Persano, still on the Affondatore, now led his fleet out of action, and it was the first time he had led it during the day.  Tegethoff gazed after the vanishing squadron with anxiety, as had Persano turned and renewed the battle from a distance, he could have revenged his defeat at close quarters without receiving a shot, owing to the longer range of his guns.  But for such an operation skilful manoeuvring was wanted, and also, perhaps, more precision in firing than the Italian gunners possessed.  At any rate, Persano had no mind for new adventures.  He took what remained of his fleet straight back to Ancona, where the Affondatore sank in the harbour from injuries received during the battle.  For three days the Italian people were told that they had won a victory, then the bitter truth was known.  The admiral, tried before the Senate, was deprived of his rank and command in the Italian navy.  The politician who, when convinced of his unfitness, yet had not the nerve to remove him from his post, died, full of years and honours, Prime Minister of Italy.

Lissa was fought on the 20th of July.  On the 25th, Prussia signed the preliminaries of peace with Austria without consulting her ally, who, if unfortunate, had been eminently loyal to her.  Thus the whole forces of the Empire, not less than 350,000 men, were let loose to fall upon Italy.  Such was the wrathful disappointment of the Italians at their defeats by land and sea, that if a vote had been taken they would possibly have decided for a renewal of the struggle.  Ricasoli was inclined to risk war rather than bow to the Austrian demand that the evacuation of the Trentino should precede the conclusion of an armistice.  At this crisis, La Marmora acted as a true patriot in forcing the hand of the Ministry by ordering the recall of the troops and sending General Petitti to treat directly with the Austrian military authorities.  ’They will say that we have betrayed the country,’ said the King in the interview in which these measures were concerted; to which La Marmora answered:  ’Come what may, I take the whole responsibility upon myself.’  ‘This is too much,’ replied Victor Emmanuel with tears in his eyes; ‘I, also, will have my part in it.’  In which brief dialogue the character of the two men stands revealed; men who might fall short in talent or in judgment, not in honour.

The volunteers, so many of whose comrades lay dead along the mountain gorges—­who believed, too, that they were in sight of the reward of their sacrifices—­were thrown into a ferment, almost into a revolt by the order to retreat.  They had expected in a day or two to shake hands with Medici, who, after some hard fighting, was within a march of Trento.  The order was explicit:  instant evacuation of the enemy’s territory.  Garibaldi, to whom from first to last had fallen an ungrateful part, took up his pen and wrote the laconic telegram:  ‘Obbedisco.’  ‘I have obeyed,’ he said to the would-be mutineers, ’do you obey likewise.’  Someone murmured ‘Rome.’  ‘Yes,’ said the chief, ‘we will march on Rome.’