The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-06-11
rhe Position of the Contending


The mighty consequences which hang
upon the issue of the present struggle in Eu-
rope makes every intelligent rea er desire
fully to understand lis progress. The follow
ing short review OF the military movements
! OF the beligcrenis, from the y. y. HerdLd,
will enable the reader TO gain a very clear
idea of the present state Of the contest, and
the position of the contendng forces:
"Three plans for the campaign in Sar-
diHil were submitted to the Emperor OF
Austria, OF which that OF Gyulai was adopt
ed. According to this plan, 100000 men
were to be thrown into Sardinia in three
columns. One of these was TO cross Lake
Maggiore, turning the extreme left OF the
Sandman line of operations, and advancing
through Biello, down the valley of the
Dora Baltea through Santhia, march upon
Turin. The main column to cross the tt
cini and advance through Noyara TO YER
celli, where the Austrian headquarters were
finally established, within three days march
of Turin and two days from AlesSandria.--
\ third column was TO cross the Po at Pa
via and advance through Voghera TO Tor
tona, within one days march of AlesSandria
on one side, or of Noyi on the other; which
latter movement would have cut off the
communication between Alessandria and
Genoa, and brought the Austrians within
two days march OF that port. To oppose
this invading force, had the movement been
| suddenly made, the SardinianS would have
had only about G0,O00 men distributed
along the line of operations from Grayellona
on Lake Maggiore to Genoa, and no French
troops to support them. In these straits,
which only partially occurred, the. Sar-
dinian army avoided a battle by retiring
! before the superior forces of Austria, and
as these advanced towards the Turin, Victor
! Emanuel and his Court withdrew 10 the
| strong fortress of Alessandria TO wait there
! the issue OF "A siege and suceor from the
I French. ...H-
Had the plans of General Gyulai been
/ carried out with the rapidity OF movement
! contemplated III its conception, Turin mus
have fallen at once into the hands oftlie Aus
/ trIanS, atlording them an excellent base
| from which TO cut up the unsupported corps
/ OF the French which were lO cross at Mount
! Cents, aud giving To the invaders possession
OF the whole of Sardinia, with the exception
| of the Isolated fortress of AlesSandria, aud
the port OF Genoa. But this was prevented
! by tie course of events First came the
! presenting of the ultimatum of Austria. on
the 23d of April, giving Sardinia three days
! to disarm. Next came the proffered medi-
| alton of England on the 25th, which delay
! ed the advance of the Austrians until the
29th. Louis Napoleon. as soon as he was
advised by telegraph of the sending from
| Vienna OF this uItimatum, did not wait for
the expiration OF its term, or the reply of
/ Sardinia. He ordered the immediate en-
/ barkation of his troops, and on the 10Th of
! April, the day the Austrians crossed the I ici-
I no had placed so, 600 men in Genoa. Then
/ came the rains and the swelGRgof the rivers,
which greatly interfered with and retarded
Z the movements OF The Austrians, and gave
the allies still more time 10 perfect their
! own concentration. The Alpine division
OF the French crossed the mountains aud
established their base at Susa, within two
days march of Turin, and within three
weeks time Louis Napoleon had thrown
10000 men in Sardinia, the FIRST body
landing at Genoa on the 9th of April.
3 - The Austrian advance was thus stopped
and the increased forces OF the Allies de-
feaied the success of the original plan. As
( the French aud Sardinians concentrated
their forces, n like necessity attended the
AustrianS, and instead of pursuing their
offensive movements, they were obliged 10
prepare for defense. The left wing of the
Sardinians, being now strengthened, was
pushed forward, causing the northern COL
umn of the AuStrians-whichh had advanced
as far as Santhia-to retrace its steps. Ac-
cording to the advices published, Gen. Chi
aldini had forced the passage of the Sesia,
and General Garbaldi, belonging TO his di-
vision, had entered Grayell0na. This forces
the northern column OF the Austrians TO re-
treat across Lake Maggiore and re-enter
Lombardy. The retreat of the right wing
of the Austrians left its ceatral column un-
covered on that flank, and forced General
Gyulai 20 withdraw his headquarters from
Yercelli, lrst to Nortara, and thence to
Garlasco, which IS within ten miles OF the
. Ticino. The right of the Sardinianline of
+ operations, having received the strongest re-
/ Inducements through Genoa, has exhibited
/ the scene of most active movement. Tile
! third Austrian column was obliged to fall
back from Tortona towards the Po, and ac-