Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-06-24
The London Times on Victor Emanuel.


"Among the combatants in the Italian
War no one seems more entitled to the Vic
toria Cross than Victor Emanuel himself
We are not now speaking of his higher
qualities as General, but simply OF his
brilliant valor as a soldier. He has display
ed conspicuous courage in the presence of
the enemy. Considering his position and
the evils which would be entailed on his
country, were he to meet with soldiers
death in the field, he may be said to have
pushed courage to the verge of rashness.--
An excess Of valor is, however, a fault
which men readily pardon, the more especi-
ally when King is the hero. AS to the
fact there can be no doubt-the three armi-
es contain no Drawer man than Victor
Emanuel, King of Sardinia. The two En-
perors who are his competitors in the race
for military glory must approve themselves
stout and true soldiers if they would not see
the palm of superior valor awarded to the
Sandman King Wherever the fight is
thickest and the FIRE hottest, there Victor
Emanuel is to be found, On Tuesday at the
battle of Palestro, he pushed forward in
person into the midst of the combatants, and
would not be persuaded to retire into safer
position The Zouaye soldicrs-no incom-
petent judges Of military daring -endeavor-
ed in vain to restrain him; he would not
understand the propriety of retreat Even
if this reckless exposure of his own life is
not quality much to be commended in
General, at least it will win for him the
rough sympathies and ready obedience of
the camp The soldier will cheerfully fol-
low the chief who leads him on. Troops
would be ashamed to fall back when they
see their General, and that General crown
ed King, in advance.
1.-The Sandman army, however, have
shown themselves worthy of the chivalrous
guidance of their King. To them belong
the honors of Montebello. The action of the
Sandman cavalry during that affair seems
to have decided at the most critical moment
the fortunes Of the day. On this more re-
cent occasion of Palestro it was the Fourth
Division Of the Sandman army, commaD-
ded by the King in person, which inflicted
SO decisive check upon the enemy. At
tackled by twenty-five thousand Austrians,
and supported only by regiment of Zoua-
yes, this division of the Sandman army not
only retained its position, but defeated the
enemy with great slaughter. The victory
| was more decisive than that of Montebollo.
This time the Anstrians can scarcely say
that, having accomplished their purpose,
they retired because they wished to retire.
It was to them an important object to him
der the junction of the Sardinians with Cam
robert, and in this they entirely failed
They were fairly defeated, leaving numer-
Gus prisoners and guns in the hands Of the
enemy. This victory was won, we repeat
it, by the Sardinians, with their King at
their head. Our only regret must be that
such victories are not won without heavy
payment in blood. The Sandman army has
hitherto borne the brunt of the war, and,
however noble and chivalrous, can but i'll
afford to endure the losses which such con-
tests involve. The hopes Of Italy rest on
the banners Of the Sandman King. Were
bis army destroyed, it would matter but lit
tie to the Italian race which the Emperor
conquered in the long run. Unless there
be national Italian army forthcoming, with
an Italian chief at its head respected for his
military services, the ultimate gain of Italy
will be small indeed. All true well-wish-
ers to Italy for her own sake, look with the
deepest anxiety to the fate of the Sandman
army and the fortunes Of the Sandman
King.