occupied the part of Liguria where the mountains are steepest, was
composed solely of infantry, the cavalry being unable to operate,
except in small detachments, on the few open spaces which at this
point separate the shore of the Mediterranean from the mountains of
Piedmont. General Séras, having been ordered to push forward with the
greater part of his division to reconnoitre the area of Mount
Santa-Giacomo, beyond which there were several valleys, wrote to my
father requesting the loan of a detachment of fifty Hussars for this
expedition; a request which could not be turned down. So my father
agreed and named Lt. Leisteinschneider as commander of this
detachment, of which my platoon was a part.

We left Madona to make our way to Finale. There was, at that
time, only a very bad road along the sea coast, known as the
Corniche. The lieutenant badly injured his foot as a result of a
fall from his horse, and so the command passed to the next in
seniority who was a sergeant named Canon, a handsome young man,
capable and well-trained, and full of self-assurance.

General Séras, at the head of his division, advanced next day
onto the snow-clad slopes of Mount Santa-Giacomo, where we encamped.
He had intended to go forward the next day, with he almost certain
expectation of making contact with the enemy; but in how great a
number? On this subject the General had absolutely no information,
and as his orders from the commander-in-chief were to reconnoitre the
Austrian positions at this point of the line, but not to engage in
combat if he found the enemy in strength, General Séras reflected
that if he advanced his infantry division into the middle of the
mountains, where often one could not see enemy troops until one found
oneself face to face with them at a bend in a gorge, he might be led,