Meanwhile, Speckbacher and the Capuchin kept up hostilities successfully on the eastern frontier.  Haspinger wished to invade the country of their foes, but was restrained by his more prudent associate.  Speckbacher is described as an open-hearted, fine-spirited fellow, with the strength of a giant, and the best marksman in the country.  So keen was his vision that he could distinguish the bells on the necks of the cattle at the distance of half a mile.

His son Anderle, but ten years of age, was of a spirit equal to his own.  In one of the earlier battles of the war he had occupied himself during the fight in collecting the enemy’s balls in his hat, and so obstinately refused to quit the field that his father had him carried by force to a distant alp.  During the present conflict, Anderle unexpectedly appeared and fought by his father’s side.  He had escaped from his mountain retreat.  It proved an unlucky escape.  Shortly afterwards, the father was surprised by treachery and found himself surrounded with foes, who tore from him his arms, flung him to the ground, and seriously injured him with blows from a club.  But in an instant more he sprang furiously to his feet, hurled his assailants to the earth, and escaped across a wall of rock impassable except to an expert mountaineer.  A hundred of his men followed him, but his young son was taken captive by his foes.  The king, Maximilian Joseph, attracted by the story of his courage and beauty, sent for him and had him well educated.

The freedom of the Tyrol was not to last long.  The treaty of Vienna, between the Emperors of Austria and France, was signed.  It did not even mention the Tyrol.  It was a tacit understanding that the mountain country was to be restored to Bavaria, and to reduce it to obedience three fresh armies crossed its frontiers.  They were repulsed in the south, but in the north Hofer, under unwise advice, abandoned the anterior passes, and the invaders made their way as far as Innsbruck, whence they summoned him to capitulate.

During the night of October 30 an envoy from Austria appeared in the Tyrolese camp, bearing a letter from the Archduke John, in which he announced the conclusion of peace and commanded the mountaineers to disperse, and not to offer their lives as a useless sacrifice.  The Tyrolese regarded him as their lord, and obeyed, though with bitter regret.  A dispersion took place, except of the band of Speckbacher, which held its ground against the enemy until the 3d of November, when he received a letter from Hofer saying, “I announce to you that Austria has made peace with France, and has forgotten the Tyrol.”  On receiving this news he disbanded his followers, and all opposition ceased.

The war was soon afoot again, however, in the native vale of Hofer, the people of which, made desperate by the depredations of the Italian bands which had penetrated their country, sprang to arms and resolved to defend themselves to the bitter end.  They compelled Hofer to place himself at their head.