The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-02 00:00:00

EVENING. AUGUST 2, 1848.

struggle the positions of Somme. Campagna and Custoza
were retaken, and the Duke of Savoy passed the night at
Somma Campagna. At ten o'clock in the morning, the
King fixed his head-quarters at Villa-Franca, and
shortly afterwards 6,000 Austrians were brought in pri-
soners, and locked up in the church.
" This morning (25th July) the whole army was on
foot, and eager for the battle. Yesterday, whilst the
battle was going on at Soinnia Campagna and Custoza
an Austrian division attempted to cross the Mincio at
Salionze and Monzambano. The inhabitants were panic
struck, and the young Lombard recruits there fled in
disorder. Colonel Malpassuti has taken th© command
of Brescia.'

The correspondent of the National, under date
Milan, July 27, says—
" Matters soon changed their appearance on the field
of 'battle, and during three days and three nights the
Piedmontese and Austrian armies remained engaged.
On Sunday, the 23d, as we before stated, a part of the
Piedmontese army, being suddenly attacked, was forced
to fall back. On Monday, the 24th, Charles Albert
having hastened up from Marmirole to Villa Franca,
retook the positions which had been captured the
day before, re-established his entire line, and, after
eight hours' combat, caused the Austrians such consi-
derable losses as to open to him the perspective of a
complete victory on the morrow. It was these events of
the 24th, to which had been added, by anticipation, the
probable events of the 25th, that formed the bulletin
transmitted to us yesterday, and which is to be found
to-day in many of the Italian journals. Unfortunately,
on Tuesday, the 25th, whilst the Piedmontese artillery
thundered from the heights of Somma Campagna on the
already shattered Austrian army, a new corps of
the enemy which came out from Verona where
R adetsky had concentrated all his forces from Ley-
nago and Vicenza, attacked the rear of the Pied-
montese army. This movement had been only ren-
dered possible by the defection, or rather let us say
the want of courage of the new Lombard levies and
the treason of the Modenese, who, on the approach of
the Austrians being signalled at Saliouze and Mozam-
bano, abandoned all their positions, and disgarnished all
the posts confided to their guard. The Piedmontese,
happily better warriors, were nevertheless obliged, after
a meritorious resistance, to retire on Villa Franca; after
night-fall it was found necessary to continue this move-
ment of retreat and fall back on Goito, which they did
in good order, carrying with them 2,500 prisoners, living
proofs of the bright success which marked the 24th. This
movement of Charles Albert is explained by the necessity
' he was under of rejoining his reserves on the line of the
Mincio. He can besides call up the corps cantoned on the
banks of the Adda, and, who knows ? resume the offen-
sive against the Austrians, worn out by these three days'
.
fighting. Peschiera is defended by the left wing of the
army, commanded by General do Sonnaz. The blockade
has been necessarily obliged to be raised. It is now
necessary to examine the present situation calmly in
order to judge it properly. A reverse like that of the
25th was easy to foresee. The line of the Piedmontese
was far toe extended ; the bragging inexperience of the
Lombard conscripts bore its own fruits. One could—
one ought to know that finally, since it
was a question of a strategic war, that the mo-
ment would come when the Piedmontese reserves
would bo the only resource of Charles Albert
This is just what has happened. Lombarby is still
covered since Goito has not been abandoned. If the
Austrians dare to pass the Mincio they will expose
themselves to a battle, which manoeuvres skilfully com-
bined may render fatal to them. At Milan, moreover,
where the fugitives raise up on all sides the cry of trea-
son, public opinion has undergone a complete change,
and the intervention of France is called for with a con-
tinually increasing insistance. Can this intervention
take place immediately ? Will you not fear to compro-
mise the whole of Europe if you pass the Alps, as they
will perhaps supplicate you to do ? These are questions
which we ask ourselves here with an anxiety easy to
comprehend."
Accounts from Verona of the 26th state that
CHARLES ALBERT was completely defeated on the
25th, with great loss, by Marshal RADETSKY and
General NUGENT ; that the Austrians were in posses-
sion of Somma Campagna, Villa Franca, Valleggio,
Volta, Monzambano, and the Mincio from Valleggio
as far as the fortress of Peschiera, which is still in the
hands of the Piedmontese. Marshal RADETSKY has
also reopened his communications with Tyrol; in
fact, he has succeeded in accomplishing all that he
undertook to accomplish, and what that was may be
gathered from the following statement :
" JULY 23.—The Piedmoutese army continuing to
concentrate itself in the direction of Matua and the Po,
as well for the purpose of observing that town at to get
nearer to Venice, blockaded on the landside, Marshal
Radetaky prepared an expedition to divert their atten-
tion. The Piedmontese line extends from Rivoli (oc-
cupied for the purpose of closing the communication
of the Austrian army with the Tyrol) along the
heights of Pastrengo, San Giastina, Sona, Somma,
Campagna, Valleggio, Villa Franca, Roverbella, Cur-
talone, Governolo, and beyond it towards the Po.
The posts from Rivoli to Villa Francas having been
probably weakened by the movement towards Mantua,
the Marshal, who for some days had been concen-
trating his force of from 40,000 to 50,000 men round
Verona, decided upon a movement against the centre of
these positions, and directed his army in three columns
one upon the route of the Tyrol, towards Rivoli, another
towards Peschiera, and the third towards Somma Cam-
pagna. The enemy was overthrown at every point with
a considerable loss ; one general, some officers, a few
hundred soldiers, and two guns were taken. Retreat
was precipitate, but the pursuit difficult, the ground not
permitting the employment of the cavalry. The enemy
retired beyond the Mincio ; the troop which was at
Rivoli escaped to Peschiera, part embarking on the Lake
di Garde at Bardolino and Luise. The loss on the side
of the Austrian army amounted to five officers and about
200 men killed and wcunded.

" On the 23d—It is concentrated in observation of
Peschiera and the Mincio, in the direction of Mozam-
bano, Talleggio, and Villa Franca, and waits to see what
Carlo Alberto will undertake against them. Should he,
abandoning the blockade of Mantua, advance upon Ve-
rona, the army awaits him, leaning upon the heights of
Custozzo, in the plains of Villa Franca, to give him
battle. Should he approach by the right of the Mincio,
towards Valleggio and Monzambano, the army has upon
all these points strong positions, anti w ill hold them
against him so as to be able to pass the Mincio at Sa-
lionze, and menace his communications with Lombardy.
In every case his designs upon Mantua and the Venetian
provinces must be postponed, and considering the state
of public opinion, which every day declares itself more
strongly against his inactivity, his situation both mili-
tary and political will become precarious."
The following is the Austrian version of the battle
of the 25th:—

" VIENNA, JULY 27.—The following has been received
by telegraph, dated Padua, July 25:—The Austrian
army has obtained a brilliant victory, and has driven the
enemy out of his entrenchments in the utmost disorder.
Rivoli, Somma Campagna, Castelnovo, and Valleggo are
in our hands. General Morton, with Charles Albert's
adjutant, and many other officers, are prisoners."

The Piedatontese Gazette of the 28th ult. contains
the following list of the new Ministry :
CASATI, President of the Council (Milanese).

Ricci, Interior.

PAM°, Foreign Affairs.
COLLEGNO, War.
GIORA, Grace and Justice.

RATTAZZI, Public Instruction.

DURINI, Public Works.
SANTA ROSA, Or PALEOCAPA (), Finance.

ROME.

It appears that it was at one time in contemplation
to appoint a Committee of War, and this had given
rise to the rumour that a Provisional Government
had been established. Letters of the 24th ult. have
been received from Rome, which state that the Mah-
miani Ministry had retired, and that the POPE had
applied to M. Rossi to form a new Cabinet, but that
M. Rossi had declined.