The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-07-21
IOTrespondence OF the y. 7.
, Eatase of SOlferinO.

The battle commenced little before o
clock in the morning, not far from sunrise
Just back of Castigiione rises a high range
OF hills which projects mile or thercabout,
into the plain, and then breaks off towards
the left into the rolling surface which makes
that portion Of the plain. The Austrians
had taken position upon these hills, plantine
cannon upon those nearest to Castig iglione
which they could notapproach as the French
army was in full force around that little
village and had stationed their immense ar
my all over the Surrounding plain.
As nearly as we can now learn, the Empe-
ror Francis Joseph had collected here not
less than 225 900 troops and commanded
| them in person. Ills evident purpose was
to make stand here and risk the fortunes
Of war upon the hazards of TIE day. Ma
poleon promptly accepted the challenge and
commenced the attack as soon as it was
| light, by placing cannon upon the hills still
nearer to Castigilonc than those held by the
: Austrians, and opening fire upon them on
the highest of these, a steep, sharp-backed
4 rid e which commands the entire circuit OF
the plain, and from that point directed the
entire movements of his army during the
early portion of the day. The French very
soon drove tha enemy out Of the posts they
held nearest to the town and followed them
into the small villages Of the plain. Below
the first of these was Saiferino, where they
had a sharp and protracted engasement.-
The Austrians disputed every inch Of the
ground and fought here as they did through
! out the day, with the utmost desperation.
They were three times driven out -of the
town before they would stay out.
I The people of the village moreover took
part against the French, upon whom they
fired from their windows. and the French,
were compelled in self defence to burn the
town. When they found it impossible to
hold their ground any longer they fell back
slowly and steadily until they reached the
village of Valla, directly southeast from Cas-
tiglione, and is only about mile from the
River Mincio, from which, however, it is
separated by range of hills. Upon these
hills in the rear ofthe town and overlooking
it completely on the south and southeast
sides, the Austrians had planted very formi-
dable batteries, and when arrived upon the
Geld and went at once to the height where
| the Emperor had stood at the opening of the
engagement, but which he had left an hour
before to follow his victorious troops. these
batteries were blazing away upon the French
who were stationed upon the plains below.
The general result was soon made evident
by the slackening Of the Austrian fire, by
tie falling back of their smoke and cores
pondjng advance on the part of that whicl
rose from the French artillery. The cannon,
aiding 1T that point lasted for over an hour,
but in precisely what direction the Aus,rians
retreated it was not possible, from the posi-
ton I occupied. TO see.-Part of the Aus
trian force probably crossed the Addio River
which flows southwark from the lower end
Of Lake Guarda and empties into the Pc.
But the battlo continued to rage all over
the region northwest ola line connecting the
towns of OaSteglione, Solfprino and Volta
At one point after anothera sharp cannona.
ding woul arise and continue for half or
tire quarters OF an hour and after each sue
cessive engagement Of this kind the result
became apparent in that retreat Of the Aus
tlians and the advance of the French for.e.
During all the early part of the day the sky
/ had become clear ana the weather hot, but
I clbuis began {, gather about noon, and at
a o'clock, while the cannonadi was at its
! hight tre,nandons Thunderstorm rolled up
from the northwest. The storm lasted for
about an hour AMI the cannonalins, so far
as we could distinguish, was suspended, the
rain ceased. the clouds blew away, The sun
shonc out again and the air was cool and per-
| fectly delightful Though the cannon may
have ceased for time to take part in it, the
| fight had meantime gone on, and when /
again resumed my post of observation, from
which the storm had expelled me-, the can
nonading commsn snced qpite on the extreme
left of the entire field, on the very borders
Of the Lake. north -eastfrom Casteglion, and
west of peschiera
The Picdmontese troops under the King
who commands them in person had been
posted as they came arounl.
] From about o'clock until after nightfall
an incessant and most terrible combat was
here Kept up.
The batteries of the two armies were ap-
lparently about half a mile apart and they
were both served with nearly equal and
defective vigor, bat the Austrian gradually
Stacked their fire and several times took new
position whle Sardinia pushed rapid and
interrupted shower of balls upon them, sus-
pending only for q few moments at time
land then renewing it with redoubled fury
The wind had now gone down the air was
still and the sound Of mlsketry as well as Of
cannon was distinctly heard sometimes only a
single fash would hc seen then two or three
at once and sometimes half dozen would
break forth in instant succession.
1t was beginning to be dark whenI turn
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