Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-06-24


HEADqUARTERs, San Martipo, June g.
The French army assembled round Alessan.
dria had great difficulties 10 overcome. If il
marched on Piacenza, it would have had to be.
siege that fortress, and force a passage Of the
Pc, there 200 metres in width, and that difficult
operation would have had to be effected in pres.
ence ofa hostile army Of 10000 men.
If the Emperor crossed the river at Valenza
he would have found the enemy concentrated
on the left bank at Mortara, and he could have
only attacked him by separate columns maneu-
vering in the midst Of a country intersected by
canals and rice fields On both sides, therefore
there was an almost insurmountable obstacle
the Emperor resolved TO obviate it, and he de.
ceived the Austrians by concentrating his for.
ces on the right, by occupying Casteggio and
even Robbie on the Trebbia.
On the 3lst of May the army received the
order to march to the LEFT, and crossed the Po
at Casale, the bridge Of which had remained in
our possession il at once took the road 20 Yer.
celli, where she passage Of the Sesia was car
ried out to protect and cover our rapid march
to Novara
The efforts of the army were directed on the
right, on Robbie, and two combats, glorious for
the Sardinian troops, fought on that side made
the enemy believe we were marching on Nor.
tara. Meantime, the French army was adyan-
cling on Novara, and it took position ON thevery
same ground where ten years previously King
Charles Albert gave battle. Here it was able to
meet the enemy II necessary.
Thus, this bold march had been protected by
100000 men encamped on our right flank at
Olengo in front Of Novara. Under these cir.
cumstances il was then TO the reserve that the
Emperor had to intrust the execution Of the
movement taking place behind the line of battle
On the I'd of June a division of the Imperial
Guards was advanced toward Turbigo, on the
Ticino, and, not finding any resistance, itthrew
three bridges across The Emperor having re
ceived con6rmatory intelligence that the enemy
had withdrawn to the left bank of the river, or.
dered the Ticno to be crossed at this point by
the corps d'armee of Gen. Mcmahon, followed
on the morrow by division Of the Sandman
army
Our troops had scarcely taken position on the
Lombard bank when they were attacked by an
Austrian corps from Milan, brought up by the
railway. They drove il back viotoriously in the
presence fthe Emperor.
On the same day dune y Espinasses divi-
sion having advanced on the road from Novara
to Milan as far as Trecate, from which place it
threatened the bridge at Bufialora, the enemy
hastily evacuated the ontrenchments it had
thrown up at this point, and retired to the left
bank, attempting to blow up the stone bridge
across the river. The attempt was not success
tul the two arches attempted were not suiii-
ciently destroyed to prevent the passage.
The 4th of June had been fixed by the EN-
peror for the definitive occupation Of the left
bank Of the Ticino. General McMahon's corps
d. armee strengthened by the division Of the
Voldgeurs ofthe Imperial Guard and followed
by the whole army of tho King ofSardmia, was
to advance from Turbigo on Buffalora and Ma
genta, while the division of the Grenadiers Of
the Imperial Guard was to carry the tete-de.
pont Of Buflalora on the left bank, and 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 be expected
in warfare The army of the King was delay
ed in crossing the river and only one of his di
visions was able to follow the corps Of General
Mcmahon at distance.
The advance of Espinasse's division was also
delayed and, on the other hand, when Marshal
Canroberts corps left Novara to Join the En-
peror, who had proceeded in person to the
bridge at Buffalora, it found the road so encum-
bered 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 General McMahon's corps at Bufaora, when
about 2 o'clock he heard a heavy fusilade and
cannonade in that quarter The General was
coming up.
This was the moment to support him by ad.
vancing on Magenta, The Emperor at once
threw Wimphen's brigade against the formida-
ble positions occupied by the AustriaDs in
front of the bridge Lo Clerc's brigade follow
ed up the movement The nights which Dor
der the canal and village of Bufalora were soon
carried by the impetuosity of our troops, but
they then found themselves opposed to formid-
able bodies whom they could not drive back,
and who stopped their advance.
Marshal Oanrobert's column had not vet
come up, and, on the other hand, tho cannon.
ade and fusilade which had announced the ar.
rival of Gen. MoBlahon had completely ceased
Had the Generals column been repulsod and
would the division OF the Grenadiers of the
Guard have TO sustain alone the whole strength
of the enemy!
This 10 the proper place to explain the ma
neuver of the Austrians
When they learned on the night of tke I'd
of June that tho French army had made itself
master of the passage ofthe Ticno at Turhigo,
they rapidly recrosEed the river at Vigevano
with three of their corps d'arrheo, who burned
tho bridges behind them. Ga the morning of
the 4th they were opposite the Emperor 5000
strong, and 1t was against such diaproporton-
ate force that the division Of the Grenadiers of
the Guard, with whom was the Emperor, had
to compete.
At this critical moment Gen Rognaud Saint
Jean d'Angely displayed immense energy, as
did also the Generals under his orders Gene
raj Of Division Mellinet had two horses shot
under him, Gen. Le Clerc fell mortally woun-
ded, Gen Wimpiieu was wounded in the head,
Commnndants Desmo and Maudhuy, Of the
Gronadiers Of the Guard, were instantly killed;
the zouaves lost 200 men, and the Grenadiers
suffered loss not less considerable
Finally, after long expectation OF four
hours, during which Melnet's Division sus-
tanned without Ainohing the attacks of the enc
my, Picard's brigade, led by Marshal Canrobert,
arrived on the field of battle. Shortly after
ward Vinoy's Division joined. Of Gen Niel's
corpB, which the Emperor had cent for, and
finally Renault's and Trochu's Divisions ofCan-
roberts corps.
AT the same time Gen, McMahons cannon
became again audible in the distance. The
Generals corps, retarded in its advance, and
less numerous than il should have been, had
advanced in two columns on Magenta and Buf.
lalOra .a'. ...u#..
The enemy having attempted 10 cut in be-
tween these two columns, Gen Mcmahon or
dered his right column 70 fall back on his leh
toward Magenta, and this explains the cessation
in the firing at the commencement Of the action
on the Bufiaora side.
In fact, the Austrians finding themselves hard
pressed on their centre and left, had evacuated
the.village of Bufialora, and had brought the
greater portion Of their forces to bear against
General Mcmahon before Magenta The 45th
Of the Line boldly attacked the farm Of Cascina
Nu6va on the outskirts Of the village and which
was defended by two Hungarian regiments
Fifteen hundred mon Of the enemy laid down