The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-07-21

then, II S o'clock, a violent rain storm
coming up, attended with lightning
and thunder, the retreat of the Austri
ans commenced.
D1ring this storm. which lasted near
lt:an hour, we took refuge in one o.
the division headquarters of the town
and there assisted in dressing the
wounded as they were brought in.
The storm, which was but . burst, and
which seemed to have been sent ex-
pressly to cool tie Hot air and lay the
dust, had no sooner ceased than the
thunder of the artillery was again
heard, but this time around and to the
north of the point Of hills in the direc,
ton of Peschiera. The battle had
been renewed, or perhaps to us at the
village, only drowned by the storm.
We FASTENED to high hill half mile
easst of the town, to q point near
where the Austrian right wing rested
at daylight in the morning, and at the
very place on which Napolean had
stood during the first hours of the bat
tie, and from this point we could see
distinctly what was going on. Away
to the northeast, towards Peschiera,
which was clearly in view, and appear
emily near the borders of the lake OF
Garda, the battle was raging with re-
newed fury. The Piedmontese, fifty
thousand strong, commanded by the
King, who had stopped the night OF
the 23d in advance of Sonato, and who
had came to the field of action in the
rear of the Austrian morning position,
had attacked the Austrians in the flank
as they retreated. We could see each
discharge of the cannon as they vom-
tied forth in rapid succession their
death-dealing missiles, and when we
shaded our ears behind the crown of
the hill on which we stood, could hear
distinctly Tot only the discharge of the
cannon, but the sharp rapid cracking
of the raised muskets of the Infantry.
The scene at this moment was one
long to be remembered. Ten miles
north of us, and on the eastern and
western shores of the lake, the Alps
reared their snow-covered tops above
the clouds. The storm had cleared
away, and the sunset was never more
beautiful in this country of lovely skies.
Nearer to us, on the south side of the
lake, where the shore is nearly level,
the battle was raging and the move
ments of the batteries from point to
point could be perceived. The rays
of the setting sun Illuminated the snow
clad tops of the mountains, rendered
their sides dark and sombre, and threw
o shade upon the water beyond the
c,ntending armies which brought these
into strong relief. The Austrians
could be seen steadily receding; the
batteries of artillery on both sides were
instantly shifting from one little hill
lock to another, and as soon as placed
in position a regular rolling discharge
could be heard and line of fire seen
like confagration. The scene was
alike picturesque and terrible.
The Austrians continued to recede
towards the Mincio at Peschiera. AT
9 o'clock we left our lookout to hunt
up a corner in which to write you these
details, and as we descended the ravine
on the side Of the town, We still heard,
although we could no longer see, the
discharges of the guns, and knew that
abe. work Of death was going on. We
are naturally anxious to learn the result
of this closing scene in the long and
bloody days work.
The great battle which will render
Solferino and the oath of June memo
rable in history, lasted from O'Clock
in the morning till 9 in the evening"
total of sixteen hours and it may be
that the pursuit is not yet suspended.
1t was battle in which French skill
in the art of war once more proved SUI
perior to that of Austria, her ancient
enemy, and it would seem that she
ought now to be willing to make peace.
We were unable to arrive even at an
approximation of the casualties of the
day. The officers who might have been
able to furnish US correct information
continued in the pursuit of the enemy,
and we were obliged to rely upon what
we saw with our own eyes and could
obtain from the wounded themselves.
From these data we feel warranted in
SAYING that the French must have had
$4,000 men hors de combat. We GER
tainly saw ourselves 10000 wounded
men come from the field, on carts,
wagons, mules and filters. The pro-
cession of the wounded was continuous
during IL hours that we remained spec.
tator Of the scene, and now, in the
morning hours, the stream is pouring
on, seeking a resting place in
the churches of the surrounding villages
and hamlets towards Brescia, all oil
which have been seized by the sergeons
for hospital purposes. 1t is blessing
indeed that on such occasions as this
the country should be so well supplied
with large and elegant churches, fol
they form admirable hospitals, and
serve as a resting place for wounded
men who might otherwise die on their
carts on the highway for want of shell
ter. The hospital and churches O
CastigIione are reserved for the wound
ed officers and the men on whom sur
gical operations are to be performed
especially the amputated.
The medical officers expressed sur
prise at the disproportion of men who
were brought from the field will
wounds of the arms and legs, and in
fact we observed this singularity among
Al n