only toward the end of the preceding month that he had resolved
to take the field; but the organization of the secret societies is
so complete that he knew he could always almost instantly secure the
assembling of a picked force in a particular place. The telegraph
circulated its mystic messages to every part of France and Italy and
Belgium, and to some old friends not so conveniently at hand, but who he
doubted not would arrive in due time for action. He himself had employed
the interval in forwarding all necessary supplies, and he had passed
through Florence in order that he might confer with the great spirit of
Italian movement and plan with him the impending campaign.
After he had passed in review the troops, the general, with the officers
of his staff who had accompanied him, visited on foot every part of
the camp. Several of the men he recognized by name; to all of them he
addressed some inspiring word; a memory of combats in which they had
fought together, or happy allusions to adventures if romantic peril;
some question which indicated that local knowledge which is magical
for those who are away from home; mixed with all this, sharp, clear
inquiries as to the business of the hour, which proved the master of
detail, severe in discipline, but never deficient in sympathy for his
troops.
After sunset, enveloped in their cloaks, the general and his companions,
the party increased by the officers who had been in command previous to
his arrival, smoked their cigars round the camp-fire.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account