CHAPTER CCV.

THE CASTELCICALAN REPUBLIC.

Castelcicala became a Republic; and Richard Markham had the immortal

honour of founding a purely democratic government in the finest State

belonging to the Italian Peninsula.

The Chamber of Senators voted by an immense majority the very measure

which deprived them of their rank of Peers, and abolished titles of

nobility altogether. This species of suicidal process, adopted in

obedience to the popular will, the interests of the community at large,

and the dictates of a consummate civilisation, presented a glorious

spectacle to the eyes of all the world. And these good men who thus

sacrificed their own family interests to those of their country,

experienced a rich reward in the enthusiasm with which they were

received by the people when the result of the division on the third

reading of the Bill was made known. For no empty honours could outvie

that applause which grateful myriads thus poured forth; and if Dukes,

Marquises, Counts, Viscounts, and Barons went home that day denuded of

those titles, they had the proud recompense of a conviction that their

names would shine all the more resplendently in history through their

own unartificial light. Their’s was now the aristocracy of VIRTUE and

INTELLIGENCE!

The Chamber of Peers was abolished; but all those who had voted in

favour of the Government measures were returned by a grateful people as

members of the National Assembly which was now convoked--the new system

admitting of only one House of Parliament. The moment that august body

met, one of its earliest duties was to frame the new Constitution;

and this was done on the broadest and most liberal principles. It

was resolved, amongst other matters thus definitively settled, that

the President of the Republic should be elected on the principle of

universal suffrage, and for three years; and we need scarcely inform

our readers that there was not even any opposition attempted against

General Markham.

But in the meantime--for these proceedings occupied upwards of two

months--the other Italian States had become seriously alarmed at the

establishment of Democracy in Castelcicala; and the diplomatic agents

of Naples, Rome, Tuscany, and Sardinia were ordered by their respective

Governments to demand their passports. These were instantaneously

granted; and shortly after the departure of the envoys, a league was

formed by the Sovereigns of the States which we have named for the

purpose of compelling Castelcicala to return into the sisterhood of

monarchical countries. Protocols first poured into the Foreign Office

at Montoni; and these were logically answered by the Minister presiding

over that department. Menaces followed;--and these were treated with a

firmness proving how confidently General Markham and his Cabinet relied

upon the Castelcicalans to defend the institutions which they had

consecrated. An ultimatum, threatening immediate hostilities, was now

signed by that blood-thirsty miscreant the King of Naples--by the weak,

timid, and vacillating Pope Pius IX.--by the Grand Duke of Tuscany--and

by Charles Albert, King of Sardinia. To this document Richard Markham

replied, through the Minister of Foreign Affairs, insisting upon the

right of the Castelcicalans, as a free people, to choose their own

form of Government; and the argument was so well sustained by a mass

of reasoning, that the King of Sardinia and the Grand-Duke of Tuscany

withdrew from the league, re-accrediting their diplomatic agents

to the Castelcicalan Republic. The timid Pope was frightened by a

knowledge of Markham’s military prowess into a similar course; and the

tyrant Ferdinand of Naples was left alone in hostility against the

newly-established Democracy.

This monarch--obstinate, self-willed, and blood-thirsty, like all

the Bourbons--was not disheartened by what he called the “defection”

of the Pontiff, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, and the King of Piedmont;

but he immediately declared war against the Castelcicalan Republic.

Thereupon General Markham commenced the most active preparations,

not only to prevent an invasion, but to carry hostilities into the

enemy’s country. In a short time an army of twenty-six thousand men was

collected in the south of the State; and Richard, having taken leave

of his family, proceeded to join it, attended by a numerous staff, of

which Charles Hatfield was a member. The executive power was in the

meantime delegated to Signor Bassano, the General’s brother-in-law; and

the utmost enthusiasm pervaded the entire Castelcicalan population, so

great was the confidence entertained in the valour of the army and the

skill of its commander.

It was in the first week of December, 1846, that the Castelcicalan

forces commenced their march towards the Neapolitan frontier.

Intelligence had already arrived to the effect that the Neapolitans,

to the number of forty thousand men, were advancing under the command

of General Avellino; but Markham, well knowing that the spirit of

a republican army was far greater than that which animates troops

belonging to a monarchy, was not daunted by this immense numerical

superiority on the part of the enemy. He was deeply impressed with the

opinion that Napoleon Bonaparte had damped the ardour of his soldiers

by exchanging the consular cap for the imperial crown: his knowledge

of French history told him that Bonaparte’s grandest victories were

gained with a republican army;--and he was likewise well aware that

the Neapolitan troops loathed and abhorred the monarch who had sent

them out to fight against liberal institutions. He therefore resolved

to push on and meet the enemy; for his generous nature contemplated

with horror the prospect of an invasion of the fertile plains of

Castelcicala by an army which even in its own country acted the lawless

and ferocious part of a horde of plunderers and ravagers.

On the 7th of December, General Markham entered the Neapolitan

territory at the head of his troops; and on the same evening he

encamped beneath the walls of Casino, which surrendered without the

least attempt at resistance. Here he waited four days in the hope that

the Neapolitans would advance to the attack: but hearing that they had

halted to rest awhile at Sabino--a place about sixty miles distant--he

determined to continue his march. Accordingly, in the afternoon of the

13th, he came within sight of General Avellino’s army, which he found

to be occupying a strong position at a short distance from Sabino.

General Markham ascended an elevated flat to reconnoitre the precise

distribution of the Neapolitans, and he was speedily convinced that

an immense advantage might be gained by placing the artillery upon

that height. The task was a difficult one to accomplish: but nothing

was impossible to an active commander and enthusiastic troops;--and

thus in a few hours, hollows were filled up, projections levelled,

and a pathway cleared for the ascent of the cannon. Meantime General

Avellino had made no movement on his side; and ere sunset the work of

establishing the artillery on the eminence was complete.

The inactivity of the enemy during the entire afternoon led Markham

to believe that Avellino meditated an attack in the course of the

night; and the Castelcicalans were therefore fully prepared to give the

Neapolitans a warm reception. But hour after hour passed without any

indication of the approach of the enemy; and General Markham resolved

to take the initiative at day-break.

Scarcely had the sun risen on the morning of the 14th of December, when

the action commenced by a smart fire on the part of the Castelcicalan

light troops, commanded by an active and gallant officer in whom the

General had full confidence. The Neapolitans were thereby dislodged

from an apparently inaccessible position near Sabino; and the result

was that the Castelcicalans were enabled to stretch out upon the plains

so as to threaten the enemy’s flanks. Both armies were soon within

cannon shot; and by nine o’clock in the forenoon the action became

general.

The manœuvres on the Castelcicalan side were performed with a

marvellous precision, fully compensating for the numerical inferiority

of Markham’s troops; and by mid-day they had succeeded in gaining

possession of a wood which covered one of the enemy’s corps. At the

same time the cannon upon the height were scattering death throughout

the Neapolitan ranks; and General Avellino ordered up his reserve of

cavalry to take a share in the conflict. Markham was well prepared for

this proceeding; and at the head of his cuirassiers he dashed against

the new-comers. This charge was made with an impetuosity altogether

irresistible; and the Neapolitans were thrown into disorder in that

part of the field. The Castelcicalans pursued their advantage; and by

four o’clock in the afternoon the enemy were completely overwhelmed.

The Neapolitan loss was immense: upwards of twelve thousand men of

that army lay dead upon the field--while an equal number had been made

prisoners. On Markham’s side the number of killed did not exceed two

thousand; but the generous-hearted young man considered his splendid

victory to be dearly bought even by means of that sacrifice--and the

eyes which flashed with the fires of heroism on the battle-field, now

melted into tears at the evidences of the sanguinary fight.

We should observe that the conduct of Charles Hatfield was admirable

throughout this memorable day. In the charge upon the Neapolitan

cavalry, he comported himself in a manner that more than once gained

for him the approval of his commander; and when the strife was over and

the victory was won, Markham complimented him on his prowess in the

presence of the officers gathered about him at the time.

The booty acquired by this great battle was immense; for the

Neapolitans who survived the conflict were compelled to retreat with

such precipitation as to leave all their baggage and artillery in the

hands of their enemy.

On the following day Markham set his army in motion towards the

capital, at the gates of which he was determined to force the King to

acknowledge the Castelcicalan Republic. But in his progress through

the Neapolitan dominions, he adopted the most rigorous measures to

protect the innocent inhabitants from plunder or wrong at the hands of

his victorious troops; and he issued a proclamation to the effect that

any soldier found guilty of an act of oppression or outrage, should be

expelled the army and deprived of his civil rights as a Castelcicalan

citizen.

It was at about mid-day on the 17th of December that Markham came

within sight of Naples; and he was then met by plenipotentiaries

sent by King Ferdinand to treat for an armistice, preparatory to

negociations for peace. The victorious General received the deputies

with the utmost courtesy; he however bade them observe that it was

not for him to _treat_--but to _dictate_. Thereupon he drew up the

conditions on which he would spare the capital and retire from the

kingdom,--those terms being the acknowledgment of the Castelcicalan

Republic, the payment of all the expenses incurred by Castelcicala

in consequence of this war, and a guarantee against the renewal of

hostilities on the same pretence.

To these conditions Ferdinand refused to accede; and the citizens of

Naples were called upon to arm in defence of the capital. But the

people rose up as one man within the walls of the city, and threatened

to dethrone the King unless he accepted the terms set forth by General

Markham. The blood-thirsty Ferdinand was accordingly compelled to

submit to the demands of the Castelcicalan General; and the conditions

being fulfilled in the course of a few days, Markham began to retrace

his way to the State which he had thus a second time saved from

destruction.

It would be impossible to describe the enthusiasm with which the

victorious General and his army were received on their return to

Castelcicala. The roads were lined with a grateful population,

anxious to catch a glimpse of the hero and to testify their joy

at the conquest which he had achieved over the enemy. Triumphal

arches were raised--flags were waving in all directions--towns were

illuminated--municipal corporations appeared with congratulatory

addresses--and the peasantry made bonfires on the hills as proofs of

their delight.

When the army approached Montoni, the General’s family came out to meet

him: and Isabella experienced more sincere pride in embracing a husband

whose citizen name it was an honour to bear, than if he still wore a

princely title and held a sovereign rank.

Peace was thus ensured to Castelcicala; and the Republic was firmly

established, not only by the will of the people, but likewise by the

prowess of the army.

Charles Hatfield, who, as one of the General’s aides-de-camp, already

held the rank of lieutenant, was now invested with a captaincy; and

one of the members of the National Assembly happening to die at the

time, the constituency thus left temporarily unrepresented, offered to

elect him as their deputy. But he felt anxious to return to England;

for letters reached him about this period, informing him that Mr.

Hatfield’s health had latterly caused serious apprehensions to his

relatives and friends;--and the young man accordingly demanded leave of

absence for a period. This was granted without hesitation; and Charles

Hatfield took his departure, laden with presents from Markham and his

family, and attended with their sincerest wishes for his prosperity.