M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1859-06-30
WAR. NEWS.
The Battle OF Magenta-Frcnch
OGiciaI IAcc0unt-Yiyid Dcscrip-

/ OEciui Account-pltku DcSCIip'
IiOu.
HEAD-qUARr ERs OF San MARTINO, June g.
The French army, assembled round Alss
.sandril, had before ii great obstacles ~ over
come. Ii it marched on Piacenza, II would
have had to lay siege to that place, and tc
open for ITSELF by main force, the passage oI
tie Po, which at this spot is not less than
nine hundred metres vile, and this most
difficult operation was 10 be executed in
presence Of on enemy amy Of more than
Two bundled thousand men.
! Ii the Emperor crossed the river at Nalen-
Cia, he would fud the enemy concentrated or
h the le(l bank at Mortara, and he could moi
attack him in this position, unless by sepa
rate columns, mnnouyering in the midst Of q
county itersected by canals ans rice
grounds. There was, therefore, on both
sides an almost iasurmountable Obstacl-
the Emperor resolved TO turn il, and he de
ceived the Auftrians by concentrating his
army on the right, and causing it 10 occupy
Casteggio, and eyeR Robbio on the Trebia,
On the 3lst of MAY, the army received the
ord'r 10 march to the left and crossed the Pc
at Casaie, tn: briJge Of which had remained
1 in our possession. 1t Immediately took the
YercelH Road, where the passage of the Sc
sia was effected to protect and cover our rapid
march on NOvdra. The efforts of the army
were directed to the right on Robbie; and tive
combats, glorious for the Sardininn troops
fought on this side, had also the effect of in
ducing the enemy to believe that we Wer'
marching on Mortara. But during thi:
time the French army had proceeded towarC
Novara, and had takenup there position on
the same ground where the King Charles
Albert had fought ten years before. There
it could make head against the enemy should
he make his appearance.
Thus this bold march had been protected
by 100 600 men ehcamped on our right flank
at Olengo, in front of Novara. Under these
p. circumstances, it was therefore to the re-
serve that the Emperor was to confds the
execution Of the movement that took place
in the rear Of the line of battle.
On the 2nd of June a division Of the I'm,
perial Guard was directed to Turbigo, OIL
the Ticino, and meeting with no resistance
there il threw across three bridges.
The Emperor, having collected notice
that agreed in showing him that the enem,
was retiring on the eft bank of the river
caused the Iicno to be passed Mt this spo
by the army corps Of Gen. Mcmahon, fol
lowed next day by division Of the Sardin
ian army.
Hardly had our troops taken possession OIL
the Lombard uank when they were attacked
by an Austrian corps sent from Milan by tn
railway. They Iepulsed il vctoriousiy un
der the eyes of the Emperor.
On the same day, June 2, The division Of rs
pinasse having advanced by the NOvdra roa,
toward Milpn, as far as Trecatc, whence i
threatened the bridge head of BufidOra, tn
enemy evacuated preCipituteIy the intrench
mentS he had thrown up on this point, an,
fell back on the left bank, after blowing u
the stone bridge crossing the river ut thi
spot. Nevertheless, the effect ofbiS mining
chambers was not complete, and the tw,
arches he had intended to destroy havin,
merely subsded without falling to pieces, tn,
thorough(are was not intercepted.
The day Of the 4,h had been fixed upon by
the Emperor for taking definite possession d
the left bauk Of the Ticino. The army corps
of General McMlhon, reinforced by The vol
tigeur division of the imperui Guard, unc
followed by the whole army Of the King d
Sardinia, was 10 proceed from Turbigo t
ButhIora and Magenta, while the grenade
division Of thu lmperd! Guard would seizt
the bridge-head of Buffdlora on the left bank
and the army corps of Marshal Cinrober
would advance onthe right bank, to pass tn,
ficino at the same point. The execution o
tlrs Ian OF operations was disturbed by som
Of those incidents that in warfare must b
taken into account. The Kings army wa
retarded in its passage of the river, and only
one OF its divisions could follow at diSlanc
the corps OF General Mcmahon.
The march Of the Espnasse division ais
met with delays. and OH the other hand ,whel
the corps Of Marshal Canrobert left Novar
to rejoin the Emperor who had personll
gone 10 the bridge-hOad, the corps found til
road so incumbered that it could only reacl
the Ticino quite late.
Such was. the situation OF things, and th
Emperor was waiting, not without anxiety
for the signal Of the arrival of General Nc
Mahon's corps at Buffdlora, when, a5ou; tw
O'Clock, he heard OIL this side very heav
firing o. small arms and artillery.
1t was the moment to sustain it by march
ing on Magenta. The Emperor Immediate
y dispatched Wimp(en's brigade against tn
formidable positions held by the Auslidns il
front of the bridge. The brigade of Cler,
followed the movement. The nights Dor
dering the NavigIio "a large canal) and III,
village OF Buffalora were promptly carrie
BY the spirit oil our troops, but they soo
found themselves confronting considerable,
masses, whom they could not DR. i've back, an
who arrested their progress.
In the meantime, Marshal Canrobert's al
my corps did net appear, and, on the othe
band, the cannOnade and musket fire tha, Id
signaed the rival OF General McMaho
had completely ceased. Had the General
column been rePuIsed, and had the grenade
division of the Guard to Sustain itself again:
the entire effort Of the enemy!
1t is here the proper time for explainn
the maneuver effected by the Austrians. :
When they learned on the night of June
that the French army had surprised the pas
sage the Ticino at Turbigo, they had raE
idly sent across that river, al Vigevano, thre
, of the arny-corps, which burnt the bridge
behind them. On the morning Of the At
they went before the Emperor to the nun
. Der Of l25 900 men, and it was against thes
disproportionate forces that the grenadier d
, vision of the Guard with whom was tn
Emperor, had singly to contend