The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-06-24
p EUROPEAN NEWS
From The Mem York Ereuinn Past


From The Neao York Erening Postl
"a THE EVACUATION OF PAvIA.- .--.
An item, and by means an unimportant on
in the recent exciting foreign news, announces TIL
the Austrians, in their general retreat before Il
advancing armies the allies. have evacuated IL
ancient city of Pavia, which they have occupied ft
many wears. This city lies on the very frontier
the Austrian possessions in LOmbardy, and is scpa
ated from the Sandman territory bv the river T
cino A remarkable bridge of seven arches. and or
OF the most singular relies fhe fourteenth century
crosses the stream at this point, and is fanked o
either end by the Austrian and Sardinian Custom
houses. This bridge built of stone and brick
three hundred feet in length, and is covered with
roof supported by one hundred granite columns
Like many of the medieval structures of Italy,
was built at the period when the cities of what ar
now known as Lombardy and Tuscany were free re
pubics, and when Pavia was under that form of GOV
| ernment.
Pavia, rejoicing in the sonorous title of 9Th
City of the Hundred Towers" is at the presen
time grand and venerable city, bearing its wild
| streetslts numerous places and its ruined castles
| where Lombard kings once held their medieya
courts, all the marks of magnificent decay. TIL
population is somewhere near thirty thousand. Il
| the classic times the place known as Ticinum
| and under Augustus CITY of considerable i'm
| portance During the Gothic dominion in Italy tn
| name was changed to Papia and then to Payia. /
was in more recent times wealthy city, and a
one period contained no less than fortysix converts
| Like every Italian town of any Importance, Paw:
has often felt the shock of war; and has suffered sew
eral seges the most important of these battles tool
| place in its immediate vicinity on the oath of Feb
ruary, 1925, between the French under Francis tht
| l. and the lmperialists. The French were then in
vadng Italy, and had laid siege to Pavia, which
| was gallantly defended by Antony de Leyva. A
large force under Lannoy, Viceroy of Naples. hast
ened to the relief of the besieged town and engaged
| the besegers in battle The result of this confic
was the total defeat of the French and the dispers
| ing of their army, while the King Francis l. anG
Henry King of Navarro We're taken prisoners, ma
ny officers slan and ten thousand prvates left deaC
! on the field. 1t was thought probable that the
French would again besiege Pavia ere long, but the
quiet retirement of the Austrans has spared them
the trouble.
Oflate years Pavia has been attractive to tourists
on account of the celebrated Certosa or Charter
house, probably the most luxurious convent that
ever existed, even in Italy. was designed for a
limited number of wealthy monks, who lived there
IN great splendor until the convent was suppressed
by Joseph H., who appears to have served the mo-
nasterles OF Italy very much Henry VIII, did
those OF England A singular and suggestive fea-
ture OF this splendid structure is the mausoeum
built to receive the remains of the founder of the
convent, Giovanni Visconti Duke of Milan who
died in l402. The mausoleum however took one
hundred and sixty years for its completion. and
then the body of Visconti could not be found the
place where his remains had been temporarily de
posted being forgotten. So his gorgeous tomb still
awaits its prncely occupant -
10 scholars Pava is chiefly interesting for its eel
ebrated University, foundedby Charlemange rising
to the first rank in the middle ages and still retain
ing high position. The students of the Jniyersi-
" nave always taken prominent part in the pop
ular uprisings of the people against foreign domi-
nation, and at the commencement of the present
troubles in Italy manifested spirit that induced the
Austrian authorities to suspend the of studies
and expel many of the students. There are other
private universities in the city, endowed and sup
ported by wealthy families of the nobility and as
IN every Italian town. a number of curious church
es The chief manufactures are of silk and the
-l,,a Al.
ducts of the adjacent districts are forwarded to the
larger market of Milan, from which it is but nine
teen miles distant in southwesterlv direction At
the last Lombard revolution Pavia was held by the
Austrlans, and it was while Charles Albert was
marching to seize the place that he was Intercepted
by their troops and forced into the disastrous con-
fct so well known the Battle of Novara Among
the celebrated men connected with Pavia may be
there, and Pope John XIV, who was native of
the place. The enlightened Lombard King Luit-
prand. a great admirer of Boetius was also buried
IN church in that city that has since been turned
into stable. Vallery gives the following account
of his visit to the royal tomb:
The tomb of Luitprand was at first placed in the
Church of Saint Andrian, but some time after il
was carried to the Basilic of st. Peter in the Gold
en- heavens; in his will he desired that he might be
Inferred at the feet of BOetus, that when he ceased
TO exist he might seem to cease testifying his
respect or that illustriOus man. The coffin of the
great king was supported by four small marble col
umns; his statue, in royal robes, was placed above
The decision of the Council of Trent caused the cof
fin to be taken down, as it then decreed that
the burial place of saints only should be above the
surface of the earth. The ashes of Luitprand were
deposited at the foot of pilaster in the choir
The original epitaph, which told of his pietv and
yaior the wisdom of his laws, his conquest of the
Roman state. and his victories over the Saracens in
France, the taking of Ravenna SpOleto and Bene-
vento-all these signs of glory had disappeared
and nothing was left on his fallen tomb but the
words Here are the bones of King Luitprand =
This simple inscription one day destined to be
itself ignobly smothered over with trusses of hay
and | sought it in vain.'
Among the most wealthy and ancient families of
Pavla is that OF Malaspina into which the favorite
prima donna Gazzaniga. herself native of the
neighboring town of Voghera, married, and from
which she has her title of Countess of Malaspina-
The Marquis Ludovico Maaspna. who died in 1885,
erected an elegant museum, dedicated to the fine
arts and containing valuable collection of prints
paintings and antiquities, that is to strangers one
OF the chief attractions of the city,
Pavia is not possessed of great military strength
1t is surrounded by wall but the Notifications are
somewhat dilapidated, and notwithstanding the re-
cent repairs the place could not sustain protract-
ed seige. Indeed, the almost unexpected evacua-
tion of Pavia by the Austrians proves that they
placed very little reliance in its means of defences
especially when the besieged citizens would have
sympathiZed with the beSieged. and probably like
the Milanese, gladly welcomed Victor Emmanuel
within their walls, had he presented himself out
side of them.
THE BATTLE OF MAGENTA, BY AN ACTOR INIT
The following letter. the first directly coming
from the battlefield of Magenta and written the
morning after by an officer who took part in the bat
tie is published in the Pays The writer naturally
only describes what he witnessed himself and gives
no idea of the general character the engagement
but from what he says it will be that the con
hct must have been OF most desperate description:
"BATTLE FIELD OF MAGENTA, !
"June 5, Four Morning (
81 hasten to inform YOU that in the great victory
which the French arms have gained at this place
have escaped without scratch, although was in
the very midst of the fight, from one in the after
noon to half past nine in the evening, in company
with my brave comrades, the Zouaves of the Guard
On the 3D. the FOltigeurs of that arm had received
orders to advance to the Tcino and cross the river
below Butfalora, on the left of Turbgo to support
General de McMahon's corps The next day, the
first brigade OF infantry of the Guard Zouaves and
Grenaders commanded by General Clerc, received
orders to encamp at Trecate, on the Milan road and
on the 4th, early in the morning, the brigade re-
ceved orders to cross the Ticno and advance Ma
genta On arriving at the banks of the river we
saw the Emperor who, after reaching Novara had
transferred his headquarters to the bridge itself over
the Iicino In the distance, on the left bank were
to be seen clouds of smoke accompanied by the
thunder of cannon at intervals. ... '.
When we reached the bridge, the troops were or
dered Immediately to put down their havresacks,
and advance rapidly to the right of the road to Ma
genta in order to attack a redoubt in earthwork
which the Austrans had established to sweep the
bridge of the Ticino and the road to Milan The
brigade was divided into two columns. That of the
Sd Grenadiers designated to form the first col
of the attack. and the first three companies of
the lst battalion of the Zouaves of the Guard were
to support the movement. formed part of these
companies We had to vast open meadows
where the enemy could sweep US with grape. When
the word was given the column dashed forward at
full speed and in few minutes after the Grenadiers
and Zouaves were climbing up the redoubt, which
we took with the cry of 'Vive PEmpereur = The
movement was so sudden that the enemy had scarce
ly time to fire their guns The Austrians, driven
from the redoubt, returned immediately after with
great accession of force, to attack US in it, We
were about two hundred Zouaves, and in spite of
our small number, we made four successive sorties
crying to each other, use the bayonetp Each time
the enemy forced to retire with considerable
loss We were not really one to ten, but we made
up by the dash and rapidity of attacks for our
want of numbers. 3. ..t
In the course of the four sorties we had unfortu-
nately lost considerable portion of force, and
at last unable to continue the offensive
with any hope of success. The Austrians, seeing
that we were not supported, returned to the charge
fifth time, and their numbers were enormous
were obliged to retire in our turn. We with
drew in good order beyond the railway bridge and
deep canal. There, being for the moment secure
from attack, | caused my men to take little rest
which they much wanted, for during three hours
they had been engaged We soon after received
the support of division of Marshal CanrObert's
corps, arriving in all haste from Novara, and of a
brigade of General de Mcmahon, which had passed
the Ticino at Turbigo. With these reinforcements
our troops assumed the offensive, and regained all
the positions which we had previously occupied
Towards six O'Clock | had Just proceeded with
my company to the bridge of the canal, where
the headquarters of General ReGnault de St