APPENDIX H IMMEDIATE CAUSES OF THE EVACUATION OF SALERNO THE decision to recall the troops from Salerno was taken, according to De Sivo, iv. 39, and Franci, i. 113, not earlier than the evening of September 5, and in consequence of the complaints of Marshal Rivera 1 at Salerno to the effect that Garibaldi 'would assail him the next day, and he was afraid of being captured in his bed.' This is valuable as indicating that Marshal Rivera's complaints of the situation at Salerno influ- enced the decision at Naples. But the hour is not perhaps quite accurate. The telegram (printed in Monnier, 272) from the commander-in-chief in Naples to Marshal Rivera, ordering him to retreat from Salerno, is dated 'Naples, 2 a.m.' (presum- ably September 5); whether the hour of this important telegram is correctly printed or not, it is certain the actual retreat was begun in time for the Garibaldini to hear news of it 'whilst at dinner at Auletta on the 5th' ( Forbes, 227, and Peard's Journal sub September 5 and 6). It appears therefore that the final decision to abandon Naples and to withdraw Rivera from Salerno was taken in the morning of September 5, as a result of the telegrams, alarums, and excursions of the night of September 4-5, during which night a 'last reunion of Ministers' was held all night 'until dawn' ( Pianell, 194-195, his wife's journal), and during which Forbes and Gallenga were pouring their false telegrams into Naples and Salerno. One of these is printed in Monnier, 273:-- 'Gallenga to [name of recipient not given]: Eboli, 1.30 a.m. September 5. Caldarelli's brigade has passed over to Garibaldi: 4000 men commanded by Türr have landed at Sapri. Other landings will be effected nearer to us.' In Forbes, 225, and Arrivabene, ii. 168, Gallenga's other telegram (to Ulloa in Naples) is given thus:-- 'Eboli, 11.30 p.m. Garibaldi has arrived with 5000 of his ____________________ | 1 | The officer commanding at Salerno was really Marshal Afan de Rivera, as the dispatches (Monnier) show, though Peard and others sometimes speak of him as Scotti, and Franci as Bosco. | -338- |