The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1859-07-23
Tho Battle OF Bolferino. .--Hon. j, III
Raymond'H Account,
From lhe Nsy Yoft Times ofthe l2lh)
CAhIIGLInNE. IihlN I

p aalf Of what | have very little doubt will
I turn out ~ have been the greatest battle the
10 modern world has seen, You will get the
% official summary Of is results by steegrhph
! before this letter reaches you, aud viii be-
, prepared, therefore, Tor this settlement Of IL
E magnitude, ! cannot describe il With any
{ precision aA ycl-=lur IL has lasted all day,
p and pAlendpd over a circuit ~ not less lhlu
fifteen miles the noise 0i the otnnonude, aud
eIen Of the musketry, moreover is still in
. my ears, and none Of those engaged in H.,
except the wounded, have returned 20 give
VA any distinct and connected account But
not eas than 46OOO0 men have btsn engag-
I'd In IL, and Of these not less than 10000 -
dead or disabled-le, on this bright, starry
night upon the bloody field.
, The battle commenced ht q little before
five o'clock IN the mOrnng-nOt lar from
sunrise. Just back Of Cahlgliune risea a
high range Of hilIs-WhIeh project q nile or
, lhcreabouis into the plain aud thcE breaks
off towards the leii into vide cxpanae Of
smaller hills, aud 30 into the rolling surface
which makes that portion Of the plain, The
} Austrlnns had taken position upon these
hlllA-plautiug cannon upon those nearest
|, 10 Castgi0ne which they could approach, a.
, the French army was ia lull force Ia and
around that little ,illage-and had stationed
their immense array all over the surrounding
7
Emperor Francis Joseph had collected here
not less than 22j 900 troops, and commanded
them IN person. His evident purpose wa
TO make stand here and risk the iortuucs
Of the war upon the hazards uf the day Ma.
puleOn promptly accepted the challenge and
commenced the attack a. soon aS Il Was light
this morning, hy placing cannon upon the
hills still NEARER Custiglione than those held
hy the hustrians, and opening fire upon them
eH the heights beyond. lie TOOK his own
stand upon the highest OF thesc--a steep,
sharp. backed ridge, which commands mag
niiiccnt view Of thc entire circuit OF the PLAIN
and from that point directed the entire move
ments Of his army during the early portion
of the day. The French very soon drove
the enemy out of the posts they held nearest
the town. and followed them into the small
. villages Of the plain below, The first Of these
waA Solfcrino, where they had u sharp aud
ptutHctrd engagement. The Auslrians dis.
puled every inch OF the ground, and fought
here as they did throughout the day with
the utmost desperation. They were three
times driven out Of the town before they
would stay out. The people Of the village.
moreover, took part against the frrueh, upon
whom they fired from their windows, and the
French we're compelled in self defense, TO
burn the town. When they found il impos-
slbc 10 hold their ground any longer, they
fell back slowly and steadily until they reach
cd the village Of Volta, which as you will sce
by the map, Iies directly southeast from Cls
ri,rr Mncio from which however, il is scpa-
rated by a range Of hills. Upon these hills,
in the rear of the town aud overlooking il
completely, on the south and southeast sides
tlt,4 t-tfiuits lirtt irinrtttl tutrrtuhir
batteries, and when / arrived upon the field
and went ut once TO the height where the
lnn Lf ut hn 4 tlts pf.
gagcment, but which he had lett an hour be-
fore to follow his victorious troops, these bat
tcries were blazing away upon the French
who were stationed on the plain below.
| was too far of to observe with any aecu-
racy the successive steps Of the action, but
could discincty see the troops stationed up
on the broad plain, and moving up in masses
towards the front, where the artillery was
posted as their services were required. But
as soon as they reached this point they were
speedily enyeloped in the smoke Of the can.
non, and disappeared from observation. But
the general result was soon made evident 10y
the slackruiug of the Austrian fire, and 10y
The falling back of their smoke and u cores.
, pondipg advance on the part OF that which
rose from the French artillery. The cannon
aiding at that point lasted for over an hour,
but in precisely. what direction the Austri-
ans retTeated, it was not possible from the
position | occupied TO see. | was afraid To
change il, moreover, because although ]
might easily have gone more directly and
closely upon the field, could not have found
any cminence upon the plain from which
could have had so sweeping and complete "a
view. Part Of the Austrian force probably
crossed the Minco river which howS south
ward from the lower end OF Lake Garda, aud
emptics into the Po.
But the battle continued to rage all over
the region northwest Of n line connecting
the towns OF Castiglione, Solierino aud Vol
Ia. At one point after another sharp can
nonading would arise and continue for half
| or three-qunrters of an hour-and after each
successive engagement of this kind, the re.
suit became apparent in the retreat Of the
Austridns and the advance of the French
forces. During all the early part Of the day
the sky had been csear aud the weather hot.
But clouds began To gather at about noon,
ard at o'clock, while the canHonade was at
its height a tremendous thunder storm. roll
ed up from the northwest; the wind came
first, sweeping from the parched streets an
enormous cloud OF dust, and was soon follow
ed by heavy fall of rain, accompanied 10y
vivid lightning and rapid explosions of rat
Ting thunder. The storm lasted for about
an hour, and the cannonodng, so far as we
could distinguish, was suspended. Then the
rain ceased, the clouds blew away, the sun
shone out again, and the air was cooled and
perfectly delightful. Though the cannon
may have ceased for time to take part in i;
the fight had meantime gone on, and when |
again resumed my post of observation, from
which the storm had expelled me, the cannon
aiding commenced quite on the extreme left
OF the entire field and on the very border of
the lake, northeast from Castiglone aud
west of Peschera. The Piedmontese troops,
under the King who commands them in per-
son, had been posted there, and received the
Austrians as they came mound From
about 7 o'clock until alter nighliall. an inees-
SAINT and most terrible combat was here kept
up. The batteries of the two armies we're
apparently about half a mile apart-and a,
the outset they were both served with nearly