The Express.
London, England, 1859-05-24 00:00:00

THE BATTLE OF MONTEBELLO,

VlOll 0171 OWN

TURIN, MAr 2L

At 11 o'clock yesterday 15,000 Austrians, under
the order of General Zobel, were sten to move
towards the Piedmontese positions of Montebello,
which were occupied by 800 Sardinian horse-
men supported by two batteries. The Austrians were
:marching in echelons, their right wing bent in the
direction of Branduzzo, their left flank, supported by
a large artillery, on Cesona, 'child their columns of
attack of the centre advanced, by nasals, towards
one lines of Montebello.

As soon as General Forey wM roused by roll after
roll of musketery on the left, and by the sharp
report of Austrian and Piedmontese guns, he
marched with the tad brigade of his division in
the direction of Montebello to support the Piedmon-
tele cavalry, which by this time had already ad,
vaned to meet the enemy.
The battle of Montebello scarcely admits of descrip-
tion. It was a series of dreadful deeds of daring,
hand-to-hand fights, of sanguinary encounters, of
desperate charge. and assaults. The shells and
bullets of the Austrians burst so thickly among our
troope that our centre, already engaged, was
obliged to fall back on the right of our
lines, retiring from Montebello, protected by
a ravine filled with brushwood which de-
scended towards the main road of Voghers. As
General Beuret led on his men to support our
centre, it was observed that a body of the enemy
had gained the top of a hilly ground behind the
French division oe our right. A deadly volley was
poured into them, and, protected by the fire, both
Piedscatess and French came out from the ravine
and went boldly to meet the enemy. The
effect of the new French guns, carrying their bullets
at a distance of more than two English miles, was
so great, that the centre of the Austrians was soon
obliged to fall back on its reserve, and Montebello
was again occupied by our men. By this time the
3rd and 4;h brigades of General Forey's division
had reached the scene of the action. This distin-
guished officer bad left in support of a small band
of the national guard—who, by the bye, fought
bravely—his Ist brigade, sending an orderly officer
of his staff to Marshal Beragony
asking support if need be. Having thus given hi.
orders he came on with his &naves at the pas Jr
charge. One battalion of Chasaeurs d'Orleans
rushed by, the light of battle on their feces. It was
I accompanied by two battalions of the line, com-
manded by Dachet and Lacretelle. The shock was
terrible; Lacretelle fell dead from hie horse, Major
Duchef fell dead after him; our men still advanced
ala bagatelle. An Austrian colonel and 200 Croats
weremade prisoner,. Assailed in front by the French;
broken by the impetuosity of the charge of
Sir-
diuian Monferrato's light horsemen, led by the
bravo Colonel Morelli; attacked on the right by the
lad brigade, sod by our artillery all along the line,
the Austrians began to retire after a struggle of aix
hours. At 5 o'clock p.m. they were driven pell-mell
down the hills towards Stradella on one side, and
towards Casatisma on the other, leaving mounds of
dead behind them. We had woe the day.
The Austrians were therefore unable to force our
positions, though they were 15,000 strong, with a
powerful artillery, thus outnumbering us by 6,000
men. Forty's division numbered scarcely 8,000
fighting men, and was supported by 900 Sardinian
horses. You must not forget that this brave cavalry,
led by young Colonel Dc Sonnaz, sustained for an
hour the first shock of the enemy, thus giviog time
to the French to come over.
The last charge made by the Sardinians was fatal
to Colonel Morelli, who fell mortally wounded from
hie hone. Besides this lose, we have to deplore 200
dead and 300 wounded. Amongst the last the
names of Colonels Griot', Les Bane, lie Bellefonds,
Duemenil, and Mejor Femoral, all French superior
officent, are to be noticed. General Forey and the
Sardinian cavalry colonel, Do Senna; behaved
nobly. It is impossible to ascertain the lose sus-

1859.

tained by the enemy, because the official report has
not yet arrived in Turin. According to the ac-
counts of my informant, the Austrians have
lost 1,500 men, dead and wounded, to say the
least. It has been noticed that their men could
not stand the impetuosity of Zouaves' and Chasseurs'
bayonets and of Sardinian swords. As soon as they
were assaulted by the deadly weapons they were
always driTen pell-mell from their positions, and the
village of Montebello was thus taken and retaken
thrice during the action. I make no pretension what-
ever to send you a correct description of the battle.
As I have already said, this brilliant exploit admits
of no description; it is only a sketch that I pre-
sent to your reader..

A French correspondent at Aleasandria, writing
at 3 p.m. on Saturday, gives ns the following par-
ticulars of the battle:

" The population of Alcssandria was awakened
this morning by cries of victory. French blood has
flowed, but our eagles have re-appeared in all their
glory on the plain where they were so illustrious
fifty years ago. Young France will have its battle
of Montebello.

" Yesterday, at about 1 in the afternoon,
the Piedmontese advanced posts which watch
our lines before Voghera, heard the sound of
cannon in the direction of the little village of
Casteggio, and at once intended General Forey.
He believing, from the account given him,
that the Austrians were making a simple
reconnaissance, advanced immediately with about
600 men. It was soon perceived that the enemy
was advancing 12,000 strong, including a detach-
ment of cavalry and two battalions of artillery.
General Forey at once ordered the rest of his divi-
sion to advance, and while this movement was being
executed, the 500 men kept the Austrian army in
check. The conduct of the soldiers at this moment
was truly admirable. For some minutes Colonel
Cambriel, with scarcely 100 men under him, was
seen commanding a vigorous lire, and taking an
heroic part in the resistance. As soon as the divi-
sion arrived the engagement became more general ;
the artillery could not act very rapidly, owing to
the bad state of the ground. While, however, some
guns were playing upon the main body of the enemy
with effect, two pieces were carried by our artillery-
men to the top of a small mound from which they
swept the plain with great success. Being received
with extraordinary vigour, and closely pressed, the
Austrians retreated, and our troops followed them as
far as Montebello. They drove them out of that
town with vigour and energy. Not a house but was
attacked; in every street combats were fought; but
in no place, and at no moment, did the numerical
superiority of the enemy for a moment prevail.
After the occupation of Montebello came that of
Casteggio. The results were the same, and all the
more remarkable that the Austrians were the aggres-
sor", and yet lost more ground than they would
perhaps have lost had they waited an attack. The
information circulating this morning is exceedingly

vague. I have heard a great deal, but at the hour
at which I write we are waiting for the circumstan-
tial accounts which the Emperor will have received
himself. His Majesty left at a vary early hour this
morning for the field of battle. The Prince de la
Tour d'Auvergne and several staff officers preceded
him last night. His Majesty took with him General
Fleury, Dr. Larrey, the surgeon-in-chief; his chap-
lain, the Abbe Leine; and a chaplain of one of the
regiments of the guard."
The letter goes on to say that according to
the first official statements General Forey's
division had &bent 600 men hors de combat.
A great many officers were killed. General Beuret
was nearly the last victim, being killed by a chance
ball when the fighting was over: During great part
of the time the opposing forces were firing at each
other at a distance of not more thin 400 yard,.
Among the 200 Austrian prisoners there is a colonel
and 20 officers. Their loss in killed and wounded
is stated at 2,001 As to munitions of war, the
French took an artillery waggon, and they lost
one; so that the story told by the Nord, of the
Austrians having lost all their materiel, ie untrue.
The letter blames the Piedmontese cavalry force
for having allowed General Forey to be surprised
by the enemy's movement, but it says that they
nobly redeemed their fault, behaving in the most
gallant manner throughout, and making two splen-
did charges.
The Paris Patric, in answer to the Austrian
assertion that the French troops at Montebello were
superior in cumbers, says it is able to affirm that
the allied forces engaged consisted of one regiment
of Sardinian cavalry, and scarcely so many as 5,000
French soldiers.

General Forey stater, in a report, that the evict
amount of the French losses at Montebello is not
yet known, but they are numerouv, especially in su-
perior officers. He estimates them at about from
600 to 700 killed and wounded. Those of the enemy
must be considerable, judging from the bolies of the
dead,especially in the village of Montebello.

absorbed M takMg motes from a book °p it before him. I
glanced a' the work and read at the top of the page, 'Epic-
tole/ Adrian' Epi.N.pl.' Happy man, who could °aeon
himself with the letters of Adrian at three leagues from the
Croats I "

The Constaideonnel bee a letter from its special corres-
pondent, M. Ernest Drielle, in which the same feet. ate
stated, with a eight difference of style—particularly the
desolate state of the country around Caitale—the mulberry
toe*. cut down, and the beadle at breakfast and unwilling to
show the church.

A letter from Seesaws]e of the 18th, iu the Pays, from a
person accompanying the French troops on the road from
Genoa to Abaaandria says :
" During three days we have been wailing in mud, and I
have been wet thri.u,ch with rain. To-day. however, on
leaving the mountsin, the rain cured, and immediately joy
overspread our (31,311; and when the sun chose out j..yona
cogs wens sung. In truth, there is nothing more melan-
choly than the route over the mountain—no air, no perepee-
tire, no horizon—un the right, on the Lett, under foot and
over head, everywhere ruck—always rock. Our first even-
ing, passed et Bolzanesto, was very gay. Some of our
Zouaves were lodged is a Lion whith the inhabitants had
converted into a theatre fur a strolling company; and
there still remained a stage, a curtain, scenery, and
foot-lights. Ntbing nos wanting but the asters; but
our men considered the opportunity too favourable not to
give the inhabitants a specimen of their talents. Imme-
diately splendid bills were stuck up in the village, annomic-
hog 11. terfiflUlleCe far thu benefit of the poor; sod the seine
wee liew ire made known by best of drum la the village, ac-
companied by the customary declaration that it was to be ' by
permission of the mayor.' In the evening the theatre was
crowded, sad the performances were charmingly varied—
futilely, a vaudevide, a pantomime, a ballet and singing.
From toe manner in which the inhabitants of Bolzanesto ap-
plauded, they must have been delighted. For my own part,
I laughed until tears fell from my eyes at the ballet, which
wee execurt d by ach non ZOLIIVI a who were attired like the
dancing gbh of the opera. In the course of the ballet were
a garotte and a pro composed by the dancing-muter of the
regiment, and the duffle was so gntseque so to be impossible
to deserine."

A letter from Vents of the 18th in the Salta rublie of
Lyons says :
" I was yeersday at • cafe with the officers of the 30th at
the gate of the Allt-rgo, when a lead my of Viva l'Em-
per. ur '.' arose. It was the Emperor who had arrival
uoexpected;y on horseback, in a generisfs uniform, with •
kepi, and escorted by only a few officers In • few minutes
the whole pnputation was on foot, the streets were decked
with Begs, and drums wore beaten to collect the troops. Hie
Majesty yrueded slowly by the street which leads to an
emulates from which the naked eye can tee the vast plains
of the Po and the Lereellina. The position being within
teach of cannon wee not without danger. I had
the hsitur of approaching the Emperor, who, bending down
on tie horee's neck, asked me if I were French. I replied
that I was a jmunalist who hod ventured to the advanced
pees. He antihd .end questioned me on the positions of the
Austrians. I showed him detachments of their troops on
the books of the river, the village Freseharolo, and in the
horiz n Modica, their head-quartets. We Majesty by
means of his glass could see an Anetrien wither on the
watch in the belfry of the church of Freecharolo, and even
distinguish the hour by the clock. On the left is the rail-
way bridge, of which the enemy has blown up two arches,
and which he guards with two hundred or three hun-
dred men. The !hakes of sentinels on the bank'

—.-.
of the river could be distingaiehtd here and them.
The Emperor then conversed with some of the Italians; hie
Majesty speaks pure Tuscan, and with a facility which sew-
prised his bearers. After en inspection, which lasted about
twenty minutes, the Emperor turned to leave. As he did so,
the troop. who were drawn up In line waved their shakos
on they bayonets, end mid out a thousand Howe, Viva
l'Emp wear ! ' An old Italian patriot, who had been in rade
since 1849, approached, and cried our, with teen streaming
down Ina foe,' Viva Napoleons, it Salvatore della Italie?
The Emper r seemed effect. d, and related him kindly. At
that moment the Emperor's eye met mine, and in the emotion
of the moment I ventured to h..ld out my head. His Ma-
jesty deigned anti a mile t. grasp it. That is an incident
which I shall never forget as bug se I live, The Emperor
then lett by the gate of Alessandria."

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(110 x ora OWN 0011WIPONDTWL)

PARIS, Ii0:4-DAT EVENISO.

The death of the King of Naples has been so
frequently reported untruly that you will perhaps
scarcely credit the event upon the faith of the tele-
gram which will have reported it to you. I think
it right, therefore, to say that the fact of his death
is now considered quite certain here.
.

The system of “akcounting " is still continued at
the Boone. Business was, however, dull, and there
was little fluctuation. Saturday's prices were, how-
ever, well maintained. The Rente closed at 61fr. 30a;
and 611 r. 35c., being a rise for account of sc. Mo-
biller remains unvaried. Railways wero from 2fr.soc.
to Mr. higher.

Two gentlemec, whose conversation was over-
heard by a spy, were arrested today in one of the
corridors of the Bourse, on a charge of "propa-
gating false news." One of them was an English-
man. After being detained in custody for a few
minutes they were released on giving their names
and addressee, in order that the authorities may
have an opportunity of prosecuting them if thought
fit.
The Echo de r Aveyron has received a warning for
the reasons appearing in the following prefectorial
decree :

Whereas two warniegs have been a'ready given to the
Echo de l .ctrcyron ; considering various articles published
tk.t j vernal, and particularly those beaded " Affairts de la
Revolusion ;" considering that the Echo do 1 Areyron is
constantly condintei in a spirit hostile to the Emperor's go-
vernment, and that it sympathises with its t nmiss by
approving thecoodnet ani policy of Anglia; that it endea-
vours by means ssf malevolent insinuations to agitate and
alarm the populasfms, deceiving theca as to the object of the
war which we are carrying on in Italy—we therefore doses
a third and MA warniog is given to the Edo de r dreyroa
in the parson of the principal editor, M. Vtgronx.—Done at
Itoiey May 17.
For the Prefect of the Aveyron, absent on a circuit.
The Councillor of the Protectory, del( gattd Secretary-Ga.
Loral, <)AEMEL ROCHE.
It is rumoured that Prince Richard de Metternich,
the Austrian envoy at Dresden, will succeed the
Count de Rechberg as president of the Frankfort
Die•. I have mentioned before that M. de Hubner,
who was at one time supposed to be an aspirant for
Skis office, hopes to be Austrian ambassador in
I London.