nsued, the
peasants fleeing across the meadows and fields, some being killed and
others taken prisoners. Although repulsed, they were not reduced,
and animated by the rash, vindictive Von Kolb, made several fresh
skirmishes. Standing up in the village street of Percha, this leader
animated them still to fresh attacks, and sent special messengers
north, south, east and west, vowing fire and vengeance to all who
succumbed; but on December 6, fresh French troops having come to the
aid of General Almeras, the peasants saw that their cause was lost and
refused to listen. Thus ceased the peasant war.

The town of Bruneck, which had suffered greatly from the double siege,
still venerates the memory of General Almeras, who exerted himself
on its behalf, whilst his liberality toward the peasants, whom
he regarded as ignorant and misguided, was equally praiseworthy,
mitigating in many instances the severity of the council of war.

Although the insurgents were dispersed, most of the French officers,
unlike General Almeras, condescended to the bitterest revenge against
the disarmed people. All the leaders who had not concealed themselves
were captured and summarily shot without trial. Von Kolb, however,
escaped with his life: disguised as a seller of lemons, he fled
over the Redensberg, and passing through Antholz managed to reach
Stiermark. Another still more remarkable man, Father Joachim, known
amongst the people as Red Beard, wading through deep snow managed to
hide himself for many months in the castle of Goldrain. In August
of 1810, disguised as an artisan, he reached Switzerland, Milan, and
finally Vienna, where the emperor, as a reward for his valiant deeds,
presented him with the living of Hietzing in the neighborhood of
Vienna.

Our long but necessary preamble now brings us to Peter Sigmair. He too
had a price set on his head, having acted as lieutenant in the popular
cause, and had accordingly sought a safe retreat in the mountains.
Soon, however, a friend brought him word that his old father, George
Sigmair, the Tharer-wirth of Mitter Olang, when attending to some
business in Bruneck on St. Thomas's Day, had been arrested by command
of General Broussier, with orders that he should be shot if his
son did not give himself up before three days. The son might have
comforted himself with the thought that it would be impossible for
the general to put so tyrannical a threat into execution, but the
consciousness of his fath