The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, AUGUST 4,1.86 c).

.........•
FROM THE GAZETTE OF LAST EVENING•

WAR-OFFICE, PALL-MALL, AUG. 3.
2d Regiment of Dragoons—Lieutenant-General A. K.
Clark Kennedy, C. 8., from Colonel 6th Dragoon Guards,
to be Colonel, vice Lieutenant-General the Lord Sandys,

deceased.
6th Regiment of Dragoon Guards—Lieutenant-General Sir
James Jackson, K.C.8., from Colonel 6th Dragoons, to
be Colonel, vice Lieutenant-General A. K. Clark Ken-
nedy, C. 8., removed to the 2nd Dragoons.
6th Regiment of Dragoons—Major-General William Beck-
with to be Colonel, vice Lieutenant-General Sir James
Jackson, K.C.8., removed to the 6th Dragoon Guards.
Corps of Royal Engineers—Lieutenant-General Sir John
Mark Frederic Smith to be Colonel-Commandant, vice
Sir George Judd Harding, K.C.8., deceased.
WAR-OFFICE, PALL MALL, Auo. 3.
Ist Regiment of Dragoons—Thomas Joseph Walker, Gent.,'
to be Cornet, by purchase, vice Glyn, promoted.
17th Light Dragoons—Lieutenant .Colonel and Brevet-
Colonel Charles William Morley Balders, C. 8., from the
12th Light Dragoons, to be Lieutenant-Colonel.
Royal Artillery—Brevet-Colonel John Henry Francklyn,
C. 8., to be Colonel, vice Pickering, retired on full pay;
Brevet-Major James Robert Gibbon, C. 8., to be Lieut.-
Colonel, vice Francklyn; Second Captain William
Morris to be Captain, vice Gibbon; Lieutenant Henry
Whitby Briscoe to be Second Captain, vice Morris.
Royal Engineers—Lieutenant John Barrett Lennard has
been permitted to resign his Commission ; Lieutenant
George Goodall has peen permitted to resign his Com-
mission.
Military Train—Captain George Joy, from the 59th Foot,
to be Captain,' vice Wolridge, who exchanges.
3d Regiment of Foot—Henry Drinkrow Harrison, Gent.,
to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Elwes, promoted.
4th Foot—Gentleman Cadet Moreton Frederick 'Thrupp,
from the Royal Military College, to be Ensign, without
purchase, vice Wright, appointed to the 83d Foot.
7th Foot—Robert Henry Maude, Gent., to be Ensign,
by purchase, vice John Graydon Smith, promoted.
11th Foot—Gentleman Cadet Frederick Fitzroy Gibbons,
from the Royal Military College, to be Ensign, with-
out purchase, vice Dick appointed to the 37th Foot.
14th Foot—George Frederick Green, Gent., to be Ensign,
by purchase, vice Day, who retires.
18th Foot—Lieutenant-Colonel and Brevet-Colonel John
Thornton Grant, C. 8., from the 49th Foot, to be Lieu-
tenant-Colonel, vice Lieutenant-Colonel and Brevet-
Colonel
Clement Alexander Edwards, C. 8., who ex-

changes.
22d Foot—Wm. Thomas Slater Hull, Gent., to be Ensign,
by purchase, vice Pilsworth, promoted.
25th Foot—Ensign Richard Webster to be Instructor of
Musketry, vice Terry, promoted to a Company.
30th Foot—Jame Cooke, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase,

vice Nagle, promotei.
33d Foot—Francis Wilmot, Gent., to be Ensign, by pur-
chase, vice Shipton, promoted.
35th Foot—William Angier Brock, Gent., to be Ensign, by
purchase, in succession to Lieutenant Massey, deceased.
40th Foot—Albert Simeon, Gent., to be Ensign, by pur-
chase, vice Clarke. promoted.
41st Foot—Arthur Drummond Currie, Gent., to be Ensign
by purchase, vice Boulderson, appointed to the 97th

Toot.
47th Foot—Lieutenant Charles Van Renen Conway-Gor-
don to be Captain, by purchase, vice Palmer, who retires;
Ensign John Frederic Bell to be Lieutenant, by purchase,
vice Conway-Gordon.
48th Foot—Lieutenant James Farquhar to be Captain, by
purchase, vice Latham, who retires ; Ensign John Wal-
ter Keyworth to be Lieutenant, by purchase, vice Far-

quhar.
49th Foot—Lieutenant-Colonel and Brevet-Colonel Cle-
ment Alexander Edwards, C. 8., from the 18th Foot, to
be Lieutenant-Colonel, vice Lieutenant; Colonel and
Brevet-Colonel John Thornton Grant, C. 8., who ex-
changes.
55th Foot—Gentleman Cadet Sidney Cargill, from the
Royal Military College, to be Ensign, without purchase,
vice Nunn, who resigns.
56th Foot—Ensign Caleb Coote Lloyd to be Lieutenant,
without purchase, vice Hill, promotea ; Gentleman Cadet
William Frederick Hillat Jones, from the Royal Military
College, to be Ensign, without purchase, vice Lloyd.
58th Foot—Assistant-Surgeon Arnold Royle, from the
Staff, to be Assistant-Surgeon, vice Worthington, who
exchanges.
59th Foot—Captain Henry RidgeWolridge, from the Mili-
tary Train, to be Captain, vice Joy, who exchanges.
76th Foot—Gentleman Cadet Douglas Campbell De Wend,
from the Royal Military College, to be Ensign, without
purchase, vice Austin, promoted.
83d Foot—Ensign Frederick Augustus Wright, from 4th
Foot, to be Ensign, vice Healey, promoted.
90th Foot—Surgeon William Lapsley, from the Staff, to be
Surgeon, vice Clarke, appointed to the Staff.
91st Foot—Gentleman Cadet Henry Robert Rolfe, from
the Royal Military College, to be Ensign, without pur-
chase, vice Harvey, promoted ; Lieutenant Charles Lacon
Harvey to be Instructor of Musketry, vice Hall, who
has resigned that appointment.
94th Foot—Charles Hensman Heycock, Gent., to be En-
sign, by purchase, vice Pilkington, promoted.
99th Foot—Gentleman Cadet Henry Robert Eyre from the
Royal Military College, to be Ensign, without purchase
vice Walker, promoted.
Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment—Francis Sandys Dug-
more, Gent., to be Ensign, by purchase, vice Wilson,
promoted ; Capel Henry Miers, Gent., to be Ensign,
by purchase, vice Whyte, promoted.
DEPOT BATTALION.—Major and Brevet -Colonel Edward
Angier Godfrey Muller to be Lieutenant-Colonel, without
purchase, vice Brevet Colonel Deverell, retired upon full-
pay, under the 37th clause of the Royal Warrant of 14th
October, 1858. Captain and Adjutant and Brevet Major
Hercules A. Welnian to be Major, without purchase, vice
Brevet-Colonel Muller.
HOSPITAL STAPP—Surgeon Patrick Joseph Clarke, from
the 90th Foot, to be Surgeon, vice Lapsley, appointed to
the 90th Foot ; Assistant-Surgeon Richard Jukes Worth-
ington, from the 58th Foot, to be Assistant-Surgeon to the
Forces, vice Royle, who exchanges.
COMMISSARIAT DEPARTMENT—Commissariat Clerk
Thomas Hume to be Deputy Assistant-Commissary-
General.

BREVET.
Colonel William Henry Pickering, retired full-pay
Royal Artillery, to be Major-General, the rank being
honorary only.
Lieut.-Colonel Charles Clement Deacon, C. 8., 46th Foot,
having completed five years' service in the rank of Lieut.-
Colonel Commanding a Regiment, to be Colonel in the
Army.
The undermentioned promotions to take place, consequent
on the death of Lieutenant-General Thomas J. Wemyss,
C. 8., Colonel of the 17th Foot, on the 12th July, 1860 :
Major-General Henry Colvile to be Lieutenant-General.
Brevet Colonel George Co ngreve, C. 8., Lieutenant-
Colonel half-pay 29th Foot, Quartermaster-General in the
East Indies to be Major-General.
Brevet. Lieutenant-Colonel James Ramsay, Major half-
pay Unattached, to be Colonel.
Major Edward Lynch Blosse, half-pay Unattached, to be
Lieutenant-Colonel.
Captain Edward Arthur Williams, Royal Artillery. to be
Major.

ADMIRALTY, AUGUST 1, 1860.
Corps of Royal Marines—First Lieutenant Michael de
Courcy Meade to be Captain, vice J. B. Butcher to half-
pay ; Second Lieutenant John Dudley Fosbroke to be
First Lieutenant, vice Meade, promoted.

BANKRUPTCIES ANNULLED.
Job Goodman Sheppard, brewer, Towcester.
John Bamford, grocer, Stainland, Yorkshire.
BANKRUPTS.
Josiah Dickens Wingrave and Thomas William Woodl
straw plait manufacturers, St. Albans, Herts.
Frederick Appleyard, tanner, Bradford.
Edward Jones, horse dealer, Marlborough.
James Evans Pillinger, draper, Tredegar, Monmouth,
shire.
Edmund Hayman, fruiterer, South Molton-street, Gros.
Tenor-square, Middlesex.
SCOTCH BANKRUPTS.
George Schrader, leather hide and bark factor, Glasgow.
Mrs. Bethia or Betsy Smith, merchant, Stirlingshire.
David Walker, builder, Glasgow.
Alexander Macintosh, leather merchant, Glasgow.

BANK OF ENGLAND.
An Account, pursuant to the Act 7th and Bth Victoria,
cap. 32, for the week ending on Wednesday, the Ist day
of Aug., 1860 :

ISSUE DEPARTMENT.
Notes issued ......X29,496,420 Government Debt .£11,015,1900
00
Other Securities .. 3,459,
Gold Coin & Bullion 15,021,420
1 Silver Bullion ~.. -

X 29,496,420

£29,496,420)
BANKING DEPARTMENT.
Proprietors' Capi- Government Seen-
tal £14.553,000 riti es (including
Rest . . ............ 3,422,213 Dead Weig,htAn-
Public Deposits (in- nuity)
eluding Exche- Other Securities
quer, Savings' Notes
Banks, Commis- Gold and Silver
mission ers of Coin 737,460
Na-
tional Debt, and

Dividend Ac-
counts) .... . 4,234,969
Other Deposits— 14,717,654
Seven Day and
other Bills 707,729

£37,635,555
31.]

£37,645,565
.RSHALL, Chief Cashier.

Dated Aug. 2, 1860.

AVERAGE PRICE OF SUGAR.
:
The Average Price of Brown or Muscovado Sugar, com-
puted from Returns made in the week ending the 31st day
of July, 1860, exclusive of the duties of Customs paid or
payable thereon on the importation thereof into Great
Britain
Muscovado, the produce of the British pos-
sessions in America ...
d
uscovado, the produce of the Mauritius ..
.....
Muscovado, the produce of the East Indies.. —s -a
Aver age price of the foregoing 26s 8d
26520 s 10Add
Muscovado,

Mr. Augustus Paget, Secretary of Legation at
Berlin, left town last evening to resume his duties in that
capital.

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THE.BATTLE OF .MELAZZO.

(From the Times' Special Correspondent.)
IVIELAZZO, JULY 24.
Another leaf has been added to Garibaldi's laure,
crown, neither the least weighty or the least bril-
liant which it contains. The Battle of Melazzo is
one of those rare fights comprising all the grandeur
of a great victory of modern times with all the
exciting incidents of a heroic combat of antiquity.
I have tried to explain to you in my letters the
situation of things before Melazzo. Medici with
his column, consisting of about 2,500 men, had ad-
vanced along the northern shores of Sicily to Bar-
cellona, where the Governor and committee of the
province of Messina had established their residence
and were organising the military forces of the pro-
vince ; but with the capital of the province strongly
occupied by the enemy, and with the fortress of
Melazzo not more than seven miles distant, and
forming a strong nucleus of reaction, the task was
not easy. The great majority of men are always
more influenced by what is near home than by any-
thing which may occur a little further off. Thus,
in spite of the successes gained in the rest of the
island, the strength of the Neapolitans in the
eastern corner formed a strong argument in the
eyes of the great mass against going too far in this
direction, and compromising themselves before all
danger was over. A number of employes, too,
driven away from their posts in the interior, had
found refuge within the walls of Melazzo and
Messina, and exerted all their influence to con-
vince people of the risk which they were incur-
ring in coming forwaA and tnking'a prominent
part, while not a few of their colleagues, whom the
magnanimity of the Dictatorial Government had
left in their places and homes, contributed to spread
timidity and hesitation. Yet in spite of these cir-
cumstances, which were calculated to damp enthu-
siasm and benumb energy, the call of the Govern-
ment for volunteers was not without effect, and
several hundreds, most of them belonging to the
better classes, responded to the appeal. They were '
organised into a body, and provided as far as was
possible with arms and uniforms. This was almost
more difficult than getting the men, for all had to
be brought across the mountains from Catania, the
sea in the neighbourhood being still insecure. The
handful of men thus collected was augmented by a
battalion of a few hundreds whom Col. Fabrizi had
collected on his passage from Noto to Catania, and
from this latter place to Barcellona. Both together
probably did not amount to more than 7,800 men.
Medici, named military commandant of the pro-
vince, took the whole direction of affairs from the
moment of his arrival on the 12th inst. He led
the column, and went out himself to reconnoitre
the ground where he would take up his position
against Melazzo. The Neapolitans, scarcely ap-
prised of his arrival, sent a column under the com-
mand of Col. Bosco against this force advancing
on Melazzo, The garrison of this latter place con-
sisted of the Ist Regiment of the Line and of a com-
pany of artillery, which, in spite of the armament
of the citadel and the walls of enclosure of the
town, were thought insufficient to make head
against Medici's force. The column started from
Messina on the 14th inst., and consisted of four
battalions of riflemen, each above 1,000 strong, a
squadron of Chasseurs-a-Cheval, and a battery of
field artillery. The road which leads from Messina
to Melazzo ascends the mountains in the rear of
Messina immediately after leaving the town, and
having reached the summit of them at La Scala,
descends towards the opposite or northern shore of
the island. Just before reaching this it winds
round the last spur of the mountain, which ends
rather precipitously at the town of Gesso. This
latter point therefore commands the road towards
Messina, and it was important to keep it in case of
a reverse. The 4th battalion of riflemen was left
behind for this purpose, with the order to guard
the main road with four companies, and to send the
remaining four to observe the mountain paths by
which the position of Gesso could be turned. The
rest of the column advanced on the same day to
Spadafora-Sammartino, and reached Melazzo the
next day, the 15th.
Medici had been apprized of the intention of the
Neapolitans to send a column against him several
days before the column actually started; this know-
ledge of the plans and movements of the enemy is
one of the great advantages which a national army
has. What the Neapolitans can only obtain by bri-
bery, and frequently not by this means, we can get
almost without an effort on our side. Nay, the de-
sire to inform us of anything which passes in the
enemy's camp is so great that the difficulty lies in dis-
tinguishing what is important and what is not. No
paid spy ever observed all the slightest indications
so closely as this Argus-eyed popular police. In this
special instance the very telegraph, that powerful
engine of warfare, turned against the Neapolitans.
The electric wire along the coast had been destroyed
by the people, in whose eyes that black wire passes
for one of the most dangerous weapons of the
Neapolitans, and only the aerial telegraph remained,
the movements of which could be seen and inter-
preted.
Medici, apprised of the approach of Bosco's
column, almost double the strength of his own, had
time to choose his position. He fixed it at Mori,
about three miles in front of Barcellona, on the
high road to Messina, taking the river bed of the
torrent of Santa Lucia as the base of his line. The
mountain slopes in this part of Sicily are so steep,
and the torrents so rapid and full of pebbles, that
they fill up the whole space intervening between
the mountain spurs. The torrent of Santa Lucia
exhibits this character better than any other of the
torrents which I have seen. It forms an even space
of 200 to 300 yards in width, which you might
almost think prepared for a garden walk. It forms
in summer time the only road to several of the
mountain passes. In the lower part of it, near
Meri, where the hills fall off, both sides of the tor-
rent are guarded by walls several feet in breadth
and from five to six feet high, leaving only a pas-
sage for the high road which traverses Meri. If
you were in the middle you would almost imagine
yourself to be in a regularly constiucted fortifi-
cation.
Medici having taken up his head-quarters in the
village, had the houses close to the river- provided
with loop-holes, and the break in the wall which
admits the road regularly fortified with gabions and
sandbags. The wal itself was likewise prepared for
riflemen, and this line considered as the really defen-
sive position. The first spur to the right, which is
steep and well wooded, was occupied by a battalion,
while further on, the steep slopes of Santa Lucia
flanked the extreme right of the position. On the
left the wall by which the river is enclosed continues
for about half-a-mile, Protecting . the luxuriant gar-
dens which extend behind Men towards the sea.
Where the wall ends abroad shelving beach begins,
several hundred yards in width. The position was
as good as any that could be desired, its only draw-
back being the length of it, which is scarcely short
of three miles. This could not be helped, for if
Santa Lucia was not occupied there was a danger
of the right being turned. The river bed in front of
the position was occupied by one battalion, and
the wall on the other side fortified like that one
on the other side towards Meri. Immediately
after crossing the river the road divides in two, the
one to the left leading straight to Melazzo, while
the other to the right, forming part of the main
road, goes through Corioli to Archi, at which
point the road coming from Melazzo strikes the
main road. On these two roads, which run among
a succession of gardens, mostly enclosed by walls,
and thickly studded with olives, vines, and fig-
trees, were the outposts, the extreme points being
about a mile from the river at Corioli and San
Pietro.
The 16th passed without any encounter. Bosco had
withdrawn into Melazzo, and Medici was still busy
with his preparations. On the morning of the 17th
Medici sent out a reconnaissance from Corioli to
observe the movements of the enemy. This recon-
naissance met two companies of the enemy's rifle-
men, which had been sent to strengthen two other
companies in charge of a convoy of flour from the
neighbouring mills. After a few shots had been
exchanged the enemy's riflemen thought it wise to
abandon their project, and withdrew hastily to•
wards Melazzo.
In the afternoon, about three o'clock, Medici re-
ceived notice of the advance of a column in the direc-
tion of Corioli, and soon after his avant garde was
attacked at Corioli. Withdrawing within the vil-
lage, the Neapolitans made an attempt to penetrate,
and actually succeeded in pushing forward towards
the centre of the village. A charge with the bayonet
dislodged them, and from that moment the combat
on that side degenerated into a line of desultory
the Neapolitans not renewing their attempt,
firing,
and ours keeping, according to orders, likewise on
This order was due to the know-
the defensive.
ledge that the attack towards Corioli was a mere
feint, the chief effort being towards our right to
get possession of Santa Lucia, and thus turn the
position. This effort was to be mada by a co'umn
of three battalions, with half a battery, under the
command of Bosco himself. The column had moved
up the torrent of San Nocito, which runs down
parallel to that of Santa Lucia, and skirts the oppo-

site side of the mountain spur on, which the village
bearing the same fl' me lies, AY, the enemy showed
only a part of the forces he waf3 known to possess, it
was necessary to be prudent., and not to withdraw
forces from one side to strengthen the other. The
result was that one battalic,n of 500 men had to re-
sist the attack on that side, which was done suc-
cessfully, without the necessity of sending rein-
forcements. As in all forir.er fights, it was the bayonet
which again secured 'cite victory. Trusting to their
numerical superiority, the Neapolitans tried time
after time to take the slopes, and, in spite of the
well-directed fire from the Enfield rifles with which
Medici's battplions are armed, they advanced till
they were close enough for anot'aer rush with
the bayonet, and lost all the advantage they had
obtained. The fight lasted thus. till the evening
closed in, the loss in men being trifling on our side,
and probably not much greater on the part of the
enemy. But if the Neapolitans. did not lose much
in men, they lost so much the. more in self-confi-
dence by this check. They had come out with the
intention of riding over MQ.dici's column ; Bosco
had boasted that he won't?, drive Medici's troops
into the sea, and destroy Rarcellona, the head-quar-
ters of the revolution in 'the province of Messina.
He could not even shake one battalion, and the re-
lative positions changed ; instead of thinking to
make good his boast, he thought henceforth only
of keeping his own position. The telegraph told
the tale, and Medici knew the next day that Bosco
had sent a message to Messina asking for speedy
help, as otherwise his retreat would be compromised.
General Clary, the oommander of Messina, answered
that he could not send assistance, being himself
threatened by the advance of another column from
Catania. All be could do was to send another bat-
talion of -riflemen to Gesso, and let the one stationed
there go and join Bosco's forces. This was done
the next day.
On our side, likewise, no time was lost in getting
up reinforcements. Already on the 18th General
Cosenz arrived with his advanced guard, consisting
of a battalion of seasoned troops from Upper Italy.
They went on board the two small steamers taken
from the Neapolitans as far as Patti, and thence by
land.

Garibaldi, apprised by telegraph of the state of
things, took one of those sudden resolutions, dictated
by inspiration, which show better than anything else
his genius as a military commander. He saw that
there was a chance of striking a great blow, and a
fews hours were sufficient to conceive, mature, and
carry out his plans. Intrusting General Sirtori,
the chief of his Staff, with full powers as pro-Dic-
tator, he united whatever he could collect in men,
put them on board the City of Aberdeen, a British
steamer which had been freighted, embarked with
his Staff, and, with a reinforcement of about 1,200
men was the next morning, the 19th, at Patti,
where he disembarked and marched on to Meri.

This timely assistance, but above all the presence
of Garibaldi himself, gave, to the operations a new
impulse, and an entirely different character. There
probably never was a General with so bold an ini-
tiative: as Garibaldi; this constitutes his chief
strength, and makes him so formidable an adver-
sary. His resolutions are almost instantaneous, and
having onoe taken a resolution he concentrates his
whole energy in carrying it out. You see the man
of one idea all through. Above all, this time it was
as if freedom from the annoyances of the intriguing
politicians of Palermo had brought out this won-
derful gift with new brilliancy. Not a moment was
lost in preparing everything for a general attack the
next day. None but the iron frame of Garibaldi

could bear the exertion which this required. Want-
ing little sleep and less food, his unceasing activity
enables him to see and listen to every one, to do
everything, and impress his own activity on all
those around him.

Long before you come to the coast of Melazzo you
see an isolated rock, resembling somewhat that of
Gibraltar, before you. On it stands the citadel of
Melazzo, occupying an area of half a square mile,
and falling off boldly on all sides. At the foot of it,
towards the land side, lies the town, occupying

•
about the same area, and also enclosed by suSaan-
tial walls ; both are connected by a narrow strip of
land with the mainland on the sea side of the castle ;

the low land continues for several miles, falling off
towards the point which is crowned by the light-
house. The whole peninsula is evidently formed
by the depcsits of the two little streams of Santa
Lucia and Nocito, which run into the sea on both
sides of it. The bend of the neck of land forms
one of the most commodious natural harbours in
Sicily. This and military considerations have made
Melazzo a kind of centre for the roads leading from
the west and the interior. There is, first, one which
skirts the sea to the left of Meri ; next to it comes
the direct road from Meri to Melazzo, forming an
angle of 25 degrees with it, and uniting at the en-

trance of the town of Melazzo. Then comes the
main road to Messina, running parallel to the road
on the sea-shore towards Arohi; lastly, there is the
branch road which starts from the gates of Mel-
lazzo to join this latter road in the vicinity of Archi.
The space enclosed by these roads forms three sides
of a parallelogram, the river Santa Lucia forming
the fourth; the direct road from Men to Melazzo,
running due north, intersects this parallelogram,
the length of which is about four, and the width
two and a half miles. These main roads are con-
nected by several branch roads, all having a ten-
dency towards Melazzo.
This ground was the theatre of the battle of
Melazzo. The concentration of all these roads to-
wards Melazzo gave to the Neapolitans the advan-
tages of a concentric position, of which they were
not slow in availing themselves. This advantage
was considerably increased by the nature of the
ground, which is covered with a most luxuriant
vegetation, forming as it were one succession of
gardens, thickly studded with olive and other fruit
trees, planted with vines, and, above all, a kind of
cane used for training the vines. These gardens,
especially the part which contains the canes, form
0, thick cover, in which it is well nigh impossible
to make a combined movement, or see anything of
the movements of the enemy. In this thick cover,
about a mile from the town of Melazzo, the Nea-
politans had extended their line, taking all the
roads within their line, and choosing above all, the
points of intersection of the main road from Meri
with the road to Messina. They divided their guns
on these points, loopholed the garden walls, and
placed their Riflemen in the gardens, where they
were most effectually concealed.
The dispositions taken on our side were—the left
under the command of Colonel Malanchini, consist-
ing of two battalions of Tuscans and a battaifon of
Palermitan recruits, was to advance on the road
close to the seashore and go right at the town of
Melazzo. The centre, under the orders of Medici,
and composed of his first regiment of four bat-
talions, all old troops, some from Lombardy, was to
advance from the direct road from MeH ; one bat-
talion of the 2d Regiment was to take the main road
to Messina, starting from Corioli, and was to be
joined by the battalion from St. Lucia. The centre
and right were to unite by the cross road nearest to
Melazzo, and then work up their way united towards
Melazzo. A body of Sicilians, under Colonel Fa-
brizi, was to take position on the extreme right at
Arelis, so as to oppose any attempt made from
Gesso to assist the force at Melazzo. A second line
and reserve, the troops arrived with Garibaldi,
were placed together with the troops which had
cone up with Cosenz.
At dawn the columns started, and by 6 a.m. the
first firing was heard on the left. The open beach
gave the advantage to the Neapolitans of employing
their artillery on this point more successfully than
at any other, and while the column to the left, with-
out artillery, tried to sustain this unequal struggle,
the centre found itself likewise in face of the enemy.
Leaving the narrow road, enclosed on both sides
with garden walls, they penetrated into the gardens
on both sides to attack the enemy, whose advanced
posts had taken position in some detached houses not
far from the point where the first cross-road joins
the main road of Meri at the hamlet of Le Grazie.
The troops belonging to the second expedition,
eager to regain the lost time and rival the victors of
Calata Fimi and conquerors of Palermo, soon drove
the enemy's outposts from the detached houses • but
it required considerable exertion to make him leave
the cover behind. Invisible to the eye, he fired with
deadly aim at our advancing troops, prostrating
numbers of them without suffering himself. Fre-
quently the cover was so thick that not even the
puffs of smoke were visible ; it was the most trying
thing to the soldier to fight against this formidable
phantom adversary, who seemed inaccessible. Any
general disposition became impossible, the men of
one company often scarcely seeing each other, much
less those of another. The road, which at first sight
seemed to be the most difficult point, proved easier
than the rest, for there, at any rate, one could see
the adversary and his movements. The only tac-
tics possible under these circumstances were to
push on the road, and thus take in flank and rear
some of the more difficult covers of canes ; and, on
the other hand, to make a bold push through
the cover, unmindful of losses, to gain the rear of
the enemy's position on the road. The heavy
losses which such an unequal fight entailed on the
attacking forces, as well as the necessity to en-
counter some flanking movement, which the enemy