Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-07-09
The First Great Battle on the Mincio-Vi Victory
of the French.

OI Ln6 fT6uCQ.
The news received by telegraph last night
from Cape Race, which point the steamships
Eigo and Adelaide, respectively of the Cork
aud Galway lines, had passed on their way
to ST. Johns, Newfoundland, with dates up
to the 25th of June, acquaints Us with the
fact that the expected battle on the Mincio
had come off on Friday, 9th, and was claim
ed by Louis Napoleon ~ great victory for
the French. The despach announcing this
important event was sent to the Empress at
Paris, and was dated according to the tele-
graph, from Gambia" which doubtless
means Candelo, Il town on the east side OF
the MinciO, within the strategic quadrangle
and directly south Of Villa Franco. where
at last accounts, Francis Joseph had concen-
tra:ed his entire army, said to be 10000
strong. The French Emperor states that the
whole Austrian force was engaged, extend
ing 4 distance of five leagues; that the terri
bile conflict lasted from four o'clock in the
morning until eight in the evening and that
the result was - decisive victory and the
capture Of caunons, flags and prisoners
From this briei account it would appear that
the first great battle on the Mincin was rs
important and terrific IN its character rs was
anticipated 1t must be observed that the
news OF this action is Confirmed by drspatche,
received at Vienna, though neither ITS dr-
tails nor results are given III the Austrian
accounts.
Ii will be remembered that, according to
the Nauderbilt's news received here oh Sun
day, which brought accounts from the seat
OF Sar t. the Dist June, the French and Sar-
dinian armies were ut Bresra Ii would
appear now that the French marched from
that point in south-easterly line, passing
through Montchiera, along the common road
u Goto where one of the four bridges crosses
the Mincio, aud there doubtless effected n
passage of that river--the western boundary
nf the Austrian stronghold AT this place
it is most likely the terrible conflict com
mrnced.
The Piedmontese army meantime pushed
on by the railroad from Brescia to Peschi-ra,
the northwestern fortress of the famous
quadrangle. But Of the result OF that move
ment our dispatches do not inform us. Ii
may have been, however, IL simultaneous A.
sault on the Austrian line of defence.
Prince Napoleon, it Is said, had advanced
his forces through Tuscany rs far north a.
the borders of the durhy of Mcdena; thus
fastening to onttunk the Austrian position
towards the east.
While such seems To have been the deer
sive action of the belligerents in Italy, we
learn that Prussia had offered her mediation
to obtain II cessation of hoStIlitles, but upon
terms not likely t. be acceptable Ia France;
on the contrary, with such results rs
would probably involve her in the war
Whatever the character of the proposed
terms were, it would appear that the alleged
determination of Prussia to assist in suppress
sing any attempt at insurrccliou III Hungary,
! thus virtually aiding Austria and thwart-
ing Napoleun's revolutionary policy, COM
bined with the rumor that she WAS about To
march an army to the Rhine frontier, had the
effect of rendering nugatory her offer OF me-
diation; for Louis Napoleon refused any such
offer, unless as a basis Of negotiations ne re-
ceived permission from Hanover to march
10000 French troops through that kingdom
to the banks of the Rhine. Thus the posi-
ton of Germany, seems to have become still
more complicated.
In the absence of more detailed news of the
great battle on the Minco, we have but to
conclude that such events have transpired in
that quarter AZ verify what we have all along
predicted. that the strategy of the campaign
was centreng on that point: and that the Is
sue of the contest was to he settled there,
either by the total defeat of the Austrlans,
or by proposals of peace from the other great
Powers of Europe-N \. Herdld.