Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1859-07-28

OF interesting speclai correspondence lroni
the seat of war, gives the following descrip-
ton of the battle of Solferino from the pen
of the Hon. Henry j. Raymond:
CAsTIGLIoNE, Italy,
Friday night, June "a, 1859.
I came from Brescia early this morning,
and arrived just in time to witness the last
half of what 1 have very little doubt will
turn out to have been the greatest battle the
modern world has seen. You will get the
official summary of its results by telegraph
before this letter reaches you, and will be
prepared, therefore, for this statement of its
magnitude. 1 cannot describe it with any
precision as yet-for it has lasted all day,
and extended over circuit of not less than
fifteen miles; the noise of the cannonade,
and even of the musketry, moreover, is still
in my ears, and none of those engaged in it,
except the wounded, have returned to give
us any distinct and connected report. But
not less than 458, 900 men have been enga-
ged in it; and of these not less than $4,000
dead or disabled-lie, on this bright,
starry night, upon the bloody field.
COMMENCEMENT OF THE BATTLE AND Po-
s1T1oN OF THE CoNTENDING ARMIES.
The battle commenced little before O.
clock in the morning-not far from sunrise.
Just back of Castiglione rises high range
of hills-which projects mile or therea-
bouts into the plain, and then breaks off to-
wards the left into wide expanse of small
Ter hills, aud so into the rolling surface
which makes that portion of the plain
The Austrians had taken position upon these
hills, planting cannon upon those nearest TO
Casriglione, which they could approach, as
the French army was in full force in and
around that little village, and had stationed
their immense array all over the surround
ing plain. As nearly as We can now learn,
the Emperor Francis Joseph had collected
here not less than 225,OOO troops, and COM
manded them in person. His evident pur-
pose was to make stand here and risk the
fortunes of the war upon the hazards of the
day. Napoleon promptly accepted the chal-
lenge, and commenced the attack as soon as
it was light this morning, by placing cannon
upon the hills still nearer to Castiglione than
those held by the Austrians, and opening
fire upon them on the heights beyond. He
took his own stand upon the highest of these
"a steep, sharp-backed ridge, which COM
mands magnificent view of the entire cir
cult of the plain, and from that point direc-
ted the entire movements of his army during
the early portion of the day.
THE AUsTRIANs RETREAT, PURSUED BY
THE FRENCH.
The French very soon drove the enemy
out of the posts they held nearest to the
town, and followed them into the small vii
lagos of the plain below.
The first of these was Solferino, where
they had sharp and protracted engage
ment. The Austrians disputed every inch
of the ground, and fought here, as they did
throughout the day, with the utmost des-
perati6n. They were three times driven
out of the town before they would stay out.
The people of the village, moreover, took
part against the French, upon whom they
fired from their windows, and the French
were compelled, in self-defeuce, to burn the
town. When they found it impossible to
hold their ground any longer, they fell back,
slowly and steadily, until they reached the
village of Vosta, which, as you will see by
the map, lies directly southeast from Castig-
liope, and it is only about a mile from the
river Mincio, from which, however, it is
separated by a range of hills. Upon these
hills, in the rear of the town, and overlook
ing it completely on the south and southeast
sides, the Austrians had planted very for
midable batteries, and when I arrived upon
the field and went at once to the height where
the Emperor had stood at the opening of the
engagement, but which he had left an hour
before to follow his victorious troops, these
batteries were blazing away upon the French
who were stationed in the plain below.
was too far off to observe with any ac
curacy the successive steps Of the action
but | could ist:nctly see the troops station
ed upon the broad plain, and moving up iu
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 enveioped in the smoke of the
cannon, and disappeared from observation
But the general result was soon made evi
dent by the slackening Of the Austrian fire
and by the falling back of their smoke and g