San Andreas independent., 1858-04-03


there, when he was surprised in the COM
mission of disgraceful act. Fearing the
consequences, he deserted He managed
to escape to England, where he lived,
working at his trade, until 1850, when,
his desertion being forgotten, he returned
to France.
lie then commenced working as cap
maker, forming connexion with wo-
man, by whom he had several children,
and whom he afterwards abandoned in
his prosperity. Discontinued, intriguing
and ambitious, life of toll was little to
his taste In London he had made the
acquaintance of Mazzini, and great
number of refugees, who, foreseeing in
him a useful instrument, had introduced
him in their councils and recommended
him to the Chief of the Societies in Pa
ris. When the revolution of February
broke out, Pieri knew how to turn these
relations to account The three days of
Milan had taken place. The Sandman
army advanced on Italy. The whole Pc
ninsula took fire. A committee, formed
from the italian Emigration, in which
Mazzini hurried to take part, organized
at Paris, to aid the cause of the national
emancipation. Great numbers of Ital-
ians, of all conditions in life, asked to be
led against Austria. The committee OBJ
tanned from the French authorities, the
means of transporting all their mcn-the
conducting of whom, was confded to the
General Antonini, an old soldier of the
Empire, and who died recently, in the
service of Sardinia. BY force of impu-
dcnce and intrigue, and his acquaintance
with Mazzini, Pieri was admitted into the
committee of Paris. He joined the col
umn which went to Italy at the disposi-
ton of the government of Milan. In
conjunction with the King, Charles AL
bert, that government was busily engaged
in the organization of forces to send to
the defense of the Venitian provinces,
then menaced by Austria. The column
of General Antonini formed strong reg
imcnt of the line, and soon distinguished
itself notably at the sieges of Vicenti and
Trevisc
Picri succeeded in obtaining commits
sion as Captain. He followed his regi-
ment during that campaign, far more oc-
cupied conspiring against his superior Of
ticers than in attending to his military
duties. He had gone so far that at Bo-
logna, after the capitulation of Trevise
and the retreat upon Central Italy, he
narrowly escaped being shot for mutiny
he had fomentcd against the General An
tonini. During all that retreat, and af-
terwards, when his regiment marched with
other troops, to cover Milan, Pieri COM
mitted all possible kinds of excesses. He
had Carried off a woman whom he brought
with him. Often, in charge of the ad-
vanced guard, he stole horses, provisions,
&C., which he disposed of to the camp
followers. The regimento of Picri arrived
at Verceil, nearly destroyed. The regu-
lar service of Sardinia was not likely to
suit our adyenturer He had been ac-
quainted with Guarrazzi. He wrote to
him and received favorable answer. He
demanded of the Sandman government
the means of taking himself to Tuscany,
with nearly two hundred men who had
decided to follow him. Thus, become
Chief of band, Pieri was joined at
Leghorn, by great number of the despe-
radoes who abound in that city, out of
which he composed pretended battalion
of foot rifemen, whose services he offer
ed to the government of Florence. Re-
celved with open arms, ne was named
Colonel, with regular commission from
the Grand Duke. His band was placed
in the line of the regular army of Tus-
cany, and the former shoemaker might
have aspired to the highest honors in his
native country. But the Grand Duke
was obliged to quit his capital, before the
pressure of the revolution. Guerrazzi
caused himself to be named Dictator, and
as matter of course, his friend Pieri. in
whom he had full confidence, distinguish
ed himself as one of the warmest parti-
zans of the new regime Sent with his
regiment to hold the provinces in check,
he abandoned himself at his ease to all
manner of extortions and expressions.
He levied contributions upon all the
rich and notable persons in his neighbor-
hood, amongst whom were several priests;
besides appropriating all the public mon
eys he could lay his hands on, he sold the
1 ofroo+o &c All. Ctata IT,