Reflections of a stormy petrel

If you want a maritime hero, look to Cochrane. I have a suspicion that Garibaldi himself modelled himself on him; after being disgraced in England in 1814, he went to South America and fought for the liberty of Chile and Brazil, where he is duly remembered. He also fought in the Greek War of Independence, though he was less effective there for a number of reasons. He was a genuine hero. As for Garibaldi, he deserves his reputation, except for his foolish and sterile hatred of the Church; in general, he was both chivalrous and disinterested. At the height of his glory, after he had conquered the south for King Victor Emmanuel, he rejected both money awards and titles of nobility; and when he received an official approach from President Lincoln, who was looking for a better military leader than McClellan, he answered that he would if the war was waged with the intent of freeing slaves. Lincoln at the time did not feel able to do so, and that ended the negotiations.