Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1859-06-16
The Battle OF Montebello,

The first victory has been won-may it be q
good one for the allied armies. This morning, as
I was returning from Osti, cleaned some impor.
tant details, which, I am happy to say, enable
me to give you fair, if not complete, descrip.
tion of the battle which was fought yesterday,
and which will be recorded in the annals Of the
present struggle as the battle of Montebello.
Since Thursday night it had been rumored in
our camp that the Emperor of Austria had ar
rived at Pavia, in company with the Field Marshal
Hess. Our informants, who had come from Ar
gino to the headquarters Of Marshal paraguay
d'Hillers through the bushy paths Of the Casitis-
ma country, had also reported that great deal
of warlike hustle and marching had been noticed
in the Austrian camp, near the bridge of La Hell
Ia. The telegraph has informed you that on
Thursday an Austrian corps, coming from Stra-
della attacked the position of Casteggio, chiefly
defended by the people of that place. After o
brilliant stand made by Piedmontese cavalry, in
which Capt. Piola was slightly wounded, the Aus
trians were obliged to retire. As soon as Marshal
paraguay dHilliers got wind of the fact that the
Austrians were plotting mischief for next day,
he gave his orders to Gen. Forey to be on his
guard with his division. This distinguished off,
Ger moved his forces, therefore, in the direction
Of Montebello, as il was thought that after the
retreat Of Thursday, the enemy would perhaps
again attack the advanced guard of our army.
You will not have forgotten, that from the time
of the Gallo and Punic wars down to the last
great European conflict, Montebello and Casteg-
gio have been important military positions. This
last mentioned place was beseged by Hannibal,
who did not really conquer it, but bought it from
Publus Darius. A remarkable memorial of che
Cartbaginian General stille1ists-a spring Of very
pure water, called by immemorial tradition "The
| Fontana 'Annibale" Itwas near Casteggio that
on the 9th of June, 180G the great battle between
| the French and the Austrians was fought. This
battle, so wonderfully described by Theirs, is usu-
ally called the Battle of Montebello, from the
village where the French finally routed the corps
de resrue of the enemy. Fifty years ago the for
tune of the day was there decided by Victor; yes
terday it was decided by the bold assault of Cen
obtained by the Forey division, brigade of which
he commanded, and by the Sandman cavalry un-
der the orders Of Colonel De Sontaz.
At II o'clock yesterday, $1,000 Austrians, un-
der the orders Of General Zobel, were seen to
move toward the Piedmontese position Of Mon
tebello, which were occupied by 800 Sandman
horsemen supported BY two batteries. The Aus
trians were marching in echelons their right wing
bent in the direction Of Branduzzo their left flank,
supported by large artillery, on Casona, whilst
their columns Of attack of the centre advance,
by Piazale, towards our lines Of MonGebello.
As soon as General Forey was aroused by roll
after roll of musketry on the left, and by the
sharp report of Austrian and Piedmontese guns,
he marched with the second brigade Of his divis-
ion in the direction Of Montebello to support the
Piedmontese cavalry, which by this time had al
ready advanced to meet the enemy.
The battle of Montebelo scarcely admits of
description. 1t was a series of dreadful deeds of
daring, hand to hand fights, of sanguinary en-
counters, of desperate charges and assaults. The
shells and bullets of the Austrians burst so thick
ly among our troops that our centre, already en-
gagged, was obliged to fall back on the right of
our lines, retiring from Montebello, protected by
a ravine filled with brushwood, which descended
towards the main road of Vaghera.
As General Beuret led on his men to support
our centre, it was observed that body of the en-
emy had gained tho top of hilly ground behind
the French division on our right. A deadly VOL
ley was poured into them, and protected by the
fire, both Piedmontese and French came out from
the ravine and went boldly to meet the enemy
The effect of the new French guns, carrying their
bullets to q distance Of more than two English
miles, was 80 great that the centre of the Aus
trans soon obliged to fall back on its reserve
and Montebello was again occupied by our men,
By this time the third and fourth brigades of
General Forey's Lewiston had reached the scene
of the action This distinguished officer had left
in support of small band of the national guard
who, by the bye, fought bravely-his first brig
ade, sending an orderly officer of his staff to Mar
shal paraguay Hilliers, asking support if need
be-;
Having thus given his orders, he came on with
his Zoaves at the p1s de charge. One battalion of