The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-07-23

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Nineip. II the variety and magnitude of their
horrjd engfnesy, and in the pomp and c'fcum
stances that euround them, they rival the colossal
displays or the First Napoleon.
The war has peculiarities that widely distin-
auish il from its predecessors. Though
abounding 10 strange features, picturesque
incidents and grand results, that in which II
most impresses rejecting obsersersI 10 the
changes wrought By science and time, since the
battle Of Waterloo, In the materials of great
armies, and in the mode Of " Gliding them during
protracted compaign. We win group together
some Of the more noteW orthy Of these, promising
that they are novel only in their APT licauon to
war, being quite commonplace in other rela-
tons.
Among the more obvious Of these changes in
the TRANSFORMATION Of troops and warlikc material
by steam power. The French army VI 1886
marched to Italy, weary aud foot-sore around
the spurs of Maritime AIps. That of 1900,
following the track OF Hannibal, scaled BY
painful steps the Great St. Bernard, and
descended upon the plains through the corges
OF the mountains. But hardly had Europe
heard that negotiations between Louis Napoleon
and Frances Joseph we're suspended, and that
the Austrians bad crossed the Tincino, when
Napoleon, by long professions Of railway trains,
poured masses of men and materials into the
ports on the Mediterranean, whence fleets OF
steamers bore them swiftly to the Italian coast.
Here railways distributed them to the points
threatened BY the Austrians. 1t was steam that
prevented Francis Joseph gaining any advantage
over the Allies BY his preeipitate advance into
Sardinia.
Montebello and Magenta witnessed an un-
precedented application Of steam power to the
sxigences of battle. In the heat OF the fight,
railway trains brought TO the ground succession
Of reinforcements from distant posts. The
shrill whistle Of the locomotive, demanding a
clear track as IL arrived and departed, mingled
with the clangor Of trumpets, the shouts OF
the combstants, and the booming of cannon
And when the bloody strife had .ebbed away,
railway coaches bore the wounded and dying
off the field. to find hospital OF a grave.
The same tireless agen, had carried to the
Mincio the heavy siege train to be used in bat
tering the walls Of Mantua. 1t has also depo tied
on the banks Of that river guD-boats, in
fragments, to be there put together, and manned
by amphbious troops from the harbors Of
France, to aid in reducing the fortress that so
long de6ed the first Bousparte.
II was the steamer and the railway that ena-
bled and emboldened the Emperor of the French
to advance so rapidly and so fearlersly upon
(" the impregnable quadrangle" whore the
whole Austrian forces were posted ; for these
young servitors Of cid Mars could bring up fresh
men, munitions and supplies even faster than
the Austrians could retreat or the Allies pursue.
How different the result Of the Russian
invasion il the great Emperor had been followed
from Paris to Moscow By a friendly line OF rail
way!
Hardly less useful to both armies is that
other modern invention, the telegraph
Manipulated by the respective chiefs OF the
forces, distant troops, in he twinklng Of an eye,
receive orders to concentrate here, or strike a
blow yonder, or move thither, which, in any
previous European contest, it would have re-
quired weeks TO communicate. Through the
same medium, the two Emperors are now,
doubtless summoning re n!oreemf hts from their
dominions for another. and perhaps another,
great struggle, during the present Summer,
which, but for the cooperating agencies otsteam
and electricity, would be necessarily postponed
TO another campaign.
But it is in the instantaneous communication
TO the capitals fthe bel .ereu,s, and thence to
the world, OF intelligence of important strategic
movements and the result Of great battles, that
the changes wrought by science since france
and her foes met in arms before, are most strik-
inaly illustrated. After Napoleon l. and his
grand army disappeared in tie forests of
Russia, long weeks Ella sed ere France had
tidings of good or i'll fortune which attended
them. 1t was full! two weeks alter Wellington
and Butcher shook hands at La Belle Alliance
over the victory Of Waterloo, before some Of
the European capitals received authentic
intelligence from tie decisive igld Attic end
ofsixty.three days meager accounts OF The battle
found their way into the metropolitan journals
OF America. So influential newspaper az the
Albany Gazette dismissed The suffice; in four
or five confused and unsa factory lines During
the first Napoleonic campaign in Italy, nearly
month interviewed before France knew that it's
STRIPPING general, in three bloody conflicts,
fought in just twice many days, on and near
the nights OF Castiglione, had en-, in pieces three
Austrian armies, led by three veteran comman.
ders, killing, wouudng and capturing ~, O0O Of
the enemy.
How marked the change now! A great
battle ebbs and flows over the hills and plains
around Caatig!ione, from early dawa till the
going down OF the sun As night slowly spreads
its pail over the field PARIS ilumnates its
streets for the victory OF Soferino. While the
Sardinia batteries, in the long evening Of this
bloody day, are still engaged in forcing back
the stubborn Austrian right wing, half the
capitals OF Europe are bonding with 10y over
lost. And in one week thereafter this struggle
on the slopes OF the Mincio is eagerly canvassed
all along the western coast of the Atlantic and
on the shores Of the MeAcan Gull, at the head
waters OF the ST. Lawrence and at the mouth of
the Mississippi, on board steamers floating on
the great lakes and In log cabins on the banks
of the Missouri.
The homage paid 70 the press is enc Of the
most gratifying pecuharities OF this var. Even
tue monarch who gives warnings, imDrisons
editors, and slleHceS journals in Paris, carries
among the equipage OF the lmperisl camp a
printing establishment, tie symbol Of liberty
and progress. i.eadipe European journals have
correspondents with both arunps, no give
glowing pictures OF the weary msrch, the CAV
bivouac, and the terrible battle sho <. Qu.te
az trustworthy. and. infinitely more graphic,
than the official dispatches, these pictures are
reproduced on both sides OF the Atlantic, and
read the world over. This new feature on the
wrinkled front Of Mars, essentially Democratic
in its nature, is OF American origin. The idea
ls family tracesble in the sapdns who accom-
panied Napoleon in the Egyptian catppaigu.-
But, systematic newspaper sketching OF passing
events in the camp and on the field was practiced
IN our war with Mexico, was then timiiIy copied
IN the Crimea, and is now the most attractive
correspondents are furnishing rich materials
Tor the graver pen OF the historian Indeed
their warm descriptions are History--a gallery
OF living photographs OF current events.
rare incident OF this eventful campaign is
an attempted reconnaissance of The Austrian no
stion, just previous to the battle of Solierino.
by means OF balloon. Extra data concerning
the Whereabouts Of your antag onist may de-
eide the fate OF an army or even an empire
We commend this subject TO the attention OF
Messss. Wise aud Lamountaa. And we com
mend them to Loris Napoleon, assuring Inn
that, IN addition TO their capacity for aeronautc
reconnoiterng, II they will assault the enemy.
centre with half as much vigor as they dashed
into the woods at the loot Of Lake Ontario on
their recent voyage, they will break the Aus.
trian line more effectuaily thar did Macdonald
At Wagram or Mcmahon at Magenta. Serious
ly, though. this balloon experiment at Uastelne.
dolp IS another proof of the ingenuity aud versa
tility OF the French mind in everything pertain
ing to war.
The recent improvements in weapons of war
III that which makes them more deadly can
be called an improvement which 50 much il
said, has hardly had the fleet on the field tha,
was anticipated. Cannon are doubtless more
unerrlng in their aim, and carry shot longer dis.
tances, than at the beginning Of the century