Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1859-06-25
The London Times ON the Rattle OF
Magenta.
he TImesl Ieader OF June | lth aars |.


French report Of the battle Of Magenta, both
which we publish to-day are documents for
which we need not ask attention. The FIRST,
somewhat out Of date, is important as showing
how entirely the Austrians had been deceived
by the French how completely they had been
outAanked how little expected was the enemy
at the moment they came upon them or were
prepared for the French enterprise Of following
them across the Ticino.
The French account published in the
Moniteur entirely confirms the view we
took of the tactics which led to the battle
at Buffalora, and claims the credit which
we had already accorded to the French
Emperor of having deceived his enemy by
rapid concentration Of forces on the
French left. II describes also the details
of the embarrassments which could not but
occur in the movement Of the personal and
baggage of so large an array, along narrow
causeways and over a swollen river, and re-
produces, in almost similar terms, but with
less description of the character of the
country in which the battle was fought.
The strategic character of the battle
of Magenta is, however, now for the first
time before us in an authentic description.
We already knew that Gen. Mcmahon had
passed the river at Turbigo, and repused
feeble attack there made upon him by the
Austrinns, and we now learn that the Gen
eral had been strengthened in his position
by the grenadiers of the Imperial Guard.
The passage of Marshal ClnrobertS corps
d'arme, by the bridge at Bufalora, was
arranged to correspond with the lateral
movement which was intended to be made
by Geu Mcmahon, to spport this passage,
while Mcmahon, already on the Lombar-
dy side, moved to attack the Austrians
posted at Magenta and Buffalora, but
whose strength and position seem to have
been underrated
The Emperor, with the Zouaves Of his
guard, was to force passage at BuffalOra,
supported by the corp d'arme of Canrobert,
and by other divisions which were to follow
in continuous columns. The force which
was to have effected operations at Bufalora
did not arrive at the appointed time and
when Nc MahOn'S division appeared on the
left bank of the TicinO, and attacked the
Austrans on the Turbigo side Of their po-
sition the Emperor found himself at the
head of a smaller number of men than he
anticipated.
Canrobert had been delayed and the
Austrians had according to the French ac-
count, found means to concentrate a force
of 1875, 600 men at the spot were McMahon
was now attacking. The Emperor, with
the Zouaves, seem to have crossed to Nc
Mahon's assistance, and an unequal com
bat of four hours duration ensued. At
the end of this terrible period, Canrobert
came up, aud the other troops had sue
ceeded in disentangiing themselves from
the confusion of the choked causeways in
the rear.
McMahon, whose attack from the Tur-
bigo side had been interrupted by the ne
cessity of uniting his column, returned to
the charge when he heard the fusilade up
on the Buffalora side Of the Austrians, who
had been for some time in superior force,
and had taken prisoners and guns from
their assailants driving them back-we are
not told how far-were now in their turn
assailed by superior, or at least an eqnal,
and were hard pressed, both on the centre
and left, and compelled to evacuate Buffa-
lorain order to make head against McMa-
hon, who was attacking them from Magen-
ia.
This diversion enabled the Emperor to
vigorously resume the offensive, and it is an
incident of great Importance in estimating
the future chances of the war, that large
bodies Of Hungarian troops laid down their
arms, as it would appear, for no very press
ing necessity. While the Austrians were
thus vigorously attacked on both sides, and
were experiencing something very like de-
fection in their ranks, General Augen had
succeeded in getting forty guns in position
on the railway embankment, which aanked
the Austrian position. From this battery
he poured into their masses destructive
fire, which must have told with fearful ef-
feet, and may account for the fearful earn
age which the Austrians are said to have
suffered
Meanwhile, General Nc Mahon had push
ed his attack successfully and drove the
enemy from Magenta. putting more than
ten thousand Austrians hors de combat,
and taking five thousand prisoners This
village, however was so desperately dis
puted that it was taken and retaken no less
than seven times, reinforcements of the al.
lied troops continually arriving upon the
field, and, as it would appear, forming at
last continuous line along the Lombard
ian bark of the Tcino
The battle lasted until hnlfpast eight
o'clock in the evening, and a we hear moth
ing of the Austrian guns, we must suppose
they were very inferior in artillery, and Of
course laboring under dreadful disadvan-
tages while forty pieces of cannon were
playing on them from the railway embank
ment.
At this hour, we are told, the Austrans
withdrew, leaving in the hands of the vic
tors four guns and two flags, as moderate
trophies of this obstinately fought battle
The allies were undoubtedly vctors, for
they held the field and position, and also
had taken seven thousand prisoners but
as some of these were taken in regiments,
aud as they are, for the most part, Hunga-
rians and Italians, it may perhaps be doubt
ed whether the bulk of the Austrian sol.
diers now in the hands of the Allies,
should be more correctly characterized as
prisoners or deserters.
The estimate of killed and wounded can
I L. 4. I r.