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Oudinot too had warning from his own
consul, from his own friends within the city, of all the preparations,
of the resolute determination of the inhabitants, of the known valor of
many of the combatants in past campaigns; yet to all such remonstrances
he answered with French impertinence, "_Les Italiens ne se battent
pas_," and clearly he had imbued his officers with this belief. At dawn
on April 30th, starting from Castel di Guido, leaving their knapsacks at
Magnianella, the officers in white gloves and sheathed swords advanced
on Rome, taking the road to Porta Cavallaggieri, sending sharpshooters
through the woodlands on the right, the Chasseurs de Vincennes on the
heights to the left. Avezzana, war minister, from the top of the cupola
of San Pietro in Montori, on seeing the first sentinel advance, gave the
signal for the ringing of the tocsin, which brought the entire populace
to the walls, the Roman matrons clustering there to encourage their
husbands, sons, and brothers to the fight.


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