St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-07-21
Battle of SalftrinO.

Inc pattle commenced HUE De-
fore five o'clock in the morning. just
back of Castiglione rises high range
of hills which project mile into the
plains, and then breaks off towards
the left into a wide cxpanse Of small
Ter hills, and so into the rolling sur
face which makes that portion OF the
plain.
The AustriAns had taken a position
upon these hills, planting cannon mp
on those nearest to Castiglionc, which
they could not approach, as the
French army was in full force around
that little village, and had stationed
their immense army all over the sur
rounding plain.
AS near as we can now learn the
Emperor Francis Joseph had collected
here not less than 225, 600 troops and
commanded them in person. His evil
dent purpose was to make a stand
and risk the fortunes of war upon the
hazards Of the day.
Napoleon promptly accepted the
challenge and commenced the attack
as soon as it was light this morning,
by placing cannons upon the hills still
nearer to Castiglione than that held
by the Austrians, and opening fire
upon them, on the highest OF these
ridges, which command the entire cir
cult of the plain, and from that point
directed the entire movements OF his
army during the early portion of the
day.
The French very soon drove the en-
envy ont of the posts they held near
est to the town, and followed them In
to the small villages of the plains be-
low. The first of these was SalIerlno,
where they had a sharp and protrac-
ted engagement The Austrians dis
puted every inch of the ground, and
| fought here, as they did throughout
the day, with the utmost desperation.
They were three times driven out OF
the town before they would stay out.
The people of the village, moreover,
took part against the French, upon
whom they fired from their windows,
and the French were compelled to
burn the town in self defence.
When the Austrians found it i'm
possible to hold their ground, they
fell back slowly and steadily until
they reached the village Of Volta, di-
rectly southeast from Castiglione, and
is only about a mile from the river
Mincio, from which it is separated by
range of hills. Upon these hills, in
the rear of the force, and overlooking
it completely on the south and south
east sides, the Austrians planted very
| formidable batteries, and when l az
rived upon the field and went ut once
to the hight where the Emperor had
stood at the opening of the engage
ment. but which he had left an hour
before to follow his victorious troops
these batteries were blazing away mp
on the French, who were stationed Oh
the plains below.
The general result was soon made
evident by the slackcning Of the Aus
tran fire, by the falling back OF THEN
smoke, and a corresponding advance
on the part of that which rose from
the French artillery. The cannonad
ing at that point lasted over an hour
but i'll precisely what direction the
Austrians retrcatcd it was not posi-
bic from the position | occupied tc
see
Part of the Austrian force probably
crossed the Mincio river, which flows
southwark from the lower end of Lake
Guarda and cmptes into the Pc. But
the battle continued to rage all ovcl
! the region northwest of "A line con
Meeting the towns Of Castiglionc, Sal
ferino and Volta. At one point and
another a sharp cannonading would
raise and continue for thrcc-quartcrs
of an hour, and after each successive
engagement of this kind the result
became apparent in the retreat Of the
Austrians and the advance of the
French force.
During all the early part of the day
the sky had been clear and the wealth
or hot, but clouds began to gather
about noon, and at o'clock, while the
cannonading was at its hight, tire
mcndons thunderstorm rolled up from
the northwest. The storm lasted FOL
about an hour, and the cannonading
SO far as we could distinguish, was
suspended. Then the rain ceased, The
clouds blew away, the sun shone on
again, and the air was cool and per
fectly delightful.
Though the cannon may have ceas
ed for a time to take part in it, the
fight had meantime gone ON, and wheI
| again resumed my post of observa
ton from where the storm had eXpcll
ed me, the cannonading commenced
quite on the extreme left of the entire
field on the very borders of the lake.
Northeast from Castiglione, ant
west of Pcschera, the Piedmontest
troops under the King, who command
ed them in person, had been posted
From about O'Clock until after night
fall, an incessant and most terrible
combat was there kept up. The bat
teries of the two armies were appar
emily about half a mile apart, and a
the outset they were both served will
nearly equal and effective fire, but til,
Austrians gradually slackened thei
fire, and several times took up new
positions. While the Sardinians pour
ed a rapid and uninterrupted shower
of balls upon them, suspending only
for few moments at time, and thei
renewing it again with redcubled fury
The wind had now gone down. Thu
air was still, and the sound of The
musketry as well as of cannon wa
distinctly heard /; sometimes only ;
single fash would be seen, then tw'
or three at once, and sometimes hal
a dozen would break forth in instan
succession. 1t was beginning to b.
dark when turned to descend the hill
and all the way down ! still heard tn
roar of the cannon and the clatterins
of the guns of the infantry.
The Austrians have sustained a
: overwhelming defeat 1t seems t
, me not unlikely that the Emperor ma.
now be induced by the representation
Of the neutral powers, to accept tn
peace which Napoleon will be yer.