The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-01 00:00:00

THE SIEGE OF GAETA.

(From the Special Correspondent of the Daily News.)
VIOLA DI GAETA, JAN. 23.
As I anticipated in my last, the Neapolitans
began to open fire against Cialdini's army at eight
o'clock yesterday morning. At that hour about
2,000 Piedmontese soldiery were occupied in throw-
ing up new batteries at the extremity of the Borgo
di Gaeta, where the isthmus begins, when the be-
sieged opened a most tremendous fire against them.
Naturally enough, the working parties drew back in -
the greatest confusion, for shells and shots were
pouring upon them in a shower. The Piedmontese
gunners, over -worked as they had been during the
last few days, were at the time asleep either in the
batteries or in the camp, and about two hours were
required to get them ready for the battle which had
thus begun on one side. It was at 10 o'clock that,
in their turn, the Piedmontese opened fire from the
battery of Monte Tortona, which was soon followed
by that of other batteries both of the right and left
attack. The fire quickly became so tremendous and
continuous that although I was at the time about
two miles from the camp, the house in which I
was taking my breakfast seemed to tremble. I
hastened back to Mola, and I arrived in time
to witness the operations of the Sardinian fleet,
which began a little before 11 o'clock. It was the
war steamer Garibaldi which, together with two
gunboats, was first sent by Admiral Persano to shell
the sea side of the fortress. She steamed up boldly
towards the Mola, and taking up a position within
range of that tremendous battery, began her
work of destruction. The two smaller ships fol-
lowed her example, but in an hour one of them was
obliged to draw back, having been nearly disabled
by the fire of the Neapolitans. It was then about
half-past twelve o'clock, and the fire of the land
batteries had reached its greatest intensity. The
battery of Cavalli's guns was throwing its powerful
projectiles from Realto di Castellonne—a distance
of about five Italian miles—with wonderful pre-
cision. Scarcely a shot missed its aim, and from
the place where I was witnessing that tremen-
dous spectacle, I could follow the fantastic and
elegant curves of these shells about to burst on
the besieged city or on its bastions with a tre-
mendous clash. The time had come fir the Sar-
dinian Admiral to move in support of the Garibaldi,
and thus begin more serious operations. Marquis
Persano slowly steamed up with the Charles
Albert, Maria Adelaide, the Victor Emmanuel, and
two other smaller vessels, in the direction of the
bastions which face this part of the Gulf, that is to
say, which command the Gulf towards Mola;
these three Sardinian frigates carrying guns whose
range is greater than that of the enemy's artillery,
Marquis Persano could safely open fire from the
ship he commands, and he inflicted great damages
upon the Neapolitan battery of the harbour. But
this was not all, for at 2 o'clock he steamed up within
a distance of a thousand yards, and fired a double
broadside in less time than I take to write it. The roar
was tremendous. A dense cloud of smoke and dust
concealed the harbour from view of the bystanders,
but when the wind had dispersed it became evident
that the guns of the Sardinian vessels had greatly
injured the Neapolitan batteries of the port.
The fire was thus kept up both by the fleet and
by the land batteries till dark, but that of the for-
mer ceased altogether in the evening, and the latter
was only slightly continued both by the besieged
and the besiegers during the night. As if the exer-
tions made on both sides yesterday had exhausted
the forces of the belligerents, the fire is today less
heavy. The Neapolitans resumed it this morning,
but only at intervals. One of their shells having
burst in a small powder magazine of one of our
batteries, Captain Savio, of the artillery, was blown
up, together with ten of his gunners. This unfor-
tunate occurrence was greatly felt bath by the Sar-
dinian general-in-chief and by the army, for Captain
Savio was considered one of the best officzrs of the
Piedmontese army.
It is now 4 o'clock p.m., and the fire of the be-
sieged city has almost ceased. From time to time
the Sardinians answer it from the battery of Monte
Tortona, but the guns of their left and right attack
have altogether ceased to roar. In the meanwhile
the working parties are engaged in their daily
works, and I feel sure that in a few days the Pied-
montese will be able to open an effective fire from
all their batteries, which will show about 180 heavy
guns, 30 of which are of the Cavalli pattern.

JAN. 25.

A brisk fire has been kept up during the last 24
hours by the Neapolitans, but the Piedmontese
have only answered it from their land batteries at
intervals. Yesterday morning, however, Admiral
Persano resumed the bombardment of Gaeta, both
from the side of Terracina and from that of Mola.
The city must have suffered a great deal from the
explosion of shells; for this morning, having gone
up to one of the hills which- overhang this village,
with the aid of my telescope I could see that the
churches and houses of Gaeta had been greatly
shattered. I think that the diplomatic body must
feel rather uncomfortable just now, because
although they are dwelling in the bomb proof bar-
racks of the fortress, it must not be very agreeable
to be shut up all day and night.
P.S.—I have just seen Signor Fortunato's letter
in your columns of the 15th inst., in which he
asserts that his master, King Francis 11., never
received the letter of King Victor Emmanuel, a
copy of which, forwarded by me, appeared in your
paper of Dec. 27. I have only to say, in reply,
that I received my copy of the letter, and my ac-
count of the circumstances connected with it, from
a source on the trustworthiness of which I rely with
a confidence which remains quite unshaken by
Signor Fortunato's letter.
The following is the official report of the action
of the 23d :

Ministry of the Marino.

On the 23d inst., at 8 a.m., the enemy's batteries having
re-opened their fire, the-squadron, consisting of the steam-
frigates Maria Adelaide, Vittorio Emmanuele, Carlo Al-
berto, Garibaldi, Costituzione, of the steam-corvette Mon-
zambapo, and of the steam-gunboats Vinzaglio, Confienza,
Veloce, and Ardita, weighed anchor and approached in line
of battle the fortifications erected on tho sea-side for the
defence of Gaeta.

The steam-frigate Garibaldi and the steam gunboats Yin-
zaglio, Confienza, and Yeloce were fixed upon to attack the
batteries of the enemy in the-western part of the town, the
remaining vessels being ordered to attack those in the
eastern port.
At 11 a.m. the land batteries situated on the west opened
fire, to which our batteries immediately replied.

About noon the Carlo Alberto and the Costituzione, and
shortly afterwards the Vittorio Emmanuele, directed their
fire against the eastern batteries, but as this fire did not
produce the effect anticipated, the vice-admiral command-
ing the squadron, who was on board the Maria Adelaide
under a hot and well-supported fire, came close up to these
batteries, and with the Carlo Alberto and Vittorio Emma-
nuele swept the whole lino of defence, while leaving the
Costituzione to play against the batteries of the lanthorn.
At half-past 12 o'clock the land batteries, vigorously
cannonaded at all points, slackened fire. About 2 p.m.,
the enemy's fire having vigorously recommenced, the
squadron filing off at half range in front of the eastern bat-
teries, openeel against them a very brisk fire, lasting more
than half an hour, and sent in a shower of projectiles.
Shortly after 2 o'clock the enemy ceased his fire at this
part. . . .

Then the squadron, without losing a moment, bore
towards the east part of the city to aid the vessels placed
there ii the morning to attack that part. At half-past font.,
the enemy's fire having ceased, the squadron also ceased,
and resumed its anchorage of the previous day. During
the night the steam corvette Mozambano, the gunboats
Velcce, Ardite, and Tinzaglio, returned towards the
enemy's batteries to harass them.
In this combat, remarkable for the coolness shown by
the crows of all the royal vessels belonging to the navy of
tha old provinces and of Naples, we have only had to de-
plore three deaths, five wonnded, and a few damages on
board some of the vessels, which were not of a nature to
compromise their safety oven for an instmt.
In order to show better how the squadron performed its
duty to King and country, we publish the following letter,
which the General in command of the army wrote next day
to Count Persano, the vice-admiral in command of the
squadron :
" Castellone, Jan. 23, 1861.

" I beg your excellency to accept my thanks, and to be
so good as to present them to the fleet for its co•operation
yesterday, and which was equally skilful as energetic.
" From the summit of our positions, on seeing the bold
manoeuvres of the men-ofwar, the entire fourth army-
corps saluted the admiral and the squadron attacking the
Ancona lanthorn. _

" I renew to you the assurance .of my distinguished con-
sideration.

(Signed) «The Gener4l of the Army,