HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
that struck with a sudden panic, 
they gave way after the bayonets of 
' the two armies had began to cross, 
and endeavoured to save themselves 
by flight. It was too late, however, 
to escape. They were overtaken 
with immense slaughter, and in a 
short time the whole of the left wing 
of their army was totally routed and 
dispersed. ‘The enemy being thus 
completely discomfited on their left, 
made an effort with their right, to 
_ Fetrieve the honour of the day; but 
they were resisted with great stea- 
diness by the English left, and their 
cavalry being thrown into disorder, 
in an attempt to turn the English 
flank, by an unexpected fire from 
_ the twentieth regiment, which land- 
ed during the action, and came up 
_ at this critical juncture, they aban. 
doned the field of battle with preci— 
pitation, and left an undisputed vic. 
tory to their opponents. About 700 
French were buried on the ground, 
and 1000 prisoners taken, among 
whom were general Compere and 
several other officers of rank; but 
their total loss from’ this conflict is 
estimated by sir John Stuart, at not 
less than 4000 men. The English had 
only 45 men killed and 282 wound- 
ed in the action. 
_ This glorious victory which was 
gained on the 6th of July, was the 
signal of a general insurrection in 
both the Calabrias. The peasants, 
already prepared to take up arms, 
rose in every direction against the 
French, cut off their stragglers, pur- 
sued their flying parties, and attack- 
ed their posts. ‘I'he French, pro- 
voked by their defeat, and exaspe- 
‘rated by the cruelty of the insure 
gents, who gave no quarter to such 
as fell into their hands, retaliated 
with a savageness and ferocity, more 
disgraceful 
to their character thap_ 
143 
the panic terrors, which had seized 
them at Maida. The villages, which 
declared against them, were plur~ 
dered and burned to the ground, 
and the inhabitants massacred with- 
out distinction of age or sex. This 
usage still farther inflamed the Ca- 
labrians, whose attacks on their 
posts were incessant and furious, till 
with the assistance of the English, 
they drove them entirely out of 
their country. Unable to contend 
with their numerous and exasperated 
assailants, the French were com- 
pelled at length to evacuate both 
Calabrias, and to abandon all the 
cannon, stores; and ammunition, 
which they had collected in these 
provinces for the inyasion of Sicily,’ 
Not a single place along the coast 
was left in their possession, from 
Coohne to Sicosa. Of 9000 men, 
which was the amount of their force 
in lower Calabria, befure the battle 
of Maida, not above 3000 made 
good their retreat; and in upper 
Calabria their loss from the insure 
gents, for the English did nat pene. 
trate into that province, was by 
their own confession very consider- 
able. 
But glorious and successful as this. 
expedition had been, it soon appear- 
ed, how far it was from having 
opened to the king of Sicily any 
prospect of regaining his kingdom 
of Naples, So sensible was sir' John 
Stuart of his inability to maintain 
the ground he had won in Calabria, 
that from the plain of Maida he 
announced his intention of rety rning 
without loss of time to Sicily. On 
the 18th of July his head-quartemp 
were at Bagnara near Reggio; and 
on the 23d, the fort of Scylla, oppo- 
site to Messina, a place of great 
importance for the secure navigation 
of the straits, surrendered to one of 
. his 
