s Mayor of Rome. Kanzler's force commenced firing. But what could it
avail against an enemy that was invisible and in superior numbers? A
veteran of Castelfidardo, Lieutenant-Colonel de Charette, the same who was
destined afterwards to immortalize himself at Patay and at Mans,
understood that nothing was to be gained by a fusillade. "Forward," he
cried, "my Zouaves! charge with the bayonet; and, remember, the French
army is looking on." The Zouaves reply: "Live Pius IX!" and spring forward
with their leader. The Garibaldians are dislodged from the first hill--from
the other hills, and would have been utterly routed but for the formidable
intrenchments presented by the Santucci vineyard, which was laid out in
gardens rising in storeys, one above the other, and intersected by walls.
Garibaldi was posted on the summit, in a villa, whence he directed his
fire without being exposed to personal danger. His position was, indeed,
strong. Charette's troop was observed to waver. "Forward, Zouaves!" cried
their leader, "or I shall die without you!" As he spoke, his horse was
struck by a ball and fell dead. Meanwhile, the Zouaves scaled the walls
and the ravines, without heeding those who fell. Garibaldi was
disconcerted by this living tornado. He fell back from his villa to the
houses, and thence to the Castle of Mentana. The Zouaves followed in the
face of a murderous fire, discharged from the walls of the castle; but
they always advanced, and finally, repelled, by a bayonet charge, a
renewed and general attack of the enemy. Such efforts, however, could not
have been sustained for any length of time unaided, and bravery must, in
the end, have given way to numbers. General de Courten, who directed this
attack, sent to ask assistance from General Polhes, who commanded the army
of France. The French soldiers had been, hitherto, inactive, although by
no means unheeding spectators of the combat. "Bravo! Zouaves, bravo!"
cried they, eagerly desiring to share in the fight. At a sign from their
chief, they sprang forward in their turn. At their head was Colonel
Saussier, of the 20th regiment of the line, who was afterwards general and
member of the National Assembly at Versailles. The sudden and hitherto
unknown fire of the chassepots carried death and terror within the
precincts of the castle. Meanwhile, a detachment of Zouaves managed to
place themselves between Mentana and Monte Rotondo, and so intercepted the
reinforcements which were h