The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-07-05
THE BATTLE OF MAGENTA.

of the great battle of Magenta between the French,
Sardin1ans, and Austrians, the following by a
French paper will be read with interest:
The 4th of June had been fixed by the Emperor
Napoleon for the definite occupation of the left
bank of the Ticino Gen McMahon's lcorps strength
ened by the division of the Voltigeurs of the I'm
perial Guard and followed by the whole army of
the King of Sardinia, was to advance from Turbigo
on Bufalora and Magenta while the division of
the grenaders of the Imperial Guard was to carry
the tete de pont of Buffalora the left bank and
Marshal Canroberts corps to advance along
the right bank to cross at the same point
The execution of this plan was frustrated by one
of those incidents which must always be expected
in warfare. The army of the King was delayed in
crossing the river, and only one of his divisions
was able to follow the corps of General Mcmahon
at distance.
The advance of Espinasses division was also de-
layed, and, on the other hand, when Marshal Can
roberts corps left Novara to join the Emperor
who had proceeded in person to the bridge at Buff
falora, it found the road so encountered that it
only arrived very late on the banks of the Ticino
So matters stood, and the Emperor awaited, not
without anxiety, the signal of the arrival of Gen.
McMahon's corps at Bufaora, when about two
o'clock he heard heavy fusillade and cannonade
in that quarter. The General was coming up.
This the moment to support him by adj
vancing on Magenta. The Emperor at once threw
Wimpffen's brigade against the formidable posi-
ton occupied by the Austrlans in front of the
bridge; Clercs troops followed up the movement.
The heights which border the canal and village
of Buffa'ora were soon carried by the impetuosity
of our troops; but they then found themselves OPP
posed to formidable bodies, whom they could not
drive back and who stopped their advance.
Marshal Canrobert's column had not yet come
ur, and, on the other hand, the cannonade and flu
sillade which had announced the arrival of General
McMahor had completely ceased. Had the Gene
rails column been repulsed, and would the divis-
ion of the Grenaders of the Guard have to sustain
alone the whole strength of the enemy?
This is the proper place to explain the nance
vre of the Austrians.
When they learned on the night of the I'd of
June that the French army had made itself mas
ter of the passage of the Ticino at Turbigo they
rapidly recrossed the river at Vigevono with three
of their corps who burnt the bridges behind them.
On the morning of the 4th they were opposite the
Emperor $4,000 strong and it was against such
disproportionate force that the division of the
Grenadiers of the Guard, with whom the Emperor
had to compete.
At this critical moment General Mellinet had
two horses shot under him; General Cler fell NOR
tally wounded; General Wimpffen was wounded in
the head; Commandments Desme and Maudhuy, of
the Grenadiers of the Guard were killed; the
Zouaves lost 200 men, and the Grenadiers suffered
loss not less considerable.
Finally, after long expectation of four hours;
during which Meilinet's division sustained without
finching the attacks of the enemy, Picard's bri-
gade, led by Marshal Canrobert arrived on the
field of battle. Shortly afterwards Vinoy's divis-
ion joined, of General Niers corps, which the
Emperor had sent for and finally Rensults and
Trochus divisions Of Canrobert's corps.
At the same time General AIcMahon's cannon
became again audible in the distance. The Gene
RAILS corps, retarded in its advance, and less nu-
merous than it should have been, had advanced
in two columns on Magenta and Bufalora.
The enemy having attempted to cut in between
these two columns, General McMahon ordered his
right column to fall back on his left towards Ma
genta, and this explains the cessation of the firing
at the commencement Of the action of the Buffa-
lora side
In fact the Austrians finding themselves hard
pressed their centre and left had evacuated the
village of Bufal "a, and brought the greater por-
ton OF their forces to bear against General Nc
Mahon before Magenta The 45th of the Line
boldly attacked the farm of Cascin Nuova on the
outskirts of the village and which was defended by
two Hungarian regiments. Fifteen hundred men of
the enemy laid down their arms, and the colors
were taken away from the Colonels body.
AT this moment of general attack General An
ger commanding the artillery of the Second corps,
opened fire with forty guns which taking the Aus
TRANS in flank and cross-way made fearful havoc
At Magenta the combat Was terrible. The enc
my defended the village most obstinately. Both
sides felt that it was the key of the position
Our troops took it house by house, causing i'm
mense loss to the Austrians. More than 10000
men were put hors de conabdt, (out of condition
to fght) and General Mcmahon took about 5000
prisoners, including one whole regiment. But the
Generals corps suffered considerably; 1000 men
being killed or wounded. In the attack on the
village General Espinasse and his Lieutenant were
both killed. While leading on their men, Colonel
Drouhot and Colonel Charbriene fell MORALLY
wounded.
On the other side Vinoy's and Renualts divis-
ions were doing piodigics of valor under the or
ders of Marshal Canrobert and General Neil
VinOy's division, which had left Novara in the
morning, had scarcely reached Trecate, where it
purposed to bivouac, when it was sent for by the
Emperor. 1t advanced at quick step as far as the
bridge OF Magenta, driving the enemy from the
positions they occupied taking above 900 prison
ers; but, engaged with superior forces it suffered
heavy loss-eleven officers were killed and fifty
wounded; $50 non-commssioned officers and men
were placed hors. de combat. The Eighty fifth of
the line suffered most. Colonel Delort fell at the
head of his men, and all the officers wounded
leading on his brigade.
Marshal Canroberts troops also suffered consid
erably. Colonel de Senneville, the chief of his
staff was killed at his side; Colonel Charlier, of
the Ninetieth, fell mortally wounded by five bull