Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1859-06-10
Thn Scat Of War-Montebello.


The Ticino, where the Austrian army first
commenced forming, and whore it was sup
posed the fret actual battle would be fought,
has its fountainhead in lake Maggiore, "a
beautiful expanso Of water 40 or so miles in
length, by from TO 10 in breadth, lying at
the southern base Of the Lefrontine Alps,)
and thence aows southwark in clear, un-
broken stream until it empties into the river
Po. II divides Sardinia from Lombardy
and Venice. Austria has possession Of the
latter country, whence it was supposed that
the collision would occur on the Ticino,
where the adverse States join.
Contrary to expectation, however, the
first engagement took place at MOntebellO, a
little town further south, near maren co.
Montebello has before witnessed scenes Of
bloodshed, and been swept by cannon balls
and grape shot
That part of Italy which is drained by
the Po, seems to be the natural battle ground
between France and Austria, and never yet
has contest arisen between those countries
but what the first blows have been struck in
that vicinity. The first Napoleon brought
MontebellO into notice by making it his
head quarters after his victorious campaign
in northern Italy in 1891 He established
himself there in beautiful summer resi-
dence, overlooking the plains of LombGrdy,
and held his court in more than regal splen'
dor, and entered into negotiations with the
ambassadors of the Emperor Of Germany,
of the Pope and of the several Italian States,
which finally resulted in the treaty of CANT
po FormiO,
Far different was the occasion of his re-
turn three years afterwards in the summer
Of lS00 A division of the French army
under the commander Of Lannes, scarce
5000 strong and weAried with their journey
across the Alps, here encountered an Aus'
trian force more than $4,000 in number
The contest was q severe one. The Aus
trians were strongly posted and swept the
whole plain with grape shot For nine
hours the storm continued. IIannes declar.
ed afterward ''that he could hear the bones
Storm" At last the Austrians broke and
fed, having 5000 killed and 5000 taken pris-
oners. Tho French loss was about $500 in
the engagement
This was but precursor to the sanguina.
ry battle of Marengo, in which the French
were likewise victorious. After that, the
campaign was but series of splendid VIC
tories on their part
The modern battle of Montebello is in all
probability only the lorerunner of q mighty
engagement which will soon take place, or
has perhaps already taken place on the
plains of Lombardy. 1t is likely that the
French army will be successful in that also
and continue to be victorious unto the end.
Austria is sore pressed. Her treasury is
exhausted, and her foes are far her superior
in numbers, equipment and courage. France
and the Italian States are already allied
against her and several other kingdoms rer
gard her with an evil eye. 1t is said that
Kossuth has left London to excite Hungary
to rebellion, and to attempt to achieve that
independence which she, on her last effort,
so signally failed to establish. And beside
all this, though the English may try to shut
their eyes to the disagreeable fact as much
as they please, yet the present Napoleon is
no ordinary man. His past achievements
and his present position prove that he is one
of the first men in Europe,
AS the armies are now arrayed against
each other, there is mores than probability
that the Austrians will be defeated, but
should England or some other nation inter
fere and make other issuess than the pres.
ent, who can predict the result