and effect a junction with the main body, soon to be
sorely pressed by an overwhelming force of the Austro-Russians, at
whose head was the famous Suwarrow. On the 29th the Allies entered
Milan, and on the 7th of May the northern French, now under the
command of Moreau, had retired as far as Alessandria, in Piedmont. On
this same day, Macdonald, having thrown garrisons into Capua and
Gaeta, evacuated the kingdom of Naples, and hastened northward to join
Moreau. With the exception of these fortified posts and the city of
Naples, the country was now overrun by the Christian army, the name
applied to the numerous but utterly undisciplined bands of rude
peasantry, attached to the royal cause, and led by Cardinal Ruffo. The
Jacobins in the city still held out, and had in the bay a small naval
force under the command of Commodore Caracciolo.

Troubridge's successes continued. A week later Salerno had been taken,
and the royal colors were flying at Castellamare, on the opposite side
of the Bay from Naples, and distant from it only twelve miles by land.
Nelson questioned Troubridge about the return of the King, whose most
evident political conviction was that the success of the royal cause
was vitally connected with the safety of the royal person. "What are
your ideas of the King's going into the Bay of Naples, without foreign
troops? If it should cause insurrection [of the royalists] in Naples
which did not succeed, would it not be worse? The King, if a rising of
loyal people took place, ought to be amongst them; and that he will
never consent to." "The King, God bless him! is a philosopher," he had
said, repeating an expression of Lady Hamilton's, referring to the
disasters which caused the headlong flight from Rome, through Naples,
to Palermo; "but the great Queen feels sensibly all that has
happened." The Queen also was extremely fearful, and Nelson intimated
to St. Vincent that a request would be made for British troops to
protect the sovereigns. "Their Majesties are ready to cross the water
whenever Naples is entirely cleansed. When that happy event arrives,
and not till then, a desire will be expressed for the British troops
to be removed from Messina into Naples to guard the persons of their
Majesties." That Nelson should have considered it essential to
maintain in power, by any means, sovereigns devoted to Great Britain,
is perfectly comprehensible. What is difficult to understand is the
esteem he continued to profess,