Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-07-27

..,Iuic was on toward lne
extremity of the long tongue oi hills to
Which haze referred; their right on tic
same range of hills, close up 10 the town ol
Cas,glione, and t:.rir left extending directly
out across the plain to tic so!lLh Of the ter
mnation Of tic tongue Of hills. On these
hills there were two villages occupied by the
Austrians, and high old tower overlooking
the plain and the whole country around.
The Austrian position was in a crescent ('IS
at Magenta, about eight ml!ei long; and was
exceedingly strong in every point OF vIe",
since tue French were Obliged TO attack from
the plain, in full view, aud in concentrated
form.
During the first hours Of the battle the
French were twice driven back by the s''pe-
rior numbers and the impetuosity oi the
Austria,ls But this retrograde movement
was not repuIsr, and the ernnnil lost was
immediately regaincd. 1t WAS the First h"sl-
muut of Xouavrs that suffered most at thls
lno,ucnt. At u'clocli saw two cart oHdS
of wounded men II this Regiment as hey
came oil the field, On their way To The huspl-
til at Ca5t;glipnc, and they t,'i:l inc lEat at
that moment not q single commissioned ";il-
ccr vl their Regiment WAS un his feet. il'rli'
brave Colonel, who lad been rr'm"tcd "h'y
three days before, i'll place uI their Cuioln'
killed at Magenta had rcccire" three w"'ili'S,
and in effect | saw Lin carried lun the ilcia
soDn afterwards On litter, covered with
blood and dust, and apparently suffering deep
ly from his wounds.
Tie two villages on the line Of Hills head
L
tlnce to the advance Of the French. Hnc oI
these, Sofrrino was taken and rc.taken tires
times by Canrobcrt's division: and it IS SAID
that at this point the dead bodies actually
concealed the ground from view.
Another village nearer TO Castiglionc, in
which, strange to relate both the men ami
the women of the town fired upon the French.
was totally burnt down ny Marshal Eanro'
bcrt's orders, who was naturally Indignant at
such conduct. bad this detail from diiler-
cnt persons engaged in the baItlci Dut the
burning took place early OH the day before
VIC arrived on the ground, and NC did not,
therefore, sec this incident.
The Austrians were gradually driven back
over the plain, and from their strong position
on the hill-sidcs, till at t o'clock they made
their last obstinate stand at the town OF Vol
ta, six miles cast Of Castigliune. An hour $
work dislodgcd them from this place, and
then, at 5 o'clock, violent rain-storm COM
ing up, attended with lightning aud thunder,
the retreat of the Austrians commenced.
During this storm, which lastoI nearly an
hour, we took refuge in one of the division
head quarters OF the town, and there assisted
in dressing the wounded as they werc brought
in. The storm, which was but burst, and
which seemed to have hccn sent expressly
to cool the hot air and to lay the dust, had
no sooner ceased than the thunder OF the AZ
tillery was again heard, bu. this tme around
and to the north Of the point OF hills IN the
direction Of peschicra. The battle lad been
renewed or perhaps to us at the village, only
drowned by the storm. We fastened TO a
high hill half mile east Of the town, to a
point near where the Austrian right rested
ut daylight in the morning, and Mt the very
place on which Napoleon had stood during
the first hours of the battle, and from this
point we could see distinctly what was going
on. Away 10 the northcst, towards Pcschcr!,
which was clearly in view, and apparently
near the borders of the lake OF Garda, the
battle was raging with renewed fury, The
Picdmontcse, fifty thousand strong, command
ed by the King, who had stepped the nlsht
of the 23d in advance Of Sonato, and VINO
had come to the field of action in The rear
of the Austrian morning position, ha'l at
tackled the Austrians in the flank as they re-
treated We could see each discharge OF the
cannon as they vomited forth in rapid sue
cession thoir death-dealing missiles, and Whan