The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-04 00:00:00

these troops gained ground with Much difficulty.
At this moment the Emperor ordered Forey's
division to advance, one brigade on the side of the
plain, and the other on the height against the vil-
lage of Solferino, and caused it to be supported by
Camou's division of light infantry of the Guard.
He caused to advance with these troops the artillery
of the Guard, which under the command of General
de Sevelinges and General Lebceuf, took up an un•
covered position at about 300 metres from the
enemy. This manoeuvre decided the success in the
centre. Whilst Forey's division seized on the
cemetery, and General Bazaine dashed his troops
forward into the village, the light infantry and
riflemen of the Imperial Guard climbed up to the
foot of the tower commanding the chateau and pos-
sessed themselves of it. The little hills near Sol-
feriae were successively carried, and at half-past
three the Austrians evacuated the position, under
the fire of our artillery placed on the crest, and left
in our hands 1,500 prisoners, 14 pieces of cannon,
and 2 colours. The share of the Imperial Guard in
this glorious trophy was 13 guns and one colour.
" Whilst this conflict was going on, and whilst
the fire was the heaviest, four Austrian columns,
advancing between the King's army and the corps
of Marshal Baraguay d'Hilliers, endeavoured to
turn the right of Piedmontese. Six pieces of artil-
lery, however, ably directed by Gen. Forgeot, had
opened a very heavy fire on the flank of these
columns, and forced them to retrace their steps in
disorder.
"Whilst the corps of Marshal Baraguay d'Hil-
liers was sustaining the conflict at Solferino, the
corps of the Duke de Magenta had deployed in the
plain of Guidizzolo, in aduanee of the farm Casa
Marino, and his iine of battle cutting the road to
Mantua, directed its right towards Medola. At
nine o'clock in the morning he was attacked by a
strong Austrian column, preceded by a numerous
artillery, which placed itself in battery at 1,000 or
1,200 yards in advance of our front. The artillery
of the first two divisions of the 2d corps, advancing
immediately on the line of skirmishers, opened a
very sharp fire against the front of the Austrians,
and at the same instant the horse batteries of
Desvaux's and Partouneaux's divisions took the
enemy's cannons en echarpe, reduced them to
silence, and soon forced them to fall back. Imme-
diately after Desvaux's and Partouneaux's divisions
charged the Austrians and took 600 prisoners.
" Meantime a column of two regiments of Aus-
trian cavalry had endeavoured to turn the left of
the 2d corps, and the Duke de Magenta directed
against it six squadrons of light dragoons. Three
successful charges of our cavalry repelled that of
the enemy, who left in our hands a great number
of men and horses.
"At half-past two the Duke de Magenta assumed
the offensive in his turn, and ordered General de la
Motterouge to advance on his left, on the side of
Solferino, in order to carry San Cassiano and the
other positions occupied by the enemy.
The village was turned on both sides, and carried
with irresistible vigour by the Algerian riflemen
and the 45th. The riflemen were immediately
after sent against the principal counterfort, which
unites Cavriana with San Cassiano, and which was
defended by considerable forces. A first height,
crowned by a kind of redoubt, speedily fell into the
posseeeion of the sharpshooters, but the enemy, by
a vigorous offensive return, succeeded in dislodging
them. They took it again with the aid of the 45th
and 72d,4and were driven out once more. To sup-
port this attack, General de la Motterouge was
obliged to march up his brigade of reserve, and the
Duke de Magenta advanced his whole corps.
" At the same time the Emperor gave orders to
Manklue's brigade of voltigeurs of the Guard, sup-
ported by General Mellinet's grenadiers, to advance
from Solferino against Cavriana. The enemy was
unable any longer to resist this double attack, sup-
ported by the fire of the artillery of the Guard,
and, about five in the evening, the voltigeurs and
Algerian sharpshooters entered at the same time
the village of Cavriana.
" At that moment a fearful storm, which burst
over the two armies, obscured the sky and sus-
pended the struggle; but as soon as the rain had
ceased the French troops resumed the operations
commenced, and drove the enemy from all the
heights commanding the village. Soon after the
fire of the artillery of the Guard changed the re-
t tof the Austrians, into a precipitate flight.

There is no doubt that the Austrian army on the
24th suffered much inconvenience from the fact that
they were attacked by the French and Piedmontese
three hours sooner than the time fixed by them-
selves for assuming the offensive. Their disposi-
tions, admirably as they may have been made for
an attack, must have been faulty, when it became
necessary to repel an advance of the enemy. It is
evident also that if the Emperor intended to ad-
vance at nine o'clock in the morning it was because
he knew that his various corps would not be in their
proper positions till that hour. He was therefore,
to a certain extent, unready at six o'clock in the
morning. The 10th and 11th Corps' movements,
which should have turned the French left at Me-
dole, very probably depended upon a calculation of
time, which was part of the Austrian scheme of
attack. The 11th Corps (Weigl) did, I believe, come
in sight of the enemy, but it did so too late to have
any serious effect on the result of the day, while
the 10th Corps seems never to have come up at all.
These facts suggest some reflections. How was it
that the French were ready at six o'clock to make
a combined attack agLinst the Austrians, who, on
their part, had but just taken up positions on the
previous evening ? An easy answer can be given
to that question. No sooner was the first Austrian
battalion out of Valleggio on the 23d than a balloon
was observed to rise in the air from the vicinity of
Nlozambano—a signal, no doubt, for the French in
Castiglione. I have a full conviction that the Em-
peror of the French knew on the evening of the
23d the exact position of every Austrian corps ;
that he made his preparations accordingly ; and
that, on the other hand, the Emperor of Austria
was utterly unable to ascertain what was the num-
ber or distribution of the forces of the Allies. This,
it may be said, is the result which must be antici-
pated in every military movement on Italian soil.

OFFICIAL ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE
OF SOLFERINO.

• . _teat of tine itusL,...— ....... __ A A _
The .3foniteur of Saturday contains the subjoined " During this affair the insrse chasseurs of the
official report, besides the two telegrams from Volta Guard, who flanked the Duke de Magenta's right,
and Valeggio : had to charge the Austrian cavalry which threatened
" Head-quarters, Cavriana, 28th June. to turn it.
" After the battle of Magenta and the combat of "At half-past six the enemy was retreating in
Malegnano, the Austrians had precipitated their f all directions.
retreat on the Mincie, abandoning, one after the, " But though the battle was won in the centre,
other, the lines of the Adele, the Oglio, and the where the French troops had never ceased to gain
Chiesa. There was every reason to believe that ;round, the right and left still remained behind.
they intended to concentrate all their resistance ilowever, the troops of the 4th corps had also taken
behind the Mincio, and it was . important that the an important and glorious part in the battle of
allied army should' occupy, as soon as possible, the Solferino.
principal points of the heights which extend'from "Leaving Carpenedolo at three o'clock in the
Lonato as far as Volta, and which forms on the morning, they were marching on Medola, sup-
south of the Lake of Garda an agglomeration of ported by the cavalry of the Desvaux and Parton-
small hills, in many places very abrupt. 'the last i ncaux divisions, when, at about two kilometres
reports received by the Emperor Napoleon indi_ from Medola, the squadrons of chassenrs which
cated, in Let, that the enemy had abandoned those !preceded the corps met the hulans. They
heights, and retired behind the river. charged them with impetuosity, but were
" According to a general order given by the Em- checked by the enemy's infantry and artil-
peror of the French on the evening of the 23d, the j levy, which defended the village. General
army of the King of, Piedmont was to advance on de Luzy immediately took measures for an attack.
Pozzolengo ; Marshal Baraguay d'Hilliers, on Sol- Whilst he sent two columns to turn Medola on the
ferino; l‘farshal the Duke de-Magenta, on Cavriana, ; right and left, he advanced on the front himself,
General Niel, on Guidizzolo ; and Marshal Canro-
preceded by his artillery, which kept up a fire on
bert,on Medola. The Imperial Guard was to marchl the village. This attack, executed with great
on Castiglione, an the two divisions of cavalry of vigour, was entirely successful; at seven o'clock the
the line to take a position in the plain between Sol- enemy retired from Medola, leaving two pieces of
ferino and Medola. It had been decided that the cannon and a good number of prisoners in our'
movements should commence at two o'clock in the hands. -
morning, in order to avoid the excessive heat of the "Vinoy's division, which followed Lzy's, marched
day. from Medola in the direction of an isolated house
" Nevertheless, during the 23d, several detach- called Casanova, which stands in the plain on the
ments of the enemy showed themselves on different road to Mantua, about two kilometres from Guidiz-
points, and the Emperor had received notice of it; zolo. The enemy was in considerable force on that
but as the Austrians were in the habit of making side, and a desperate conflict took place, while
numerous reconnaissances, his Majesty only re- linzY's division was marching towards Ceresaxa on
garded those demonstrations as a mark of the care the one hand, and towards Rebecco on the other.
and attention which they give to obtaining infor- "At this moment the enemy attempted to turn
mation and protecting themselves. - the left of Vinoy's division in the interval left be-
At five in the morning of the 24th, the Em- tween the 2d.and 4th corps ; they came up within
peror, who was at Montechiaro, heard the report of 200 metres of the front of our troops, but were there
cannon in the plain, and proceeded in all haste to- stopped by the fire of 45 pieces of artillery, directed
wards Castiglione, where the Imperial Guard wove by General Soleille. The enemy's cannon then
to assemble. Daring the night, the Austrian army came and took part in the Struggle, and kept on for
which had decided on assuming the offensive had f a great part of the day, although with manifest
passed the Mincio at Goito, Valeggio, monzara_ I inferiority.
band, and Peschiera, and again occupied the po- " Failly s division came up in its turn, and
sitions which it had recently abandoned. This General Niel, reserving the second brigade of that
was the result of the plan the execution of division, directed the first between Casanova and
which the enemy had pursued from the time Rebecco, towards the Hamlet of Baeta, to connect
of their leaving Magenta, by retiring slices- General de Luzy with General Vinoy. . General
sively from Piacenza, Pizzighettone, Cremona, Niel's intention was to march towards Guidizzolo
Ancona, Bologna, and Ferrara—in a word, by eva- as soon as the Duke de Magenta should have taken'
mating every position in order to accumulate their Cavriana, and he hoped by that means to cut off
forces on the Mineio. They had besides increased the enemy from the road to Volta and Goito ; but,
their army with the greater part of the troops corn- to execute that plan, it was necessary for the troops
posing the garrisons of Verona, Mantua, and Pes
_ of Marshal Canrobert's corps to replace at Rebecco
chiera ; and it was thus that they were able to those of General de Luzy.
assemble nine corps d'armee, numbering altogether " The 3d corps, starting from Mezzana at two in
from 250,000 to 270,000 men, who advanced towards the morning, had passed the Chiesa at Viseno, and
the Chiesa, covering the plain and the heights. arrived about seven o'clock at Castelgoffredo, a small
This immense force appeared to be divided into two town surrounded by walls, and still occupied by
armies ; that on the right, according to notes found the enemy's cavalry. While General tannin was
after the battle on an Austrian officer, was to take j turning the position to the south, General Renault
possession of Lonato and Castiglione, and that on attacked it in front, sent sappers to burst open the
the left to march on Montechiaro. • The Austrians gates, and entered the town, driving the enemy's
thought that the whole of the allied army had not cavalry before him.
yet crossed the. Chiesa, and their intention was to " About nine o'clock in the morning Renault's
drive it back on the right bank of that river. division, having arrived abreast of Medola, put its
" The two armies, on their way one against the left in conjunction with General de Luzy, on the
other, met therefore suddenly. Scarcely- had side of Ceresara, and on its right faced Castelgoff-
Marshals Baraguay d'Hilliers and de M‘Mahon redo, so as.to watch the movements of the detached
passed Castiglione, when they found themselves in corps, whose departure from Mantua hat been an-
presence of considerable forces which opposed their nounced. .
advance. At the same instant, General Niel en- " That apprehension paralysed, during the
countered the Austrians near Medola. The King's greater part of the day, the corps d'arinee under
army, which was going to Pozzolengo, also met the Marshal Canrobert, who did not think it prudent
Austrians in advance of Rivoltella ; and on his part, in the first instance to loud the 4th corps the sup-
Marshal Canrobert found the village of Castel- port demanded by General Niel. Nevertheless,
e•offredo occupied by the enemy's cavalry. about three o'clock in the afternoon, being roas-
ts sured as to his right, and having of himself judged
" All the corpa of the allied army being at the
General Niel's position, Marshal Canrobert sent
time en their march at a somewhat considerable
distance one from the other, the Emperor first of Renault's division towards Rebecco, and ordered
all directed his attention to bringing them together, General Trochu to carry his first brigade between
so that they might mutually support each sehc,,r. Casnanova an a Baeta to the point on which the most
For that purpose, his Majesty went immediately formidable attacks of the enemy were being di-
to Marshal the Duke de Magenta, who was -rated. This reinforcement of fresh troops per-
on the rnitted General Niel to send in the direction of Gun
right in the plain, and who had deployed
Perpendicularly to the road which leads from dizzolo part of Luzy's and De Failly's divisions.
Castiglione-This column advanced up to the first houses of the
a
the orders of
appear, his
tiNoiGa.oi,:tto. As
hastenedsGeneratlhe Nielmadriodh nooft iiheot
village ; but, finding before it superior forces estab-
cavalry of the 1.3e-' y• and it
placed under lisheil in a good position, was obliged to stop.
to operate in the Imp Gnarl,
, whilst recommending pport " Generil Trochu then advance% to support the
attack with 13. t •11 '
e plain on the righL of the 2d corps. aai e s brigade of bis division. He
Duke do M.ageintd, as a reserve
The Emperor, at the s
the right wing in advance, with as much
same time, sent orders to Mar- marched on the enemy in close battalions en echi-
Alai Canrobert to
as possible
himself on the rightecommending ' him to guard order and calm as in a field of manoeuvres. He
which, according General Tel as mach pier,
corps,
to ir,ogains.t an A u,itrian
his
took from the enemy a company of infantry and
mation given to-
Ma- two pieces of cannon, and he had arrived half-way
jests, was to march fronTim.- ~
from Casanova to Guidizzolo when the storm broke
"These measures havinyanbtua on Azola.
elc Em-
peror forth which put an end to 'this terrible conflict
repaired to the heights, e•en taken, ,
line of battle, where Tvlarshalßin the centre o . f the which the co-operation of the 3d and 4th corps was
threatening to • d ien er so fatal to the enemy.
too distant from the Sardinian araguay d'llilliers~
arm to . , able to' 'ln the midst of the incidents of this combat of
act in conjunction with it, had y be
to struggle • hours' duration the cavalry was of powerful assist-
difficult ground against troops
which were inces- since in checking the efforts of the enemy on the
santly renewed. side of Casanova. On several occasions Partou-
" The marshal had nevertheless arri •
ved at the neaux's and Desvaux's divisions charged the Aus-
steep hill on which the village of Solt • • - • •
ermo is built trian infantry and broke its squares. But it was
That village was defended by considerable re, .
Rour new artillery which produced the most t^ ell
entrenched in an old chateau and a large forces A • Its balls `l." c
cemetery effects on the Austrians. went to distances
both of which were surrounded by thick a d ' ' • their
n erene_ which guns of the largest calibre could not
latcd walls. The marshal had already lost a great respond to, and strewed the plain with dead.
number of men, and had had more than once to "The- 4th
corps took from the enemy 1 colour, 7
expose himself by leading on the troops of Bazaine's pieces of cannon, and 2,000 prisoners.
and Ladmiranit's divisions. Worn outfwith fatigue "On its part the Piedmontese army, placed on
and heat, and exposed to a heavy fire of musketry, our extreme left, had also had a rude and splendid