Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-10-26
THE OCCUPATION OF ROME.
An American Sculptures Gives an
Account of 1.-THE POpe's Pet

Correspondence st. Louis Republican.laA
1asiA go ROME. September q, 1870.
Rome belongs no longer TO the dear,
old gentleman with the tiara. Having
written these words, i read and re-read
them, they are so impossible to realize.
| was skeptic to the last, as one always
is, who, has heard of o possibility for
eighteen years, and would not credit the
fact the Italians were really coming,
though they were outside the gates; but
yesterday at FIVE o'clock in the morning,
began "a -cannonading which made us
open our wipkerspretty lively, and keep
them open too, as big as saucers, until
near eleven o clock, when hole was
knocked in the wall, and in marched
Victor Emanuels troops.
All the fighting was at the Porta Pia,
which you recollect is very near my
house, so we had the full benefit of the
noise, and of the cannon balls too, as !
found when / attempted to see little OF
the fun outside my own doors. When
the cry arose that Napoleon's yilla-was
on fire, my curiosity oyercame my pru-
dence, and / went into the Via Pia, spy
glass in hand; but was soon brought to
my senses, for az shell burst within a
stones throw of me, and piece fell near
my feet. A great cry arose of back
back" and with the rest OF the crowd
cut sticks for home. | had not turned
the corner but second, when a shell fell
at the very corner, and cut open man
hand who was so near me that he touched
my dress. Rather lively--was il notY
/ now concluded that home was as good
a place as any, and stayed there as long
as ! could, but being hailed by two
friends, presently sailed forth again,
and crept around corners until | got to
Rs house, where we had grand
view of things with ball whizzing
around our ears every few minutes to add
to the excitement Of the occasion. We
had, however, to make ourselves scarce
again when a bomb fell three roofs from
ours, and II then began to think had had
enough of the smoke and din of battle,
and had better retire while had a whole
set of bones in my body. No one thought
the fighting would be so serious, as the
Pope declared he should make only a
moral protest" for which five minutes
of actual warfare was as good as five
days.
After just five and a half hours the
cannonading ceased, and Rome became
Italian. We can scarcely believe it, and
such rejoicings as the Romans are wax
ing up to, are perfectly unheard Of in
this quiet old city
In the afternoon everybody went out
TO the Pirta Pia, and YOU would never
recognize the place The gate that the
Pope has been working at for so many
years-his own pet gate--looks like a
piece of perforated cardboard; the two
statnes, one on each side, have had their
heads Knocked off-poor things; the
fresoo of the Madonna is pretty well
punched, and there are so many trenches
to skip over that one wants four legs in
stead of two.
The Napoleon villa Gust outside the
gate) has suffered most. A Abomb set fire
to it, and everything combustible went
per aria" The iron gate is twisted
into all kinds of shapes, and the garden
wall riddled. | got into that garden,
and there saw sight shall never forget
"a dead Zouave all covered with dust,
his hands and face like marble, and a
most frightful gun-shot wound, which
must have killed him instantly, on the
lower part of his face. There were very
few killed, though ! believe a number
were wounded. However, it is so diff
cult to get at the truth of things amid
all this confusion, that, as yet, am GER
tain of nothing. The entry of the sol
diers to the number of 40 0O0--some say
10000, was most exciting. ~"
We are so stunned by all that has
transpired in France that the drama Of
yesterday seems only child's play. One
thing. however, is pretty generally be-
lieved, that the Republic can't last; and
when it falls, many say that the Italians
will have 70 march out Of this. The old
gentleman at the Vatican is still strong.
We saw the opening scene yesterday
but we have yet to see the second act.
We do not know whether the Pope will
stay or 20; but wherever he Is, he has
the sympathy Of millions of the faithful,
and If they can manage TO put their sym
pathy into the tangible form Of an army,
Italy win be exactly where she was in
The olden time The Government was
forced into this, and did not want it,
foreseeing the troubles to which it would
lead. Playing With the thqnders Of the
Vatican is a very dangerous business.