The Sun.
London, England, 1867-11-15 00:00:00

TIIE BA'ITLE MEXTAN.I.

The Moniteur of yesterday contains the following
despatch from General de Failly :
" Monsieur le Marechal,—On disembarking at
Civita Vecchia on the 29th October, the first intel-
ligence furnisbel to me with respect to the revolu-
tionary bands stated that the whole of their forces,
under the command of Garibaldi, occupied on the
north a position menacing that city. Their advanced
posts held the right bank of the Anio, and threat-
ened Rome. Our first operations, therefore, were
directed towards separating them, and -dislodging
them from the positions which they occupied. I
was the more anxious to take the offensive because
delay would permit the several bands to assemble
in strength. From the time that the forces at Rome
appeared to be sufficiently strong, the bases of ope-
ration were fixed, in concert with Ufa commander of
the Pontifical troops, and operations were deter-
mined for Sunday, Nov. 3.--The Tiber, as it flows
into Rome, follows a direction from north to south.
At a little distance from the city it receives on the
left bank a considerable affluent, the Anio, with
which it forms almost a right angle. Between
the two rivers are numerous natural redoubts,
rising gradually, and forming excellent defensive
positions. On one of these eminences, ap-
proaching the Tiber, are situated the im-

portant positions of Mentana and Monte Rotondo,
surrounded by earthworks and protected both on
the north and the south by a rough ground and a
difficult approach. This was where the head-quar-
ters of the insurrection were established. Two
routes lead from Rome to this position—one the
road. from Rome to Florence, passing along the
banks of the Tiber, the other crossing the Anio at
a bridge named Nomentana, enters Mentana, and
attains its highest elevation on the approach to the
town which commands a view of Rome. This is
the key of the position. Two columns were put
in motion ; the first consisting of 300 men of the
Pontifical army, taking its route through the valley,
had more particularly the object of making a diver-
sion on Monte Rotondo during the principal attack,
which was arranged to take place on the heights
which surround Mentana. A second column took
this latter direction. It was composed of an ad-
vanced guard of 2,000 Pontifical Zouaves, the
Carabiniers, the Roman Legion, and a battery of
the Pontifical artillery. These troops, under the
command of General Kanzler, had claimed the
honour of commencing the attack. The French
column, commanded by General Polhes, consisted
of the 2d battalion of Chasseurs a Pied, a battalion
of the Ist Regiment of the Line, a battalion of
the 29th, two battalions of the 59th, a detach-
ment of the 12th Chasseurs, a half battery of the
12th brigade of artillery, and a detachment of
engineers, with ambulance waggons. All these
troops, notwithstanding au exceedingly heavy rain
which fell in the morning, were ready for march at
five a.m. The principal column, leaving Rome by
the Poi ta Pia, crossed the bridge of Nomentana,
which the advanced guard of Garibaldians had
evacuated on the previous evening, and arrived
within four kilometres of the position of the rebels
without being attacked. At one o'clock in the day
the advanced posts of the Garibaldians, who held
the positions on both sides of the road, opened fire
on the Pontifical advanced guard. These positions
were rapidly and brilliantly taken by the Zouaves, who
succeeded in establishing themselves on the heights
overlooking Montana. In order to sustain the move-
ment of the Zouaves, and to prevent the enemy from
extending their wings, General de Pelhos sent to
their right three companies of the 2d battalion of
Chasseurs, the battalion of the Ist of the Line, and
to their loft a battalion of the 29th, with one piece
of artillery. The Ist of the Line took their position
on a rising ground 800 metres from Montana, and
opened a well sustained fire on the village with two
other pieces of artillery placed at their disposal.
Notwithstanding the losses which these canon caused

in the enemy's ranks, and the conflagration which
they produced in the village, a body of tirailleurs,
advancing from Monte Rotondo, sought to occupy
all the hills and the elevated plateau which extends
along the road from Mentaua, between San Sul-
pizio and Monte Rotondo. The Roman Legion
and the battalion of Pontifical Carabineers hav-
ing suffered much, and the enemy opposing
a furious resistance, the Ist of the Line charged ra-
pidly on the position, descended at double speed the
slopes of San Sulpizio, and, in order to avoid the
fire of the enemy, deployed ; then, supported by
three companies of the 2d battalion of Chasseurs
the first approached in perfect order, and pressed'
on the extreme left of the Garibaldians, with the
object of cutting off their retreat on Mentana.
This charge with the bayonet, executed with extra-
ordinary vigour, cost us only two wounded, and
produced on the Garibaldians such an effect that
they retreated. Three companies on the right had
deployed at this moment, and suddenly poured into
the disordered masses of the enemy, making for
Monte Rotondo, a tremendous fire, carrying death
and demoralisation among them. The Ist of the
Line, which was under orders to regulate its march
by that of the other columns, here halted, and
took up a position to watch the result of the attack
on Montana itself. While these events were pass-
ing on the right, the battalion of the 29th executed
on the left a similar movement. It attacked vigor-
ously the wooded heights which surround the village,
it pursued the tirailleurs of the enemy from hill to
hill, and rapidly approached Mentana, which it
threatened from the south-west. At this time a Gari-
baldian column, of about 1,500 men, left Monte Ro-
tondo, and endeavoured, after having rallied their
scattered skirmishers, to make its way into Mentana,
which was keeping up a terrific resistance against the
attack made by the Pontifical army in the centre.
Leaving two companies to assure their retreat, the bat-
talion of the 29th charged this column, and compen-
sating for their numerical inferiority by the choice
of a good position commanding the road which
the Garibaldians had taken, it succeeded in hold-
ing the place and in preventing, until nightfall, the
union of the forces which defended Montana. After
having taken the positions of the two wings of the
enemy, it remained to make an attempt upon the
centre. A reconnaissance vigorously carried out was
made upon Mentena by the Pontifical troops who had
been designated for that duty. Night did not permit
them to follow up this operation, which was conse-
quently postponed till tke morrow. The battalions of
the Ist of the Line and the 29th, who were far ad-
vanced, received the order to leave their positions at
night and to rendezvous, Ist near the 59th and the
'29th near the bivouac of the Pontifical Zouaves.
Accordingly all the troops encamped on the field of
battle, having their picquets within gunshot of
Mentana, and ready to recommence the attack at
daybreak. The night passed without alarm. At
half-past five in the morning Lieutenant-Colonel
Bressoles, of the 59th, in visiting the pickets was
informed that Mentana was evacuated. Orders
were given to ascertain the fact. At the beginning
of this operation a flag of truce was displayed
from the Castle of Mentana, and a Garibaldian
officer left the village. Both General Polhes and
General Kanzler rejected the proposition to permit
the defenders of Mentana to depart with their arms
and baggage. At this time the reconnaissance made
by the 59th had entered Montana, and Lieut.-Col.
Bressolles had a communication from the Garibaldiau
officer commanding the castle. Capitulation was
arranged on the following conditions, which Generals
Kanzler and Polhes approved of :—The defenders
of the castle were to be allowed to leave, having laid
down their arms, and to be conducted to the Italian
frontier by a French escort. The other Garibaldians,
to the number of SOO, were to remain prisoners of
war. On the other side, the Ist of the Line having
ascertained that the 59th had met no resistance in
Montana, made a strong reconnaissance on Monte
Rotondo. Two peasants assured them that the
Garibaldians had evacuated the place during the
night. They, however, advanced, taking all
necessary precautions to avoid surprise, but
they only found peaceful inhabitants and
dead and wounded Garibaldians. The Ist Regi-
ment, followed by the 2d battalion of Chasseurs,
entered Monte Rotondo amid the enthusiastic accla-
mations of the population, mingled with cries of
" Vivo l'Empereur !" The arms of the Holy
Father were suddenly displayed on the roof of
the palace, the troops picked up about