UNENVIABLE DISTINCTION.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 8, Issue 28, 5 April 1907, Page 3

UNENVIABLE DISTINCTION.

Disgraceful and DenlovaMe Death of the Wnrot Kefo«ttrt General of Modern Tiin.es. Gen. OrO'Ste Baralieri, who died in the Austrian Tyrol recently, at the age of GO years, achieve <] live years ago last spring the distinction of being the worst defeated general of modem times, reports the New York Mail and Express. He was the commander jji chief of the ill-fated Italian Abyssinian expedition. \X\\]\ an army of about 4-1.00!) men under him at the beginning of t lie iig thing llnratieri was utterly rouled, ami tiie gnnter part of his force killed or captured, by t]ie lirav;and mobile Shoans, who were th: htinjr for their independence. I!e ),ad the misfortune to escape to the cons! himself, and reached there under the imputation of having ahand/mi d his eenerals. Alberloue and Hah-moda. in a cowardly manner. Ar, ii'na.ry iribiina! of six generals acnuiUed him of Ci'iiu!:;al inhniion or per. a! lvsnonsibllity. bat they did not aid moi toehnr hi:;: of the cli:irge of tactical error, and they deplored in their verdict the fact that the command of the Italian troons had been "confided to an incompetent kader." P.aratieri. a native of Austria, had beni one of Garibaldi's red-shirts, with Crispi, and had been favoiad by the powers, that were. lie was. bravo at Marsala, and if he had died at Adowa leading his men, as Dabormida did, he might have saved his reputation, not as a general, but as a fighter. As it was, he died in disgrace.