The Sun.
London, England, 1859-06-14 00:00:00

THE BATTLE OF MAGENTA.

The following extraet of a letter written from
Magenta to the Sentinelle du Jura gives a lively
picture of the confusion incidental to a great en-

gagement:—
" We left our position in good order, our mus-
kets on our shoulders, and we placed ourselves
behind a hillock so as to be unperceived. The fire
of the Austrians became sharper, the enemy ap-
peared
.to approach. While waiting thus impa-
tiently, the officer in command of us received a
note written in pencil, and at once sent us out as
skirmishers in the wheat crops, which were so
high that we had scarcely any need to,bend down.
We spread out, and fired at the rate of .five shots a
minute, whereby we produced as much effect as
an entire division. The enemy appeared to be-
lieve that we were one, as they sent a battery
which fired into the crops, but it did us no great
harm. When, however, they perceived us, they
fired grape, and wounded a good many men. We
, were then at about 400 yards from the guns. Our
officer in command formed us into platoons, and by
his orders we turned the little hill in double quick
time. We hoped to surprise the artillerymen, but
they perceived us when we had got about half
way to them. Happily our impetuosity moved
them, as they fired precipitately six times with
grape, and then started off at a gallop ; but one of
the pieces rolled on the horses, and killed one of
them, after which it turned over, and remained on
the ground with the carriage uppermost ; another
came into collision with the first, and was broken.
We rushed forward, twenty-seven in namber, to
seize the two guns ; but the fifteen artillerymen
in charge of them fired their carbines at us, and
half a squadron of hussars, in dark uniform, who
were in the rear of the guns, arrived at a gallop
sword in hand. Time pressed, we rushed desperately
on the artillerymen, and in a few seconds every
one was killed, except one, who was taken pri-
soner. The hussars then surrounded us; but an
Alsatian corporal saved us. This man, who was
quite a giant, above seven feet in height, and pro-
digiously strong, seized the rammer of one of the
guns, and, striking with it right and left on horses
and men, produced the greatest confusion among
them. My captain now arrived with thirty men,
and we went to work with the bayonet; the hus-
sars left twenty-three men on the ground, together
with the two guns. As to ourselves, only 12 of us
remained. I had two of my corporals and a ser-
geant killed near me. The ball of a carbine of one
of the hussars knocked off my left epaulette, but
I sustained no injury. A large body of the enemy
then arrived in close column, and we fell back.
I found myself, I know not how, with the second
battalion ; I had lost my line of battle, and
was ordered not to attempt to rejoin it. We
were massed in column. Twelve pieces of cannon
were established by the enemy on our right, and
opened a terrible fire ; an entire file of men, close
to me, were swept away. But that did not last ;
four small 4-pound guns of the new rifle model
were placed on the flank of the column, and re
sponded, and one after the other the Austrian
pieces were silenced. We subsequently learned
that our artillerymen had rendered eight of them
unfit for use. This sort of work, however, was

not very agreeable, as we were
obliged to remain
in the same position. At last, the
cry
of For-
ward !' was raised just as a discharge of grape,
fiorn I know not where, almost blinded us with
dust and stones. We dashed off. The wind drove
towards us the smoke of the cannon, but 'White it
cleared momentarily away, we saw a long white
line, immovable under the fire of our batteries,
and closing its ranks to fill up the voids produced
by our cannon. We were going to attack that
gigantic mass with the bayonet ! We were re-
ceived with three terrible volleys, and dead and
wounded fell to the ground; but we jumped over
the dead and wounded, and continued to advance.
As we approached there was a movement all along
the enemy's line ; the human wave fell back—
last
advanced—and then fell back again. We at
arrived, with the butt-ends of our muskets in our
right hands. There was disorder inutrhened Austrian
ranks, but they formed again, ret to the
charge, and drove us back about 10 paces. A
word electrified our line and caused us to recover;
Eh, soldiers ! the regiment is giving way !—in two
bounds we had driven back the Austrians They
returned, and fired on us, but all was useless ! We
fired no more ; the bayonet ! Nothing but the
bayonet! What terror at that word! The bayonet,
above all things, fills the enemy with alarm. 'And
yet they are brave soldiers. The artillery roared,
enemy
before, on the side of, and behind us—
the
and our men both suffered—a frightful
.confusion
ensued. How was it possible to make prisoners ?
No one asked for quarter, and none
How long the combat lasted—whetherwas given.
ten minutes
or two hours—it is impossible for me to tell! All
I know is that at last I found that everywhere we
advanced—that the battle was gained."

The second instalment of 25 per cent. on the India
Loan of 0,077,000, contracted on the 6th May last, falls
due to-day,