Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-08-04
Tho Causes of Austrian Defoat.

Mr.. Raymond, in his Inst lctter to tho New York
Times. attributes the defeat of the Austrans ut
Sollerno t, bad gcncralship:
II is perfectly evident. moreover. that some in
explicahlc cause parnlyzses the Austrian army
and places it substantially at the mercy of tho AL
lies. It's constant successive defeats are perfectly
unaccountable upon any ordinary hypothesis Of
military operations. Its forces are very large and
we'll apponted its generals are men Of ability.
experience and unquestioned courage, ts artillery
is numerous nni well handled; it's cavalry is ac-
knowlodSed to be tho best In Europe: its soldiers
are brave firm and loyal. and its positions have in
nearly every been selected with skill and nd
miral'e military judgement. Yet in every case
all this has ayniled them nothing. Promising as
their plans might be, when tho decisive moment
came something happened to thwart them ALL
q nst when everybody expected them to march up.
/ on Turin and hold tho piedmontcse Capital they
halted, aud then commenced tho retreat, which,
up to this time, has not been arrested. At Ma
genta they held very strong position, fought
well, but part Of their forces too far away to
he brought into action, and they were beaten
And at Solferino they lhad position. which. |
hive the authority of staff officer in the Pied.
M ntese army for sa. ing-5,000 men ouyhftn
have held against ten Hmes their number,-o in
fact, against any power that could have been
brought to bear upon them. They defended il
vigorously fought wcll,--inncted upon tho
FIench far heavier losses than they themselves
sustained;- and pihdrem while more than n dog :
en- heavy batteries of their artillery had RENAME
silent from the beginning, and while massos T
their infantry still stood unengaged.
At o'clock they had actually beaten the Pie, =
montesc. nnd If what seems to have been thsi.
original plan had been carried out, and they ha 4
at that moment thrown the whole of their disr d.
nahle force upon the French they could scarce ly
have failed to break them, and win the day. -
Several times during the heat Of the battle NJ O.
Mahon's whole flank was exposed tO them. (t1e
Austrnns yet they suffered themselves tn DO O..
tered from assniling it by the French light caval
yy, and especially by body of Chasssurs Afriq
under Capt. Bnnapare, who maneuyred for hou RS,
in so mastery q manner as actually to mena %,
the enemy into an inactivity fatal IN themselves. -
Their artillery completely swept the sides of all
the hills round Solferno, and twice they easi iy
drove back the French who attempted 10 s,or M
the heights They were strongly posted in the
stone houses and narrow streets, and in the Gem
terry had high, strong. thick walls which pretec t.
ed them again at the French fire, and gave thel n
immense advantages over them.
How it happened that with such odds in tho'r
favor they should have been beaten. many ah
military critics have been puzzled to ex plain The
French assault was prompt, vigorous and wondcr-
fully impetuous: and the Emperor Nnpolean, lrf
the rapid energy with which he brought mp hiH
scattered forces the momens he saw bntte impen-
ding. (for up to sunrise of that day he had ex-
recitation of n general engngement.) reflects upon
him the highest possible credit commander
and ageneral. But in spite of all this, there must
be some element OF internal weakness in the Aus
rim camp; and from all | can learn, from the
facts that come out and the hints aud surmise,
that Hoat in the atmosphere, 1 have very little
doubt that it ia to be found in the incom petency
and Facilitating presumption of the Emperor him
self.
lie IL young man. without military expert
ence aud of only theoreto military knowledge,
ana ambitious to degree which makes HIM alb
surdly jealous Of the generals by whom he 10 sur.
rounded whose advice h constantly rejects, and
whose well.laid plans he constantly counteructs
at the critical moment. Before he joined his ar
my he kept up incessant telegraphc communica-
tion with headquarters from Vienna, and did not
hesitate, even at that distance, to overrule his
ablest generals in the field. General Gyulai has
been diagraced for the loss of Magenta, and pri-
yate accounts represent him gloomy mean-
choly, and apparently overwhelmed by the ruiz,
Of his professional character; yet he has friends
who say that if the time ever comes wien he can
place the responsibility where it belongs, he will
stand acquitted.
Three distinguished Generals-Clan, Gala.
Prince Lichteustein, and Zadewitz--,.re said
have thrown up their commands, since Solferino
this could only have happened under the prer-
sure Of some very grave aud imperative ne
cessity. On the field at Solferiuo Francis Jo-
seph is said to have addressed AN angry rerroof
to cne of his generals, wh" instantly broke his
sword across his knee aud threw it at his feet !;
the Emperor burst intu tears and held cut both his
hands, begging pardon for tho offence he had
given.
All these things, with many others Of the same
kind that might he mentioned. indicate state of
complete demoraliz ization in the higher ranks of
the Austrian army;-and nothing can he more fa-
tai than such state of things to the vi sorous and
successful prosecution ofa war. The Allies on
the contrary ara completely united. The King.
Victor Emanuel. with admirable judgment. &C.