Pope, with the two generals at their head,
prepared for death, by devoutly participating in the most holy sacrament
of the Eucharist. At eight, Pimodan rushed upon the two farms already
mentioned. His watchword was to carry them and hold them as long as
possible, as they commanded the pass of Musone, where the bulk of the
army, with the baggage, must defile, and there was no other way than this
pass by which the route of Ancona could be gained. The first farm,
although warmly defended, was carried, and a hundred prisoners were taken.
Six six-pounders were immediately brought up, in order to protect the
position against a fresh attack of the enemy. Captain Richter, who
commanded them, under the orders of Colonel Blumenstihl, was pierced in
the thigh by a ball; he would not, however, leave the field, but remained
in the midst of the fire. Two howitzers, commanded by Lieutenant Dandier,
with the aid of a hundred Irishmen, who had arrived the night before from
Spoleto, were placed in the open space in front of the farm, exposed to
the grape shot of the Piedmontese, to which they replied as if they had
been in force. Unfortunately, all parties did not do their duty so well.
Pimodan was obliged to dismiss, on the battle-field, the commander of the
First Battalion of _Chasseurs_. "The moment had come," says Lamoriciere in
his report, "to attack the second farm. General Pimodan formed a small
column, under the orders of Commandant Becdelievre, composed of the
Battalion of Belgian Fusiliers, of a detachment of Carabiniers, and of the
First Battalion of _Chasseurs_. This column boldly advanced,
notwithstanding a most active fusilade from the farm and the wood. There
were 500 metres to march over thus exposed. But when about a hundred and
fifty feet from the summit of the hill it was received by the fire of two
ranks of a strong line of battle, which put so great a number of the men
_hors de combat_ that it was obliged to fall back. The enemy pursued. But
when he had nearly reached our troops, the column faced round, waited for
him at fifteen paces distance, received him with a well-directed fire, and
rushed on him with the bayonet. Astonished at so much daring and coolness,
the enemy, although superior in number, fell back in his turn, and thus
allowed our soldiers to regain the position which they had left. The fire
of our artillery, which was well supplied and well directed, protected
these movements. The enemy had lost more men;