Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1859-06-18
MISCELLANY.
The Battle of Montebello.

The first victory has been wOn--may il I've
a good one for the allied armies. This morn
ing, ns was returning from OSti, l cleaned
some important details. which / am happy
to say enable me to give you II fair. if not n
complete. description Of the battle which was
fought yesterday. md which will be recorded
in the annals of the present struggle ms tic
battle of Montebcllo.
Since Thursday night it had been rumor-
cd in our camp that the Emperor of. Austria
had arrived ut Pavia, in company with the
Field Marshal Hess. Our informants who
had come from Argino to the headquarters
of Murshal Baraguay d'IIlliers through the
hushy paths of the Casitisma country. had
also reported that n great deal of warlikc
hustle and marching had been noticed in the
Austrian camp, near the bridge of La Hella.
The telegraph has informed you that on
Thursday an Austrian corps coming from
Stradclla attacked the position of Castcrg;n
chiefly defended by the people of that place
After brilliant stand made by Piedmontcso
cavalry. in which Capt. Piola was slightly
wounded, the Austrians were Obliged to- re-
tire. AS soon as Marshal Baraguav dill
liers got wind of the fact that the Austrians
were plotting mischief for next dav. he gave
his orders to Gen. Forey to be on his guard
with his division. This distinguished officer
moved his forces, therefore. in the direction
of Montebello. as it was thought that, after
the retreat Of Thursday. the enemy woulG
perhaps again attack the advanced guard of
our army.
You will not have forgotten. that from the
time Of the Gullic and Punc wars down To
the last great European conflict, Montebcllo
and Casteggio have been important military
positions. This last mentioned place was
besieged by Hannibal, who did not really
conquer it, but bought it from Puhlins Da-
rius. a remarkable memorial of the Cartha-
ginian General still cXiSts-a spring of vcrv
pure water, called by immemorial tradition
" The Fontana d Annibale" 1t was near
Casteggio that on the 9th of June, 1900. the
great battle between tho French and the
Austrians was fought. This battle so won
dcrfully described by Theirs. is usually call.
cd the Battle of Monticello. from the village
where tho French finally routed the corps de
rcscrce of the enemy. Fifty years ago the
fortune of the day WAS there decided by Vic
tor: Yesterday it was decided hy the bold as
saut of General Bucrei; who paid with his
lille the victory obtained by the Forey divs-
ion, a brigade of which he commanded. and
hy the Sandman cavalry under the orders If
Colonel De Sontaz.
at II o'clock yesterday, 5000 Austrians,
under the orders Of General Hobc, were seen
To move towards the Picdmnnteso position of
Montcbello. which were occupied by 800 Sar-
dinian horscnen supported by two batteries.
The AustrlanS were marching in cckel0nS,
their right wing bent in the direction of Bran
duzzo their left flank, supported by large
artillery, on Casona. whilst their columns Of
attack of the centre advance. by Piazalc, to-
wards our lines of Montebello.
AS soon as General Forey was aroused
roll after roll Of musketry on tho left,
aud by the sharp report of Austrian and
Piedmontcsc guns, lie marched with the
second brigade of his divisionin the direc-
tion of Montebcllo to support the Piedmon-
tesc cavalry, which by this time had alrea-
dy advanced to meet the enemy. 30.
The battle of Monticello scarcely ad,
mits of description 1t was series of
dreadful deeds of daring, hand to hand
fights, of sanguinary encounters, of des-
pcrate charges and assaults. The shells
and bullets of the Austruns burstso thick
" among our troops that our centre, alrca-
dy engaged, WIS Obliged to fall back on
the right of our lines, retiring from Mon
tcbcllo, protected bya ravinc filled with
brushwood, which descended towards the
main road of Vaghera
AS General Bcurot led on his men to
support our centre, it was obscreGd that
body of the enemy had gaincdfthe top of
n hilly ground behind the Frc1ch division
on our right. A deadly volley Vas pour
cd into them, and protected by the fire,
both Piedmontese and French came ont
from the ravine and went boldly to meet
the enemy. The effect of the new French
guns, carrying their bullets toa distance
of more than two English miles, was so
great that the centre of the Austrians was
soon obliged to fall back on its reserve,
and Montebcllo was again occupied by our
men. BY this time the third and fourth
brigades of General Forcy's division had
reached the scene of the action. This dis
tinguishcd officer had left in support of a
small band of the national guard--who by
the bye, fought bravely-his first brigade,
sending an orderly officer of his staff to
Marshall Baras uay dHilliers, asking sup
port if need be.
Having thus given his orders, he came
on with his Ieayes at the pas dc charge.
Que battalion of Chasseurs d'Orleans rush.
ed by, "the light of battle on their faces"
1t was accompanied by two battalions of
the line, commanded by .Duchet and Lac.
retelle. The shock was terrible; JLacrc-
telle fell dead from his horse, Major Dnch-
ct fell dead after him; our men. still nd
yanced q Ia bagopettc. An Austrian Col
onel and 200 Cronts were made prisoners.
Assailed in front by the French; broken
by the, inapetuosity of the charge of the
Sardiniaa, Monferrato light horsemen, led
by tho brave Colonel Morelli; attacked on
the right,by the second brigade, and by
our artillery all along the line, the Austri-