The Sun.
London, England, 1859-06-30 00:00:00

TITURSDAY

JUNE 30, 1854.

this decision rather eccentric, I could not succeed

in persuading him to give it up, so we left Lonato
at about nine o'clock in the evening. The night
was beautiful, and the camp fires scattered all round
on the hills produced such an effect as I could
not have imagined. We were driving towards the
plain along a narrow road ; the hills on our left
presented a sharp outline against the starry ground
of an Italian sky. Now and then a distant vil-
lage clock or the barking of farm-dogs broke the
silence of the night, adding to the solemnity of the
surrounding scene.
It was about two o'clock in the morning when I
arrived, with my companion, at Montechari, at
which place the head-quarters of the Emperor have
been established since Tuesday last. The place was
all confusion, for the troops were already in move-
ment towards the front. Being well acquainted with
the country, I advised my companion to leave the
main road, and we made our way through the
stony ground of the Campagna towards Castiglione
delle Stivere. We had not yet arrived in the town
—which is celebrated as having given birth to St.
Louis Gonzaga, and the name to one of the most illus-
trious faits d'arnzes of the Napoleonic campaigns—
when the report of field guns on our right gave the
signal that the fight had begun in the direction of
Medale. And so it had, for when we reached the
town of Castiglione we found that the Imperial
Guard was already marching in haste towards

hat direction. Our horses were too tired to fol-

low the movements of the army, so I thought it
was better to proceed at once to the Monte del
Belvedere, an elevated hill from which one can
overlook all the Campagna of Meddle, a large plain,
only circumscribed by the far distant horizon.
Once arrived at the Roccolo Beschi we could dis-
tinctly see the smoke of field guns and muskets—in
a word, all the operations of the army. The French
body which was first thus engaged was the corps
d'arince of General Niel, which since the preceding
evening was marching on the direction of Medale.
The advanced guard of General Niel had met
three divisions of Urban's corps, at a farmhouse
called the Casa di Maioralsice, and was obliged
to make its way amid a tremendous fire of
musketry and artillery. As soon as Marshal Can-
robert was made aware of the enemy's attack, he
ordered his troops to throw aside their knapsacks,
and with all possible speed hastened to the scene of
action. After an hour's fight the action became
general all over the plain, and the arrival of the
Emperor soon converted it into a regular pitched
battle. Marshal MacMahon was soon engaged on
the left, and the distant report of artillery, which
was carried by the wind blowing from the Lago di
Garda, apprised us that the Piedmontese army was
equally engaged somewhere near Rivoltella and

Peschiera. It was about two o'clock in the after-
noon when the Piedmontese, proceeding from
Rivoltella, succeeded in making their junction with
the French army. The French centre had been
compelled by the events of the day to concentrate
the mass of its forces towards the hilly village of
Solferino, where the Austrians were disputing the
ground with an energy unprecedented in the pre-
sent war. The battle became then a tremendous
one. The Piedmontese, led by the King, really
performed wonders. Tho Ist and 2d Regiment of
the Guards emulated the Zouaves to such a degree
that a French officer told me it was impossible to
imagine anything more grand and heroic. Gene-
rals Durando's and Fanti's divisions took position
after position at the point of the bayonet, till they
succeeded in routing the enemy, which was obliged
to fall back on Cavriana and Volta. This back
movement was soon stopped by the enemy's
reserve coming from Guidizzolo, Cerlungo, and
Goito, so that the conflict was renewed, and
lasted till night. Of course it is impossible
for me to send you a correct account of this great
and bloody struggle in which the Austrians mus-
tered not less than 140,000 men. The allies had as
many as that, though not until nearly the close of
the day. The losses on both sides have been tremen-
dous. The Sindaco of Castiglione, a Dr. Poli, told
me half an hour ago that he,thought the two armies
had not less than 40,000 hors de combat. Field
pieces, prisoners, flags, I hear, have also fallen into
our hands, and I saw myself batches of prisoners
sent to Castiglione and to Brescia. At about eight
o'clock in the evening the smoke, which had en-
veloped for more than ten hours the hills which
stretch away from Castiglione as far as Volta,, was
gradually dispersing, so it was clear that the great
struggle was drawing to a close. I descended
from the Monte del Belvedere, and, almost ex-
hausted by the sleepless night I had passed, came
baek-to Castiglione, which I found all in confusion.
Thousands of wounded were arriving at every mo-
ment, and it would have been useless to stay in
such a place at that time. In the confusion which
prevailed I had lost my companion, so that I was
obliged to walk on in the direction of Montechiari.
At about three o'clock in the afternoon a tremen-
dous hurricane came on, which must have greatly
added to the fatigue of the fighting armies. The
heavy rains and the fatigue of a long walk had
harassed me to such a degree that I was obliged to
come back to Castenedolo on a small cart belonging
to a farmer, whom I met on his way home.
When I get further particulars of the result of
to-day's fight you shall have them ; but I hope you
will not underrate all the difficulties I have to
surmount in order to get proper and correct infor-
mation. Our lines are now so long that it is almost
impossible to get news on which one can really
depend.

Another letter from Castiglione, dated June 24,

says : •
A great battle has been fought, and a great vic-
tory has been won ; but another battle may be
fought again to-morrow, and another victory still
more complete may be gained. But at present all
I have to tell you is of what took place to-day.
Marshal M'Mahon's corps left Castiglione this
morning at four a.m., without expecting to be at-
tacked, but before it had marched more than three
miles on the Mantua road it was fired upon by the
Austrian advance on the left of the high road. The
corps kept up a waiting fight until it was sup-
ported by Marshal Baraguay d'Hilliers, who brought
the Ist corps from between Lonato and Castiglione
to its assistance. The fight began on the road, and
then diverged to the left, and the village of Solferino
was attacked by the French. At this time General
Niel, with the 4th corps, was at some distance, wait-
ing for the approach of Marshal Canrobert, who, had
got very far on the right towards Mantua, but leav-
ing a very great distance between them. The
CaValry of the Guard then caine up and had tohold
a distance of nearly two miles between Marshal
M'Mah9n and General Niel, covering the marshal's
corps, but itself without artillery. This division con-
sisted of two regiments of Cuirassier of the Guard
forming the first brigade, the Lancers of the Guard
and Dragoon de l'lmperatice the second brigade,
and the Chasseurs and Guides formed the light
brigade, which, commanded by General Cassag-
nolles, made a brilliant charge, directed in person
by General Maurice, who commanded the whole.
The Chasseurs de France also made a great charge,
commanded by General Goudin de Villene. This
part of the battle took place on the plain imme-
diately in front of Castiglione, the field of battle
beginning at about seven miles in advance of the
town.

In the meantime the battle raged on the heights
between the Austrians—whose line extended nearly,
if not quite, from Peschiera along the range of hills
down into the plain—and the Turcos, Voltigeurs of
the Guard, Grenadiers, and Artillery of the Guard.
The Turcos suffered immensely, as they distinguished
themselves by their usual impetuosity ; they lost
their colonel, mortally wounded, and many of their
officers. The Artillery of the Guard there lost a very
great part of their officers, as they engaged at half-
rifieshot, and the Tyrolese sharpshooters, who are
exceedingly good, picked the officers off at their
guns ; for this reason their loss has been very severe.
The whole Cavalry and Artillery of the Guard had
not even had their coffee when they went into action.
So little was a general affair expected that the offi-
cers of the Grenadiers and Voltigeurs were looking
for quarters for the day, when a staff officer rode
into Castiglione and ordered them forward at once.
General Maurice had been remaining with his
division of cavalry as a reserve at Castenedolo, not
expecting to be called t,lou so soon, nor did Marshal

M'Mahon's officers when they marched at three
o'clock in the morning ; but at four firing began to
be heard at slow intervals, which continued for some
time, and at half-past six the Guard arrived at
Castiglione and was immediately pushed on, as I
have before mentioned. Being on foot I had no
chance of reaching a good place near the field of
battle in time to be able to distinguish the different
manoeuvres ; I therefore mounted the steeple of the
church, from which I saw the fight going on slowly
in the plain.
A cloud of dust, which grew thicker as it ap-
proached, at last showed a column of Austrian
cavalry and artillery coming from Volta ; but Mar-
shal Baraguay d'Hilliers' corps made a detour from
within three miles of Lonato, which is easily seen
from Castiglione, where he was encamped, and
attacked the Austrians on the heights, the Artillery
of the Guard coming up into line at full gallop.
General Maurice's division was marching slowly
from Montechiaro, when a colonel of the staff
brought them up in a hurry to fill up the gap be-
fore mentioned. Marshal M'Mahon's corps then
made a movement to the left, and supported Mar-
shal Baraguay d'Hilliers and the first corps.
General Devaux's brigade of the Ist and 3d
Regiments of Chasseurs d'Afrique made a charge
into a dense wood and at first missed the square
they were to attack, but made a second and most
successful and brilliant charge. They are allowed
to have distinguished themselves most highly.
I could not learn in the hurry and confusion after
the battle what had become of Gen. Canrobert's
division, but I heard it said he was away on the right
to support aad act with the fifth corps under Prince
Napoleon, who is reported to have gained a great
success over the corps of Austrians opposed to him,
and to have crossed the Po, but I cannot state at
what poini%
The Emperor is constantly under fire. At one

itne he remained with a battery of the Artillery of

the Guard whose firing had been very successful,
and said to the officer in command, " Capitaine, que
vous etes content." " Tres content, Sire," replied
the officer, " j'espere que vous etes aussi content de
la journee que j'en suis de ma part." A Cent Garde
behind the Emperor had his epaulette carried away
by a ball.
The Emperor is passing the night at Solferino, a
village in advance, and all the cavalry bivouac on
the field of battle.

The firing of the Austrian artillery slackened
perceptibly about six, and I could see that along the
line, which must have extended some miles from
its extreme points, the Austrians were slowly fall-
ing back; but they fought well, and with great
resolution. The Sardinians are pushing on from
Lonato, and are trying to get up to Peschiera in
time to cut off the Austrians before they cross the
Mincio, near that fortress, as they originally in-
tended. At present it is not known how the thing
will end. The battle was continued till dark ; the
last shots were fired about nine.
Between six and seven o'clock the most violent
whirlwind I ever saw brought such clouds of dust
along the road and across the fields that nothing
was to be seen a yard or two in front. It was SOON
followed by a deluge of rain, most violent and
most incessant, for more than an hour, aggrava-
ting frightfully the sufferings of the wounded on
the field. I walked for two or three miles along
the road to Mantua, and met about four hundred
Austrian prisoners coming in. The greater part of
them were Italians, who cried " Vive la France" as
they marched along ; but it is a very short time ago
since they shouted equally loudly, " Vive notre
Empereur," so that I did not feel much interest in
them. There were some Hungarians, who seemed
to feel acutely their position. The people of Cas-
tiglione have behaved most disgracefully. Most of
the houses were shut up, and the inhabitants said
they had nothing, when asked for refreshments and
wine. The French behaved with the greatest mode-
ration, and took every refusal as if it were a fact
that there was such a general want of the neces-
saries of life ; but it is a disgrace to the place that
many wounded and tired soldiers, who had gone
into action in the morning, having eaten nothings
should be refused at night even a loaf of bread, as
was very often the case. The French Artillery at
long range beat the Austrians and soon silenced
their pieces, but when they came nearer the
Tyrolese picked off the officers, who were easily
distinguished. One regiment, I think the 74th of
the line, has been cut all to pieces. There were
many superior officers killed and wounded ; but,
to-night, I have not been able to learn who they
were. To-morrow morning I intend to get to the
field, and I will then write again, and send you all
the details I can collect. It is a most painful thing
to witness such an amount of human suffering as I
have to-day—first, in the wounded I have met
walking in, but later, when the ambulance mules
brought in many stretched out at full length and
motionless on their backs, and many others carried
by the prisoners, perhaps their comrades. The
greater part, as at Magenta seemed to be wounded
in the hand and forearm, and several also in the
head. The Austrians were brought in indiscrimi-
nately with the wounded French, and the dismal
cortege has not ceased long, although it is past
midnight.
The Sardinian army, with General Cialdini's
division in advance, were operating on the fortress
of Peschiera yesterday in conjunction with the
fleet of iron gunboats, which must soon reduce that
place, for these vessels are armed with guns which
carry to a distaxce far beyond the range of the
guns of the Peschiera batteries. When the action
began the Sardinians were far to the left, and sur-
rounded by bad roads and imperfect means of com-
munication, that they had considerable difficulty
in getting up in time to act soon enough in con-
junction with the French, as their road was
through a series of mountain ranges. There is one
singular feature in French military operations,
which is the comparatively small importance they
attach to outposts and videttes. Last night the
Austrian spies may have, and probabiy did come
into Castiglione and Montechiaro, for there is no
doubt whatever that they are perfectly well in-
formed of all the French movements.
The beginning and foundation of the Austrian
movement to-day has been an attempt to cut off
Marshal M'Mahon's corps, they having detected the
gap left between it and the next to it. lam told
the Austrians fought better and displayed more
judgment in their operations than they have ever
shown before since the campaign has opened. They
retreated slowly, and kept up the firing until'
quite dark ; but unless they were intercepted
by the Sardinians, there was nothing like a rout.
They fought thinking it probable they would lose
- the day; but in their style of operations such a
contingency can be allowed for. Everything in
the Austrian plan of campaign is calculated and
prearranged, from the first movement of all, and
their army is such a perfect machine that they
can with confidence make their dispositions ac-
cordingly ; but what they want is elan (dash)—
just what the French soldier has—but the want of
which at the same time renders them more patient
under defeat, and less sensible to its effects, except
so far as their numbers diminish in consequence.

A letter from Vienna of the 26th, in the National
Gazette of Berlin, says :
" The first rumours of an engagement on the
Mincio were spread yesterday morning, and a suc-
cess was hoped for, inasmuch as it was stated that
the Piedmontese had fallen back. The blow was
therefore all the graver, when the terrible truth
became known by the French Moniteter, and when
the statement of that journal was confirmed by
Austrian accounts. Little by little, profound dis-
couragement spreads amongst the population ;
Giulay has retired, and the chiefs in -whom confi-
dence is felt are at the head of the army, and yet
the results remain the same. It may be readily
seen from the official communication§ that the
slaughter on the 24th was frightful. The war has
now been going on for two months, two pitched
battles and several smaller combats have been
fought, and already an army has been sacrificed.
which would formerly have sufficed for a long war.
It is generally believed in well-informed circles
that the next mail will bring an account of an
armistice, which will serve as the basis for nego-
tiations for peace. The same cpinion prevails at
the Bourse, where prices have improved."

The Piedinontese Gazette publishes a decree
organising the Modenese provinces on a Piedmon-
tese footing, as had previously been done with those
of Lombardy and Como.
According to a letter from Brescia in the Milan
Gazette, the Austrians left on the field of battle ten
thousand killed and wounded.

A Paris letter in the independance of Brussels

says: --

"The Emperor of the French had one of his
epaulettes carried away by a shot. The Emperor
Francis Joseph, it is said, ordered that the Hun-
garian and Italian corps should take no part in tho
battle. The struggle was therefore supported
solely by Germans, which may account for the san-
guinary nature of the contest."
PARIS BOUR6E, June 29.—The announcement
of the crossing of the Mincio by the Allies without
opposition from the Austrians has produced a good
effect on the market, and Rente, which was quoted
at the opening at 62f. 30c., improved rapidly to
62f. 75c. There has been a report of disturbances
at Vienna, and of General Bourbaki having landed
with his division before Venice. Mobilier firm
from 640 f. to 647 f. 50c. ; Orleans, 1,217 f. 50c. to

1,225 f. ; Lyons, 825 f. to 830 f.; Northern, 927 f. 50c.
to 930 f. ; Eastern, 600 f. to 605 f. ; Austrian in de-
mand at 430 f. and 435 f.; Lombardo-Venetian, 467 f.
50c. and 470 f. Large sales were effected towards
the close. The following were the last quota-
tions :

per Cents.

• ... 92 60 I Credit Fon.cier.... 635 --

end month Belgian 4} .
3 per Cents 62 50 Piedmontesa (5) .. 82k
Do. end month 62 40 Roman B2

Bank Shares 2720 Austrian

Credit Mobilier .. 642 50 Spanish Threes —
Do. Account ..... 640 Home Debt

RAILWAYS.
Cash. Account.
Orleans
Northern . 932 50 .. 932 50
New ditto 790 .. 795
Lyons and. Mediterranean 827 50 .. 827 50
Geneva 490
Southern
Western 515 .. 515 --•
Eastern
Sardinian 375 .. 375 '—
Austrian '
•
Exchange on London, at sight, paper, 25f. 121 c. ;
money,
25f 9c. ; three months, paper, 24f. 97&c.; money, 24f. 950.