The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-08-02

trustiest of these guides, until, after many
months' exercise Of their dangerous profess
sion, the suspicious Of the Austrian authori-
ties fell upon them, and they, too, were
forced to fly with their only child, little
girl Of tender age, and take refuge at Mod.
ems. rs '
Garibaldi's noble forlorn hope was Just
then setting forth for Sicily. Marinelio
Quilted his temporary refuge and hurried to
join it, and his wife, refusing to be separated
from them, left her little one to the care Of q
dear friend, who promised to- adopt her as
his own, and went to Genoa, where, finding
that the exhibition had already started, they
set sail in the first fishing boat that left the
port for Marsala.
Once there, MarineIio Joined the Sacchi
brigade Of volunteers but though both he
and his wife were well known for bravery
and good conduct to Colonel Faracini, who
commanded it, the stringent orders isssed
from headquarters against the admission Of
women into the ranks rendered it a matter
of no small difficulty for Tonina to remain
at her husbands side. She did, however,
at length prevail with the Colonel and her
name was entered on the rolls as that Of
Antonio Marinelro, the boy brother Of her
husband; nor did any individual Of the
corps in which she served during the wh ole
campaign guess her sex, which was known
only to Coils. Faraciua and Bossi. Her
slight figure and youthful appearance tailed
well with that Of number Of the striplings
who fought in the ranks beside her. She
wore the common GaribaTdian uniform, and
endured fatigue and hardship to the full as
we'll as her comrades, and the hardships and
fatigues Of that campaign, were neither slight
nor few.
Her commanding officers give high testi-
mony to the valor, discipline and the unflag-
ing spirit Of this unassuming heroine, who
was decorated by the Generals own hand
on the field of battle They say she was
ever the first to- volunteer for some danger
Gus duty, and the last to quit her post while
that duty was unfulflled and all agree that
she gained the affection, respect and admir-
alton of her fellow soldiers, by her bravery
in the field, and her geod-hanored helpful.
ness in camp life.
Yopina fought through the campaign un-
scathed, hough her husband received sever
al wounds, When Capua was taken, and
the volunteer corps were disbanded, hus-
band and wife turned their steps again to-
ward Modena, ard finding their friend dead
who had given home to their child brought
her on with them to Florence, and there
lived poorly on from day to day, partly on
their own small earnings, and partly on the
assistance given to them by the Committee
for the Venetian emigration. 1t was not
before the wife was far gone in wasting dis
ease of the lungs, that the extreme distress
Of the poor house hold was fully known to
those who had means to relieve it, Succor
was Immediately and generously given; the
dying mother was placed under the best
medical care, and the delicate little girl sent
to the sea side and admitted into the admir-.
able OspisV Marini or hospital for sickly
children of Via Reggie. But the help Sc
much needed came too late for poor Tonina,
though the same care two or three months
earlier might have saved Ter life. She died
as meekly as she had lived, in the home
where she had struggled through her last
suffering year Of existence. The arms she
had borne in battle and her faded red Carl
baldi shirt were laid among the garlands or
her coin; and a simple gravestone will bt
placed above her at San Miniato. where the
beautiful church terrace looks out over the
towers and domes Of Florence 10 tho sun
light hills.