Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-07-01

1t was all along hand to hand fight with
rife and bayonet. Except on the road there
was no opportunity for the use OF artillery.
The French had some rocket batteries. how
ever, which they played successfully on the
enemy. Il was such a fight that the superb
ority Of the rife showed itself over the musket,
with which the. Austrans were armed.
Besides this the defenders of the position kept
as much as possible in close line, 50 that
every shot of their adversares told upon
them. You never saw such a frightul scene
OF carnage as on al this ground, which the
Aus.rians defended. inch by inch, but had
to leave at last 1t is like the remains OF
great rag fair; shakoes. knapslcks, muskets,
SHOES, clOaks, tuncs, linen, all stained with
blood, and speaking OF the obstinate resist
auce, even now. when the greater part OF the
wounded have been removed and the dead
mostly buried. OF how many dramas Of
herosm and ferociJy, and Of how many
tra9edi. Of woes and misery, must this have
been the scene But the ferceSt fight was
further behind on the railway line and the
statfon-house hind it, and the villaEeclo se
by. Pressed back all along the line. the
AuStrians conc ntrated here all their Efforts
# resistance In front of the station beyond
the line of rails is a large long pit, extending
for some distance to the right and left, and
formed by the excavation necessary for the
construction of the line. Where the pit
ceases, a line of stronc1Sood ratings, painted
yellow, is put up for sonre distance on both
sides 70 prevent passing across the line. Be
sides this the railway bank, which is some
what raised. forms kind of ready parapet.
behind which the defenders enjoyed some
protection. The station as well as the neigh
boring buildings and a square solid Cam
paniie, were filed with riaemen, while
the troops Of the line m3,s1d themselves
in front Of them. As the troops came
uu they were brought cut here and
took tle place Of their exhausted COM
rades. So carry this strong position the Flu
sleers and Chasseurs of the Guard were or
dered forward Trey broke through, drlv-
Ing the enemy before them, untl their course
was arrested hy the line IF strong wooden
r4ilings 4 few cannon shot would have
easily brought them down. but there was DO
place whence to bring them % bear. SD mort
Ing remained but to tear it down by man
force and the axe of of the SITper,.
It was done. and the column entered the
village Here every house had become
castle held by desperate garrison. tJ re-
Quircd regular combat 10 take it. and letter
after letter could be written on the incidents
in which these isolated comb Is a3ouuded.
There is no doubt the AustriIns fought des-
p-ratelv, even when everything seemed lost,
an incredible number OF their officers beng
killed and wounded, the soldiers were leIt
intreiy to themselves IN these isolated poe
sltions. from which there was no retreat.
They had been told before that they bad Cd
EXPECT no mercy, as it was the habit of the
allies t. kill all prisoners and wounded, SD
thev fought with this imaginary halter
round their necks Tie wounded crcpt into
the cellars, and hid themselves where they
could. in order not 10 ial. into the hands of
the cruel enemy, there to rive and to die
Numbers have been found thus concealed,
and either dead or SD exhausted that they
are scarcely expected to recover. Even now,
three days after the battle, numbers are found
and brought to the hospital, OF {, be buried.
Jaw myself, this morning, taken out of the
cellars Of the railway station, two poor
vretches-a Tyroese Ja.er and soldier Of
the line-the first slighdv wounded, and the
second almost dying with fear and exuau~-
ton They heard below the discharge Of the
muskets found loaded on the field OF battle.
and thought il probably rieS Of wholesale
executI ms. And Vet how different WAS the
case Not even towards their own soldiers
are the French more humane than towards
those who tail into their hands by The chlnces
Of war. They nurse them like children.
handle them gently, like mothers, and do
s'eryfh'"s ia their power 20 relieve their
'uiferIngs