The Press.
London, England, 1858-01-09 00:00:00

FIELD MARSHAL RADETZ KY.

FIELD MARSHAL COUNT RADETZKY, the oldest and
most distinguished officer in the Austrian service,
died at Milan on the sth inst., after a short illness,
in his eighty-ninth year.
Count Radetzky entered the Austrian army in
1784, and first distinguished himself at the Austrian
siege of Belgrade in 1789. Europe was then upon
the eve of great events. The storm of the French
Revolution was gathering in the West, and a few years
saw Europe deluged with blood, and the Old World
shaken to its centre with anarchy and war. During
the entire period from 1793 to 1815 Radetzky was
present with the Austrian army. He served in Italy
in the campaigns of 17956, and again in 1799 1800.
He held the rank of major-general at the battle of
Austerlitz, and in the campaign of 1809 commanded
the sth corps d'armee, from the opening of the cam-
paign in the valley of the Danube, to the battles of
Aspern, Ealing, and Wagram. In the campaigns of
1813.14, as chief of the staff, he took an important
part in those great campaigns which decided the
fate of Europe, and won for himself a brilliant repu-
tation in the ranks of the Austrian army. From the
peace of 1815 to 1831, Radetzky enjoyed adminis-
trative and military commands in Bohemia and
Hungary. In 1831, and in the sixty-third year of
his age, he was appointed commander•in-chief in
Austrian Italy. Like Saxe, Radetzky was com-
mencing his real career at an age when most men
seek repose. But he was one of those men, so rare,
before whom age stepped aside. At eighty be re•
twined all the activity of a subaltern ; and it
needed such a man for the post he held, for the
office was no sinecure. When Mescal Ferretti
succeeded to the chair of St. Peter as Pius
IL, and initiated his rule by liberal reforms,
a thrill of nationality ran, like the electric fluid,
throughout Italy. This was in 1846. In the fol-
lowing year the movement was almost brought to a
crisis by the Austrians placing a garrison in Ferrara.
A " Gusrdia Civica," or National Guard, was formed
in nearly every State, and then came like a thunder-
bolt the Revolution of 1848 at Paris. Revolution
succeeded revolution. On the 17th March (1848) the
news of the events at Vienna reached Milan. On
the same night the Archduke Rainier, the Viceroy,
with his family, left Milan for Verona. On the next
morning barricades were eiected in every street of
Milan, and a revolution commenced. Radetzky, it
must be admitted, was taken by surprise. After
three days' fighting be retired in good order to
Verona. The Italian League had for a moment
triumphed. The red white and green tricolour
waved from the towers of every city, except Verona,
Mantua, Legnano, and Peschera. The number of
Austrian troops at Radetzky's command at this
period was about 15,000 men. Austria was too much
occupied at home to send reinforcements. Charles
Albert declared himself, and on the 25th of March a
Sardinian army crossed the Ticino in two columns.
On the Bth April he advanced against Radetzky.
Skirmishing commenced on the 9th with the Austrian
outposts at Goito, about six miles from Mantua.
After some severe fighting Charles Albert forced the
passage, and Radetzky fell back, first on Mantua,
then on Verona. The insurrection was general
throughout Italy. Abandoned by the Court of
Vienna, without men, money, or resources, Radetzky
was attacked on all sides. But he never despaired.
He felt that the fate of the Austrian empire was in
his hands, and the intrepid old soldier resolved to
do his duty by his country.
The Italians, elated with success, poured in
reinforcements frcm Tuscany, Rome, and Na-
ples. Radetzky concentrated his main force at
Verona, leaving a strong division at Pas.
trengo to keep open his communications with the
Tyrol. Charles Albert resolved to attack this
division. On the 23rd he canied the heights, and
the Austrians fell back beyond the Etech. The
Piedmontese monarch then gave battle. His army
was about 45,000 strong, that of Radetzky 30,000,
with Verona to fall back upon. On the 6th of May
Charles Albert gave orders to advance, and a general
battle ensued. The Austrians were driven from St.
Lucia. But the good fortune of Charles Albert deserted
him here. Dissension broke out in the Italian
camp. Radetzky, like a good general, took advan-
tage of the opportunity, and forcing Charles Albert
to retreat, commenced that campaign which cleared
Lombardy of the Sardinians. An armistice agreed
upon for the winter was broken by Charles Albert,
early in March, 1849, and the fatal battle of Novara
commenced and eaded the campaign. Charles Albert
abdicated, Ratletzky agreed to a truce with Victor
Emanuel on the 26th of March, and the war with
Sardinia was at an end.
This short and brilliant campaign, which
lasted only one week, added a fresh lustre to
the honours of the marshal. The young Em•
peror Francis Joseph sent the Archduke Wil-
liam of Austria expressly to Milan to thank
Radetzky and present him with the Order of the