Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1859-07-08

the point OF the bayonet, drove out the de-
tenders, and not only established themselves
in the houses, but cleared the ground in
front, and penetrated to farm house which
lies little to the right front of the posi-
ton.
"lhis state OF things lasted until o. M.
put the time was drawing near when. in
spite OF their heroic efforts, the little band
would scarcely have been able to 90 much
longer. 1t had had terrific losses, their am
munition was beginning to fail, and their
strength too, after two hours of gigantic
fight against ever increasing odds. Al this
moment cloud of dust behind the road
showed the advance Of the long looked for
heip, and the brigade Picard of the division
Renault was seen advancing. As soon as
they had arrived, the Eighth Chasseurs
were sent toward the village of Robecco, to
the right, the Twenty-third of the line to
the centre of the position, while the Ninetieth
was kept in hand to be used according to
circumstances. About the same time the
corps of Gen M'Mahon had overcome the
difficulties of the ground, and was attack
ing Magenta, while from behind battalion
arrived after battalion, and several divisions
were sent to the right to surround and crush
the enemy. These forces carried every
thing before then, and forced the Austrians
10 SO precipitale retreat that above 5000
prisoners, among them rs officers, remain
ed in the hands at the allies. Besides the
two guns taken by the grenaders, and
which have seen, good many others are
said to have been taken, some say as MANY
as thirty-six. have not seen them, and
rNnfs Isx,ta Al
glorious one for the allies. Of the pris-
oners l have seen batch of at least so
officers myself, and one mass of 1920 other
prisoners, besides several smaller patches.
the losses on either side are supposed to be
about 1000 hors de con,bat, without the
prisoners of war. From the number of
dead and wounded / saw, don't think
there Is much exaggeralion in this. OF
course, the two regiments to whom belongs
in the first instance the honor of the day,
suffered most severely. The grenadiers
alone had 8 officers killed and Ii wounded
don't know about the Zouaves after them
the regiments which came first up to the
rescue, and the corps of Gen. McMahon
engaged upon the other side. Two gener-
ais are among the dead--Gen. Cable and
Gen. Espinasse. The former met his fate
in front of the position, while the latter,
when bringing up his division, advanced to
reconnoitre corn field from which shots
were fired and was killed by rifle bullet
at the same moment as his aid-de-camp,
who was riding near him. These are the
details of the brilliant engagement at Pont
d Magenta. You may rely upon them as
true on all esseI tial points"
The fighting at the village of Magenta
was hardly less severe. "The railroad
station, as well as neighboring buildings
and square, solid Campanile, were filed
with Austrian rifemen, while the troops of
the line massed themselves in front of them.
As the troops came up they were brought
out here and took the place of their ex-
huusted comrades. To carry this strong
position the fusileers and chasseurs of the
French guard were ordered forward.
They broke through, driving the enemy be-
fore them, until their course was arrested
by the line of strong wooden railings. A
few cannon shot would have easily brought
them down, but there was no place whence
to bring them to bear, so nothing remained
but to tear ii down by main force and the
axes of the sappers. 1t was done, and the
column entered the village Here every
house had become castle held by des-
perate garrison, it required regular COM
bat to take it, and letter after letter could
be written on the incidents in which these
isolated combats abounded. There is no
doubt the Austrians fought desperately,
even when everything seemed lost, an in
credible number OF their officers being kill
ed and wounded, the soldiers were left en-
tirely to themselves in these isolated posi-
tions, from which there was no retreat
They had been told before that they had to
expect no mercy, as it was the habit OF the
allies TO kill all prisoners and wounded SO
they fought with this imaginary halter
round their neeks. The wounded crept
into the cellars, and hid themselves where
they could, in order not to fall into the
hands OF the cruel enemy, there to siarve
and to die. Numbers have been found thus
concealed, and either dead or so exhausted
that they are scarcely expected to recover.
Even now, three days after the battle, num-
bcrs are found and brought TO the hospital,
or to be buried. saw myself, this morn
ing taken out of the cellars of the railway
station, two poor wreches-a Tyroiese Ja-
ger and a soldier of the lne-the first
Nouhucu TIC StCUtiu 1liiOSt
dead with fear and exhaurtion. They
heard below the discharge of the muskefs
found loaded on the field of b,ttlc and
thought it probably series of wholesale
executions. And yet how different was
the cases Not even towards their own
soldiers are the French more humane than
towards those who fall into their hands by
the chances of war. They nurse them like
children, handle them gently, like mothers,
aud do everything in their power to relieve
their suffering.
sWell, by 8 o'clock the mission of the
Due de Magenta was fulfilled, and Magen-
Ia taken. As the attack Of the latter had
saved the couple Of regiments which at
tackled at the Ponte Nuovo di Magenta, 50
the advance of this column, with the pow
erfal reserves which had come up by this
time. contributed TO make the victory COM
Meta and swell the nurnher of r,-i.onsr.