The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1859-07-07
ITHE BATTLE OF MAGENTA.


publishes the following account Of the
battle Of Magenta:
HEAD QUARrrRs, San MARuNo, Juno S.
Tho French army assembled round
Alossandria had great difficulties to over
come. If it marched on Placenza il
would have had to besioge that fortress
and force d passage Of the Po, there,
906 meters in width. That difficult
operation would have had 10 be effected
in presence Of q hostile army Of 200, 900
men. If the Emperor crossed the river
at Valeuza he would have found the
enemy concentrated on the left bank at
Mortara, and he could have only at
tackled him by separate columns ma
neuvoring in the midst Of a country in.
tersected by canals and rice fields on
both sides. Therefore these were al
most unsurmoUntable obstacles; the En-
peror resolved to obyiate it, aud he de-
coived the Austrians by concentrating
his forces on the right, by occupying
Casteggio, and even Robbie on the Seb-
bia. On the 3lst Of May the army re-
ceived the order to march to the left
and cross the river Po at Cassale, the
bridge of which had remained in our
possession.
1t at once took the road TO Vercelli,
when the passage Of the Sesia was car
ried out, to protect and cover our rapid
march on Novara. The efforts Of the
army we're directed on the right Of Rob
bio, and two Combats glorious for the
Sandman troops, fought on that side,
made the enemy believe we were march
ing on Mortara. Meantime the French
army was advancing on Novara, and it
took possession on the very same ground
where ten years previously King Chas.
Albert gave battle. Here it was able
to meet the enemy if necessary.
On the I'd of June, a division Of the
Imperial Guards was advanced toward
Turbigo, on the Ticino, and not finding
any resistance, it threw three brigades
across. The Emperor having received
confrmatory intelligence that the enemy
had Withdrawn to the left bank Of the
river, ordered the Ticino to be crossed
at this point by the corps darmec of
Gen. Mcmahon, followed on the NOR
row by a division Of the Sandman
army. Our troops had scarcely taken
possession on the Lombard bank, when
they we're attacked by an Austrian corps
from Milan, brought up by the railway
They drove it back VIGOROUSLY, in the
presence of the Emperor On the same
day, June I'd, Espenasses division hav'
ling advanced on the road from NOvara
to Milan, as far as Trecate, from which
place it threatened the bridge at Bufa.
lora, the enemy hastily evacuated the
ontrenohments they had thrown up al
this point, aud returned to the left bank
attempting to blow up the stone bridge
across the river The attempt was not
successful. The two arches attempted
we're not sufficiently destroyed to pre-.
vent the passage. The 4th of June had
been fixed by the Emperor for the de.
fnitive occupation of the left bank Of
the Ticino. Gen. McMahon's corps
d'armee strengthened by the division
of the Voltigeurs Of the Imperial Guard
followed by the whole army Of the
Kinguof Sardinia, was to advance from
Turbigo on Buffalora and Magenta
while the division Of Greuadiers of the
Imperial Guard was to carry the Tete
de Pout of Bufalora, on the left bank,
aud Marshal Canroberts corps d'armee
was 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 Gen. Mcmahon at a distance
The advance Of Espinasse's division was
, also delayed, aud on the other hand
when Marshal Canrobert's corps left
, Novara to join the Emperor, who haC
, proceeded in person to the bridge a
Buffalora, it found the road so encum-
i bered, that it only arrived very late OF
the banks Of the Tioino. So matters
2 stood, and the Emperor awaited, no
5 without anxiety, the signal Of arriva
Q of Gen. MoMahon's corps at Bufalora
@ when about 2 o'clock he heard a heav,
8 fusilade and cam 4ade in that quarter
- The General was coming up. This wa
{ the moment to support him by advanc
D ing on Magenta. The Emperor at ono
, threw Winpfen's brigade against th
s formidable frontiers occupied by Oh
b Austrians In front Of the bridge. lie
8 Cleres brigade followed up the move
ment. The heights which border tn
j, canal and village of Budalora we're 500
o carried by the impetuosity of our troops
L But they then found themselves oppose
= to formidable bodies which they ooul,
8 not drive back, and who stopped thei
d advance. Marshal Couroberts colum
r had not yet come up, and on the othe
a hand, the cannonade and fusilade, whic
20 had announced the arrival Of Genera
S McMahou, had completely ceased. Ha
Il the Generals column been repulsed, th
a division Of Grenadiers Of the Guar
j. would have had to sustain alone tn
!, whole strength Of the enemy. This
n the proper place to explain the maneu
n yer Of the AustriRns When they learn
p ed, on the night Of the ID Of June, th'
r the French army had made itself mas
d tor Of tho passage Of the Ticino or Tul
G bigo, they rapidly ro-crossed the rive
b at VigelO with three Of their corr
s d'armee, who burned the bridges benin
}, them
Q On the morning Of the 4th they wei