Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-07-05
A Young Soldiers First Baltic.

a Paris correspondent of the New York Ex-
press translates the following portion of Ions
and interesting letter, addressed to a French
country paper, by young Sergeant who was
actually engaged in the combat of Montebello:
"The morning of the battle, we were encamp
ed not far distant from Voghera, seated in o cir
Gle around sayoury dinner pot, in which bub
bled for the breakfast of the squad few slice,
of pork in great deal of water. ALI at once 9
sharp explosion OF musketry was heard in the d.
rection of the heights of Casteggio. You should
have seen how we jumped upon our feet We
seized our arms, and waited. For ten minutes
more, nothing. The firing continued, and we
observed q considerable animation in our grand
guard. Our strength on the spot consisted of but
two companies of support which, you will ad-
NIT, was but little in case of attack. We listen.
ed 10 the fusilade, which seemed to grow louder
and draw nearer, our hands clenchng the bar
rels of our carbines All at once, the gho goe,
there of the sentries was heard aud repeated
from the advanced guard A horseman, riding
at tremendous speed, bareheaded, covered with
dust and blood, passed near US. He wore the
uniform of Sandman cavalry officer. Leaning
forward upon his horses name, lie plunged bis
spurs into the beasts sides, his naked sabre hang
the Austriansi aud disappeared.
We were burning to push forward; several
actually started, but the captain sprang into the
middle OF the road, threatening to plunge his
sword through the first man who moved. And
be would have doneitl In moment order was
restored, and hardly five minutes had elapsed
since the disappearance of the Sandman officer
when We heard the trumpeters sound the recall
30 81, 4
Forey, with three aids-de-carnp, passed at full
speed, followed by the 18th chasseurs, whom We
Joined, and in quarter of an hour afterwards
we took our position along the banks of o little
stream, whose name escapes my memory.
Scarcely had we thrown ourselves to the
ground when handful of Tyroleans, hidden by
the trees at the left opened fire upon our com.
rades, who were much more exposed than We
In less time than it takes me to write it, they
had killed fifteen of our men. This enraged us,
and without concert, without word to each 9th
er, my men and myself jumped into the water,
waded to the opposite Shore and rushed with
the bsyonet upon the thirty or forty sharp shoot.
ers whom we saw, and behind whom were sta
toned others. Our example was followed by
three companies, and soon battalion of the 47th
Joined US. Our movement was ill-titned. We
were met by murderous fire, and obliged to re-
treat-for we were no longer engaged with o
few hundred of Tyrolesns, but an enormous col
umn, 5000 strong, at least, who were coming
up.
Fortunately we did not retreat far, and were
presently fixed at the Oassina Nova, with orders
to fire at will and as much as possible. So, du-
ring two hours, standing erect, kneeling, hidden,
running to the right, creeping to the left, we u
sed our cartridges among the first. We were
not more than 250 yards from tue enemy Oul
officers kept us back, because we were not strong
enough in numbers to take to the ''fork." In
deed, it was most prudent The fusillade was
terrible to the white uniforms, and did US little
harm. Our conical bullets all told in the dense
mass, and those of the Austrians whistled around
without doing material injury.
| 1t was my first experience under fire, and
was not the only one. Well am pleased with
myself! To tell the truth, | ducked to the first
balls, but it is said Henry w did the same thing
at the commencement OF every battle. Then
again, the act is physical effect, independent o.
the will. And this admission made, if you only
knew how electrfying is every volley 1t ii
| like blow from whip to racehorse. The
projecties whistle past your ears, plough up the
earth around you, kill one, wound another, ant
you hardly pay attention to what is going on
You are intoxicated the smell of powder enter:
your throat, and mounts to the brain; you. eyes
become bloodshot, and your gaze is fixed upor
the enemy. There is something of every human
passion in the terrible passion which the sigh
of blood and the din of battle awaken in the sol