Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-07-13
The Battle of Solferiuo


nishes letters to that paper containing full and
very graphic descriptions of the events Of the war;
and particularly of the last great battle, that Of
Solferino. After describing the earlier events Of
the action, he says:
At one point after another a sharp cannonading
would arise and continue for half or three quarters
Of an hOur-and after each successive engagement
OF this kind the result became apparent In the re-
treat OF the Austrians and the advance of the
French forces. During all the early part Of the
day the sky had been clear and the weather hot
But clouds began to gather at about noon, and at
1ve O'Clock, while the cannon was at its height,
tremendous thunderstorm rolled up from the
northwest; the wind came first, sweeping from
the parched streets enormous cloud of dust
and was soon followed by heavy fall of rain,
accompanied by vivid lightning and rapid ex-
plOsions Of rafting thunder. The storm lasted
for about an hour, and the cannonadng, so far as
we could distinguish, was suspended. Then the
rain ceased, the clouds blew away, the sun shone
out again, and the air was cooled and perfectly
delightful. Though the cannon may have ceased
Tor time to take part in it. the fig mt had mean
post Of observation, from which the storm had
expelled me- the cannonading commenced quite
on the extreme left Of the entire field, and on the
0ora aed o. 'ne .e northeast from Cas-
tese troops, under the King, who commands
them In person, had been posted there, and
received the Austrians as they came around
From about O'Clock until after mig htfall, an in
cessant and most terrible combat was here kept
up. The batteries of the two armies Were appa-
rently about half mile apart, -and at the outset
they were both served with nearly equal and
effective vgOr. But the Ausrians gradually slac K
ened their lire, and several times took IN new
pOsitions-wbile the Sardinians poured rapid
and uninterrupted shower Of balls upon them
suspending only for few minutes at a time and
then renewing 1t again with redoubled fury The
wind had now gone down, the air was still. and
the sound OF musketry, as well a. Of the cannon
was distinctly heard The former was continuous
sharp and incessant, sounding like the constant
and irregular pattering Of hail upon a roof while
the latter was occasionally suspended but while il
lasted wa: overwhelmingly grand and terrible
Over the Sandman park rose dense white cloud
OF smoke. directly upwards Its sides perfectly
upright and well defined, and spreading outward
both ways at the top, like an enormous sheaf Of
wheat The sun was making glorious setting In
the west, and as his light gradually departed the
vivid flashes at each discharge Of the cannon
cleaned through the smoke like sharp lightning
through the breast of an enormous cloud Some.
times only a single fash would be seen then two
or three at once and sometimes halfa dozen would
oreak fofth In instant succession. 1t was bepin-
ming TO be dark when turned to descend the kill
and all the way down still heard the roar of the
cannon and the Gathering of the guns of the In.
fantry.
The correspondent adds that he feels warrante
In saying that the French must have had 25 900
men hOTS de combat. He saws he saw ia NM wand
ed men come from the field, on carts. wagons
mules and litters. He further adds:
II did not already know the result of the battle
Woulu DE ready 10 suppose from the enormous
number OF wounded soldiers at this moment pass-
ing my window, that the French army had been
literally destroyed. / am quite sure, no matter
what the French Official report may say, that my
preceding estimation Of the number Of wounded Is
small.
We saw about three thousand Austr an prisoners
brought in. How many were taken during the day
could not be ascertained; saw one crowd of 6 d
another Of $50, and many smaller squads The
Austrian wounded were piled in the carts some
times Unfortunately with the French.
The most horrible wounds to look at were those
OF the face. Two ZOuaves, of the first regiment
had their whole under ia " carried away and vet
these brave fellows walked behind the carts of
their comrades more dangerously wounded than
blows with butts Of the muskets others had Their
cheeks or mouths hanging in Lantbeaur from
sword cuts, others the cheek swollen to enormous
dimensions from balls that had pierced their faces
through and through. The women who had re-
manned in the town Of Castig lone shed tears appa
rently at the utter hOpelessness of rendering assist
ance to such a number of brave and suffering men
Yet every house was thrown Open and every hand
was ready to aid in aleviating their pains
For the most part they asked but for wine or
water for the loss Of blood creates thirst and the
fatigues Of the day must have been great from the
length OF the battle and the extent Of ground To
fight over Many Of the soldiers were naked to the
waist-their coats having been torn to pieces in
the bayonet and hand tO-hand fights aad their
shirts torn up TO staunch their blood All were
covered with dust, and had their clothes more or
less torn, both officers and men, and presented
even in the absence Of blood stained clothes the
most pitable appearance. But all who were not
suffering had stamped upon their countenances
that quiet determined look which soldiers acquire
In battle, and which Is called in the French army
the professional air.