in column, marching toward us. The hills of Vita are confronted by the
heights of the Pianto dei Romani, where the enemy deployed his columns.
On the Calatafimi side these heights have a gentle slope, easily
ascended by the enemy, who covered all the highest points, while on the
Vita side they are steep and precipitous.

Occupying the opposite and southern heights, I had been able to perceive
exactly all the positions held by the Bourbonists, while the latter
could scarcely see the line of sharpshooters formed by the Genoese
carbineers under Mosto, who covered our front, all the other companies
being drawn up _en echelon_ behind them. Our scanty artillery was
stationed on our left, on the highroad, under Orsini, who succeeded, in
spite of the poverty of his resources, in making a few good shots. In
this way both we and the enemy occupied strong positions, fronting each
other, and separated by a wide space of undulating ground, broken by a
few farmsteadings. Our advantage therefore clearly lay in awaiting the
enemy in our own position. The Bourbon forces, to the number of about
two thousand, with some cannon, discovering a few of our men without
distinguishing uniform and mingled with peasants, boldly advanced a few
lines of bersaglieri, with sufficient support and two guns. Arrived
within firing distance, they opened with carbines and cannon while
advancing on us.

The order given to the Thousand was to wait without firing for the enemy
to come up, though the gallant Ligurians already had one man killed and
several wounded. The blare of the bugles, sounding an American
_reveille_, brought the enemy to a halt as if by magic. They understood
that it was not the Picciotti alone they had to deal with, and their
lines, with the artillery, gave the signal for a retrograde movement.
This was the first time that the soldiers of despotism had quailed
before the filibusters--for such was the title with which our enemies
honored us.

The Thousand then sounded a charge--the Genoese carbineers in the van,
followed by a chosen band of youths impatient to come to close quarters.

The intention of the charge was to put to flight the enemy's vanguard
and get possession of the two guns--a manoeuvre that was executed with a
spirit worthy of the champions of Italian liberty; but I had no
intention of a front attack on a formidable position occupied by a
strong force of Bourbon troops. But who could stop those fiery and
impetuous volu