. Joachim Murat, marshal of France and king of Naples . here, blew up the fort of Scilla,and retreated northwards before the invaders. An Englishsquadron, escorting a convoy of transports from Palermo,appeared off Naples, and the Sicilians seized the islands ofIschia and Procida. Murat concentrated some thousandsof civic guards to reinforce what was left of his army in andnear the capital, and prepared the forts for defence. Hiswarlike energy called forth an outburst of enthusiasticloyalty to himself and ardent hostility to the Bourbon defence of Naples became a national movement inwh
. Joachim Murat, marshal of France and king of Naples . here, blew up the fort of Scilla,and retreated northwards before the invaders. An Englishsquadron, escorting a convoy of transports from Palermo,appeared off Naples, and the Sicilians seized the islands ofIschia and Procida. Murat concentrated some thousandsof civic guards to reinforce what was left of his army in andnear the capital, and prepared the forts for defence. Hiswarlike energy called forth an outburst of enthusiasticloyalty to himself and ardent hostility to the Bourbon defence of Naples became a national movement inwhich all classes united. But no attack was made on thecity. At Palermo it had been anticipated that the mereappearance of the fleet in the Bay of Naples would producean insurrection against the French king. But it had justthe opposite effect, and the enthusiasm of the Neapolitansrose to fever point when Murats solitary frigate, the Cerere,and some of the gunboats went out to exchange a distantfire with the enemys ships that had stood in to ^^3 MARIE CAROLINE, QUEEN OF NAPLES FROM AN ENGRAVING BY MARIE ANNE BOURLIER JOACHIM NAPOLEON, KING OF NAPLES 209 The desultory fight took place in sight of the city, andwhile the cannonade echoed along the water CaroHne droveout in an open carriage and was saluted by cheering crowdson the Chiaja. The legend arose that as the queen drovealong the sea-front promenade she was actually underhostile fire. The return of the Cerere uninjured was treatedas a naval victory. The whole of the Anglo-Sicilian expedition was mis-managed. When it was found that a mere demonstrationagainst Naples produced no result the fleet withdrew, afterre-embarking the Sicilians who had landed on the was reinforced and drove the Calabrianforce back to the Straits, the Sicilians abandoning artilleryand baggage in their hurried retreat. The insurgents whohad joined them broke up into scattered bands that carriedon a brigand warfare for mo
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