Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-07-04 00:00:00

THE FRENCH FUNDS.

Saturday, 12,22,

—The Bourse opens inani-

2.23 p._m. : Rentes have risen naw to 63,45

3.38: Rentes closed at 63.35 for both money and
account, being I higher than yesterday.

THE BATTLE oF.SOLFERINO

The following account of the battle of Solferino is
from the pen of the same correspondent who has
described the previous operations of the French and
Sardinian armies :

CAVRIANA, June 25, 4 a.m.--Another name has
been added to the number of those places in this litte
hilly triange which have been illustrated in the
military history of Italy by a battle. Solferino—a
name yesterday unknown to most but antiquaries
and local curiosity-hunters—has to-day an historical
signification. It represents one of the greatest
battles of modern days. It was the first meeting,
with full force, of the two great armies which are
fighting for the fate of Italy. In all the battles and
engagements hithedo fought each side Rad only part

of its forces on the field, or, at any rate, engaged :
..E
yesterday both brought 40, what they could. T'
was, - then, the first _occas.m. n to judge. of that.
and _ ability. . Both
of their armies , - Ettiperors
wer respectivea t t h
e powerhead
surrounded by
all their most experienced -
4uviscri. What the
immediate result of
_this .
• gigantic duel was you
longaefore this letter reaches yoli. ;
is,
influence will be on the warfare
we cann:,,c yet judge ourselves. Except in film
will
lt
knowit s rea...
few eases where an army is completely broken up by
defeat, the result of the greatest battle becomes
only clear some time after. Although a great and
decisive victory, the battle of Solferino does not
belong to those of the former class. The Austrians
v

re beaten, driven from position to position, but
whether they are able or not to make another
stand in the open field, we have as yet to learn.
" There is some element in the Austrian councils of
war which we don't understand, but which gives
to their operations in this second phase of the cam-
paign just as uncertain and vacillating a character
as they possessed in the first part of it. On Monday
they are in full retreat over the Mincio, and on
Thursday they are back again with all their forces,
have taken up their position, fortified it, and are
waiting to receive us. It may have been a feint for
aught we know, but it is rather too much to sup-
pose of the credulity of his adversary to be taken in
by an attempt to play at hide and seek with an army
estimated at 180,000 or 200,000 men. Although,
therefore, everything rather indicated that the
Austrians intended to withdraw behind the Mincio,
not accepting a battle on this side of it, but preparing
to defend the passages of it with all their forces, the
advance was as careful as if every moment they
had expected to meet the enemy. From point to
point the different corps were pushed forward, one
taking the place of the other, and feeling to the
right and left for the enemy. When the Chiese
was crossed, and the allied armies approached
the ground where, if anywhere, the enemy
had to make his stand, their attitude became
quite that of an army advancing to the battle-
field. Each body took up the position which
it was to occupy in the battle. You could see this
plainly if you went along the line occupied by the
Allies the day before the battle, as during the whole
advance the left somewhat overlapped the right,
while on the extreme right itself was a detached
corps far enough to the rear to protect that- flank,
and yet close enough to enter into line in the Hour of
battle. The day before the battle the position
extended from the shores of the lake of Garda at
Desenzano all along the western•edge of the hilly coun-
try from Lonato down to Castiglione, and, bending
back towards Carpenedolo, touched there the Chiese 3
the Emperor himself, with the Guards, as a reserve, at
Montechiaro, and the King, with his Staff, at Lonato.
The reconnaissance, as you will remember, was sent
that day in the direction of Solferino, and fell
in with some Austrian posts ; this proved that the
place was occupied, but gave no key as to whether
it was only a detachment left to observe the advance
of the Allies, or whet-her it was the avantgarde
of the Austrian army. It looked very suspi-.
cious. There was that kind of silence all about the

neighbourhood which you remark almost always
under similar circumstances; the only sign of life
and movement being clouds of dust in the direction
of the Mincio passa,,,e towards Goito and Mantua.
In the afternoon. M. Goddard was to have made
another ascent on a larger scale with his balloon,
from one of the high hills which rise close behind
Castiglione. I had to descend before the ascent took
place, so I cannot tell if it came off, and whether it
threw any additional light on the position of the
enemy. At any rate, there was no stir in the evening
at Montechiaro where the guards remained still
encamped, and the Emperor himself had his head-
quarters. " Yesterday morning, at 5 a.m., the
sound of cannon showed that at last the enemy had
turned at bay; it was a strong reconnaissance which
had rushed forward and made him show his teeth.

Before another hour had passed the Emperor was at
Castiglione ana the Guard on their way there.
Before another hour had passed the dispositions had
been made for the attack. Whether these disposi-
tions were made on:the .inspiration of 'the moment,
suggested by the position of the enemy, or whether
his Majesty :knew, before that the Austrians had
taken up their position, and were ready to dispute
the passage of the Mincio, I cannot presume to -say,
but there is no doubt that the whole had the appear-
ance of a plan improvised on the spot, and the
orders were given out at the last moment. " Before
I speak of these dispositions I will attempt to give
you an idea of -the position of the Austrians. The
Mincio, coming out . of the lake of Garda, runs due
south, while the direction of the hills on both banks
runs at right angels almost towards it. Those on the
right bank, with which alone we have to deal, here
come down from the north-west in a southerly direc-
tion as far as Castiglione, and then making a bend
strike the Mincio in a south-easterly direetion. The
'hilly country forms thus a tolerably regular parallelo-
gram from north-east to eouth-west, the four angles of
which are Lonato, -Peschiera,. Volta, and Castiglione.
This parallelogram of hills is about 12 miles in length
and nine miles in width, and is divided almost in its
middle by a little stream, which runs into the
Mincio. The hills rise gently from the shores of the
lake, add attain their highest elevation about the
source of this stream, falling off again towards
the Mincio. 'This is just about the centre of the
parallelogram, at Rondoletto and Pozzolengo on the
left, and at Solferino, Monte Oliveto, and Cavriitna
on the right banks of the stream. These points
were chosen by the Austrians as the pivot of their
line. The' line -itself extended from 'Peschiera; on
which they leant their extreme right, through this
pivot, down into the plain of the Mincio, intersect-
ing the great road to Goito. The whole line was
-not less than twelve miles in length..Cavriana was the
centre of it, which the Emperor of Austria had
chosen for his head-quarters, while Solferino was the
key of the whole position. This order of battle No-
tected all the approaches to the Mincio, but it was
just the necessity which was felt to protect all the
roads leading to the Mincio which caused this
extent, and became thus an element of weakn(
the whole position ; and this length .)of line and cor
responding weakness increased the, more the 'Mimic
is approached, for the road to Goito, which is the
principal passage, goes off from Castiglione at a con.
siderable angle towards the south-east. Thu
weakness was recognised, and the dispositions tat

accordingly. Instead of taking the position in front,
where it is of formidable strength, the whole weight
of the attack was thrown on the wings, with the
view of breaking through the line if possible, and
gaining one of the Mincio passages, or at any rate
forcing the enemy out of the strong position in the
hills. Accordingly the 4th corps, commanded by
General. (now Marshal). Niel reinforced by part of

the reserve and artillery, received the
to act in the plain, towards Goito.

corps, of Marshal Baraguay d'Hilliers, was to prop
teed by the road which runs from Castiglione along
the base of the hills,
.near the little village of Gio
up to Solferino. Ono division of the 2nd corps, of
the Due de Magenta, was to take this same village
from the hill road in front, while the other was- tc
take quite in rear by S. Cassiano. The 3rd corps of
Marshal Canrobert did not enter in line but was
bent back en potence in the direction of Castel Onzage,
while the Sardinian Army was to execute on the left
wing a flank movement corresponding to that on the
right, trying to break through the line 'between
Pesehfera and Pozzolengo, and get to ono of the
Mincio passages which exist in that direction. The
Guards remained as a reserve, under the personal

direeion of the Emperor, who took the command of
the movement. Although the hilly nature of the
country is favourable enough for observation, the
line was too
extended to overlook the whole, while
the Eiimultaneo;ts character of the movements made
it impossible to foPow details in every point. I must
confine myself, there fore, only to the main features,
as far as I saw them mvself, or have had time as yet
to ascertain them. The attack being almost simul-
taneously on the right and in the centre, for while
the fire of musketry and the advance of columns on
Solferino indicated that the battl:l44 begin} in the