The Sun.
London, England, 1859-06-29 00:00:00

ffilletms. The retreat sp. _ does no
appear to have been a route; the vanquished have

TCrien.

ken
of d

not been pursued. In comparing the Austrian and
French bulletins of the battle we only see in them

one difference, if difference it can be called—that

whilst we give to it the name of the victory of Sol-

ferino, because it was doubtless at that place the
French had to make the greatest efforts, the Aus-

trians on their side speak of the defeat of Volta,

because it was there that the decisive blow was
struck which compelled them to abandon the field of

battle. Looking at this extraordinary movement of
recrossing the Mincio after having abandoned the
right bank, we can only attribute it to a feeling
of self-love on the part of the Emperor of Austria.
Finding himself at the head of an army which
must have baen numerically very much stronger
than that of the allies, fighting on his own ground.

and supported by the famous quadrangle in which
Austria has been accumulating her means of de-
fence for nearly forty years, he did not wish to

have the appearance of being condemned to keep

on the defensive and to constantly retreat before
the Emperor Napoleon. The long pursuit after the
army of General Giulay by the Franco-Sardinian
troops over a space of more than 50 leagues of

ground must have cruelly wounded the legitimate
amour-propre of the Emperor Francis Joseph, and

he battle of Solferino will have had for its deter-

pren

mining cause a question of pride between sove-
reign and sovereign. But the moment chosen for
this attack was either too soon or too late, and on
this occasion again the heads of the Austrian army
showed the same incertitude that marked their
movements since the commencement of the cam-
paign. If the Austrians wished to make an offen-
sive movement against the allied army, we cannot
understand why they did not attempt it, as they
ere at liberty to do, on the high tableland
of Montechiari and in that plain of Ghedi
which General Jomini points out as the most
favourable place in all Lombardy for grand strate-
gical movements, and for the manoeuvres of a
combatant powerful from the number and quality
of his cavalry. They should have made it before—
they are at present behindhand. On the other
hand, in another point of view, they have come too
soon to have any chance of seriously repairing the
fortune of their arms by the battle they gave us on
Friday last. The chances of war led the allies to
the banks of the Mincio ; but in giving them the
offensive it also imposed on them the necessity of
forcing the passage of that river, however for-
midable might be the positions in which the enemy
might wait for them, Why did not the Austrians
allow themselves to be attacked, and why did they
wish to prevent it ? This we sincerely confess is
what we cannot comprehend."
" Count Paul Schouvaloff, aide-de-camp to
the Emperor Alexander," says the Courrier de
Marseille, "is on his way to the head-quarters of
the Franco-Sardinian army. He is the bearer of
an autograph letter from the Czar to the Emperor
Napoleon."
The Courrier des Allies, of Chambery, of the
24th says :—" The Victor Emmanuel Railway has
during the last few days conveyed a great quantity
of French war material. The passage of troops,
which had become slack, has been resumed with
great activity. The day before yesterday a bat-
talion of the line passed through this town, and
yesterday one of grenadiers and another of light
infantry of the Imperial Guard did the same. If
we are well informed, a battalion of light infantry
and one of Zouaves are to pass through this
evening."
A letter from Lonato, of the 23d, says :
"At seven this morning I arrived at Lonato.
It is inconceivable that a position of such import-
ance, and one which could have been so easily de-
fended, should have been abandoned. The retreat
from Castenedolo and from Montechiari had excited
general surprise. Generals Schlick and Zobel were
of opinion that those positions, in which the Aus-
trians had entrenched themselves, should be de-
fended, when the Emperor of Austria, accom-
panied by General Hess, came to examine them.
The result of the visit was that orders were given
to evacuate them, and continue the retreat. At
Lonato the Austrians had made extensive prepara-
tions for defence ; they had cut the railway bridge
across the Chiesa, and thrown down two fine rows
of trees forming on either side an avenue leading
into the town. Lonato stands on the top of a high
hill and commands on one side the whole of the
plain, and on the other the Lake of Garda. The
town is surmounted by an old castle in ruins, and
surrounded by ramparts half demolished, and the
approach is so steep that it would have been ex-
tremely difficult to have gained possession. The
Austrians, about 35,000 to 40,000 strong, had esta-
blished formidable batteries, which would have
swept every road leading to it from Calcinato, Non-
techiari, and Castiglione. The taking of this
formidable position would perhaps have occupied
the Allies some time, and under any circumstances
would have cost a number of lives. Happily the
Austrians abandoned the place. They quitted
Montechiari two days ago, followed so closely by
the French troops that the advanced guard of the
latter entered by one gate as the rear guard of the
former were leaving by the other. It was decided
that the troops commanded by Gen. Zobel should
quit Lonato on the morning of the 22d. About nine
o clock the previous evening, the general was in a
café with a number of ether officers. He was in a
very thoughtful mood. Some officers, seated in a
corner of the cafe, were talking merrily together,
and laughing at some adventure which one of
them was relating. Zobel struck the table several
times with his glass, and with such violence that it
broke in pieces, and cut his thumb. Gentlemen,
gentlemen,' he cried out in a hoarse voice, are you
Austrians or Italians ? The moment is well chosen
truly to laugh as you are doing ! One would really
think that you are delighted at retreating. If you
are so pleased, be at least a little decent!' These
words were related to me textually by the master
of the cafe, who understood German, and who
wrote them down that he might not forget them.
The officers were not very well pleased, and were
silent. The moment after, a colonel of a cavalry
regiment who had been charged to make a recon-
naissance on the Calcinato road entered the cafe
to report to the general the result of his mission.
He stated that he had just met the advanced guard
of the Piedmontese army marching on Lonato.
And you attacked them ?' said Zobel eagerly.
No, general,' replied the colonel. That is incon-
ceivable,' said Zobel roughly, the sight of the
enemy therefore petrified you. General,' replied
the colonel firmly, the Piedmontese were at least
five times more numerous, and I thought it better
not to sacrifice my men uselessly.' • Zobel made no
further remark, but placed his elbow on the table,
his chin on his hand, and elosed his eyes, as though
he did not wish to bo disturbed in his reflections.
In a few minutes after he rose up hastily, like a
man who had come to a sudden resolution, and left
the cafe. In half an hour an order was given to the
troops to prepare to march; at•midnight the move-
ment of retreat commenced, and at five o'clock in
the morning not a single Austrian remained at
Lonato, and the Piedmontese entered it."
The victory of Solfernio was announced to
the inhabitants of Turin on the 25th by salvos
of artillery. Immediately afterwards the syndic
of the capital published a proclamation, con-
gratulating the country on the happy event, and
announcing that the public establishments were to
be illuminated, and that a solemn Te Deum would
be sung in the cathedral on the following day
(Sunday).
A letter from Brescia of the 23d says:—
" The Austrians have innumerable spies, and
every day some are arrested. Yesterday an Aus-
trian major and captain who had come disguised
as traders to observe our positions were arrested
here. At Milan I saw taken into custody two
men who were disguised in the uniform of the
2d Regiment of Zouaves, and who questioned
soldiers in coffee-houses and taverns ; they Were,
it is said, Swiss who speak French well. One of
them was captured by a corporal of Grenadiers of
the Guard, who suspected him. I do not know
what the French military authorities at head-
quarters do with these people, but the Piedmontese
shoot them, and they are right. As to those who
fall into the hands of the people, woe be to them!
A clever device of a Piedmontese colonel who was

ing
over a court mar

'urin

related to me. A man was tried on the charge of
being an Austrian spy, but he vehemently main-
tained that he was a Milanese trader; he, however,
could not produce any documents to prove his alle-
gation, and could not satisfactorily explain why he
was in Piedmont. Prisoner,' said tho colonel, all
at once, ' come closer to me—l do not hear well.
The man advanced. Ah !' said the colonel, ' I see
that you step with the left foot forward, with your
arms close to your side, and the little finger on the
seam of the trousers. You are a soldier P' The
man, greatly confused, could no longer deny that
he was both a soldier and a spy."