American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1859-07-14
THE BATTLE OF sOLFERIN,
ACCURATE DErAIEs.


NEW YoRk. July i2.-The New York
Times publishes a letter from the battle
field Of Solferino, giving the first accurate
details. ss7F>pus1otl W i'i'is ss-fF1' q 80
The battle e'connenced att little before
five in Il morning, not far from suGrlse.
Just back OF Castigilone rises a high range
Of hills, which project smile orthereabouIs
intoathe plain; aud then break off towards
the lefti6to wideexpanss Of smaller hills,
and so into therolling surface which makes
that portionof the plain. 2t5s
The Austrians had taken the position
.upon'these hills, planting cannon upon those
nearest TO Castigilone, which they could
approach, as the French Army was in full
force. and around that little village, and had
slaiionedtbeir immense Mray all over the
surrounding plain. e' -
AS nearly as we can now learn, the Fin
peror, FraneisJoseph had collected here not
less than 225,000 troops. and d'commanded
them in person. His evident purpose was
to make stand here and risk the fortunes
of the war upon the la2ards Of the day.
Napoleon promptly accepted the cl,al'
leuge. and commenced tile attack as soon
as il was light this morning. by placing
cannon upon the hills still nearci,to Csstig-
lone than those held by the Austrians. ard
opening fire upon them on tho. highest Of
these, steep, sharp backed ridge, which
Iconimands magnifcentvieW Of the entire
circuit of the plain, and from that directed
the entire movements of his army during
the early portion Of the day. fH af'e.
p phe French very soon drove the enemy
out Of the town aud followed them into the
small villages OF the plain below. The FIRST
OF these was Solferiuo, where they had a
sharp and prolfacted engagement. TheAui.
TRANS disputed eVerytinch Of the ground.
and fought 'hereas theydd throu gbontahe
day with chelii,most desperation. Y ~
They nere three times driven tot the
town before they could stay out. The peo-
pie Of the village, moreover, took part
againstthe French, upon whom they fired
from theii windows, and the French were
compelled, I'D nself,defence,to burn the town
Whenthey found it impossible 10 holdtheil
1 ground any longer, they fell back slowly
AMI steadily untilthey reached the village
of Volta. directly southest from Castiglione
and is only abouta mile from the river Min
clio, from which, however. II is separated
by range of hills. ef
+ Upon these bills in the rear OF the town
and overlooking it completely on the soutl
and Southeast sides, the Austrians hat
planted very formidable batteries, and wher
/ arrived upon the field | went at cnce t
the hight where the Emperor had stood a
the opening of the engagement, but whiol
he had left an hour before TO follow hi
victorious troops. yioa. .9 - lm8
The batteries were blazing away upo
the French, who were stationed on III
plain below. The general result was 500
made evident by the slackning ofthe Aus
trian fire. and by the falling back of .sthei
] smoke, and corresponding advance o
the part OF that whiohrose from, tholE Erene
, artilleiy ". The canuonading at that poiu
5 lasted for nsarlyan hour, but in precisel
f. what direction the Austrians returned y
/. was not possible from the position 1 ocou
lpied tossee! isa9 iseais sSl q ts 9fissrs
81 Part of, the Austrian. force probabl
1 crossed the Mincio river, which Ros
southward from the lower end Of Lah
/ Garda and empties into the Po; but tb
e4 battle continues to rage all over the regio
Q northwest ofa line connecting the townst
O. Castigfone, Solieriho, and Volta. Alton
point after another a sharp p'acapnonadi0
I would arriseen continue haliors thre
y -qnirtefs of an hour, andIafler each success
i've enlargement of this kind the fesp
S Inbecaue aapparhnt . in the retreat of Vt
Z pAusttiAA yand the ADVANCE ofthe Frenc
8 forces. .sb49 $50 Bi alssa ai4ti
d During all'the early part Of the day Il
Z SKY had d'bcsh clear and the weather ho
but clouds .beganto gaaher about noon AZ
i at 8 O'Clock, while the ccnno9ads ,wes
Il its highih, q Tremendous thunder ator
q rolled up from The northwest. The stor
lasted, ior about an hour, and the canno'
pit aiding. SO far as we could distinguish, vi
j. suspended,
hi ThsItsin ceased aud. The clouds Die
i: away, and The sun shone out again. a.
10 the ali was cool and perfectly delightful
lei Though the ,copnop may havs ceas'
y, fora time TO takspaStin IL. the fight b
70 in the meaptime gone on, and when,
again, resumed my point Of cpservstio
az from which Tho storm had expelled me, y
4 capnonading commenced on The exiren