In their zeal for Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity, these _bonnets rouges_ came to blows with the men of Ajaccio, three of whom they hanged.

So fierce was the resentment caused by this outrage that the plan of a joint expedition for the liberation of Sardinia from monarchical tyranny had to be modified; and Buonaparte, who was again in command of a battalion of Corsican guards, proposed that the islanders alone should proceed to attack the Madalena Isles.
These islands, situated between Corsica and Sardinia, have a double interest to the historical student.

One of them, Caprera, was destined to shelter another Italian hero at the close of his career, the noble self-denying Garibaldi: the chief island of the group was the objective of Buonaparte's first essay in regular warfare.

After some delays the little force set sail under the command of Cesari-Colonna, the nephew of Paoli.

According to Buonaparte's own official statement at the close of the affair, he had successfully landed his men near the town to be assailed, and had thrown the Sardinian defences into confusion, when a treacherous order from his chief bade him to cease firing and return to the vessels.