The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-07-20


day, merely saying that his Majesty the Emperor
had called him elsewhere, and that he took leave il
consequence. In his stead Gen. Schlick, originally
an officer of HuSsars who gained himself a name in
the war in Hungary in lS4849, named Major
General of the Italian army of which the Emperor
himself took the command. From all we can make
out, there seems to have been too many plums in
the pudding, for there is good deal of jealousy
among several of the generals, who all think them
selves entitled to the supreme command. For in
stance, Gen. Benedek, who is considered (at least
by his own corps), the fttest to command, is ac-
cused by Gyulai OF having too late for the bat
tie OF Magenta on purpose, although it is more
probable that being the other side of the Pc, he
had not sufficient time to arrive.
AT any rate, it is 10 put an end to all these
Jealousles, which are greatly deplOred by the army
that the Emperor has taken the command in per
son. This the 22d. On the 23d the army
| received an order to be ready at A. NJ. and the
whole immense force consisting of the LIST, I'd, Sd,
5th, 7th, 8th and 9th corps, passed the Minco on
that day, and had taken up their respective posi-
tlons before the evening closed in. This mass, to
which must be added twelve Of the best cavalry
regiments, from whose activity the plain of the
Campo di Medole great deal was expected can
not have numbered less than 10000 or 200, 900
men. Besides this, strong park of positon-guns
was also ordered over the river.
On seeing such mass cross the river in one dav;
and march up to positions; some of which were ten
or twelve miles from the bank of it. one NAV well
be astohished at the activity displayed and cannot
but conclude that the Austrian general did not
| Know how to take advantage Oft in the beginning
| of the war.
And this large army came not to defend the posi-
| tons on the hills so much to attack the allied
| armies, and drive them out of Lombardv The
confidence seemed to have been great for the march
| to Bresca and Milan had become table-tak among
the officers. The Emperor came up the same eve
nlng, and early the next morning visited the posi-
| tion at SClferino
| This return of the Austrians had been so sudden
| that the news of it had not reached the allied armv
| For reason which | cannot mention row, the ad-
vance OF these latter had been purpose slow, and
they did not seek to penetrate too far in order not
| to have to hurry more than it suited their plans
on must have observed this from the short
and long halts which were made since we left Bres-
cia. The allies contemplated no movement on the
day of the oath. The only project for that day was
that the Pledmontese, whose lines extended from
| Desenzano on the lake, along the outer ridge of
hills down to Esenta should send out two reconnois
| sances, one in the direction of Peschera and the
| other IN that OF POZZolengO, on the road to the
bridge of Sallionge, while the first French corps of
| paraguay dfliliers, which occupied the continue
tiOn of the ridge from Esenta to Castiglione was
likewise to send out two reconnossances one in the
| direction of Madonna del Monte. on the road from
| CastigliOne to Pozzolengo, and the other on that
| leading to SollernO.
was, as you remember. under the impression
| that 1t was the meeting of these reconnoissances
| which was the beginning OF the battle As far as
| the Pledmontese concerned this was correct
but note quite so far the French were concerned
for before these recOnnoiSsances started their line
OF outposts was attacked in the plain from Medole
| to San Cassiano. The plan Of the enemy seems to
have been to refuse the right wing and strike de-
cisive blow at the left, endanger if not cut
| oil our line of retreat. For this purpose the Sh
cops, Benedeks. which had come over TIE Mincio
was posted on the heights about POzzoengo while
the rest OF the army massed from SOlferino to
| Medole and Cayriana to Ceresale This movement
to turn out right flank only possible so long as
| the heights of Soferno held; for, these once
lost the army, if it still maintained itself in the
plain, was in danger of being cut in two, and of
losing one or two of the Minco passages.
| The Emperor, who, as you remember, arrived
about an hour after the first shot was fired saw this
danger instantly, well the necessity of getting
possession of this key of the position The great
point was to hold back the enemy's forces broupht
against our right, and to push him back in the
plain until this could be effected For this purpose
the lst corps received the order to go on the roads
which skirt the hills looking down into the plain:
the I'd corps took its place at its right; again at
its right was placed the 4th corps, and the Sd was
kept back pOence on the extreme right to serve
as a reserve to the 4th, if necessary and to pre-
vent any flank move nent Of the enemy, and fall on
| flank should he attempt to make one. The infantry
of the guard was placed as a reserve behind the
First and Second divisions, while the whole caval-
ry was kept ready to advance as soon as the enemy
was driven back towards the open Campo di Me
! dole. The obstinacy with which the Austrans
held the position of Solferino was only eaualed by
! the efforts which they made to throw back our
right wing, and if possible, to outfank it.
| gave you an idea of the position of SOferno.
assure you it is of those to which can be fully
| applied the saying, "The more YOU look at it the
| less you like it, 1t is impossible to imagine any
| thing stronger than this h-fort, with its high.
precpitOus bastiOns and deiles of road, fanked bv
smaller spurs Just of convenient height and distance
for cannon. The Austrians, who of course knew
| every inch of their mannuverng ground made the
most of these advantages. But it was above all
the entrances to the village, and the buildings in
the village, on which they had spent the greatest
| care. As the houses are built the side of the
steep hill, they, well the gardens stand as it
were on high terraces, and their walls form kind
! of enciente round the village. Every wall had been
loopholed, and behind it were one or two good
shots, firing constantly with rifles, which sup
piled to them bv those posted behind In penetra-
ting into this village great losses were sustained.
The ground before it had been cleared so as to COM
| pletely expose those who wanted to take the place
by storm. There heing no ladders, and the gate
way being too high to scale, the lst Z0uaves-the
| first who distinguished themselves in the battle of
! Maegnona-made human pyramid, those below
! exposing themselves to the murderous fire which
was kept up against them in order to allo y their
companions to mount and enter. But the most
terrific carnage was, as usual round the churches
one situate close underneath the high
| square tower, the ''Spia dItalia' of which have
so often spoken, the other cn one ofthe spurs the
mountain throws out towards the lake, and then
| Spia d'ltaa itself. The square tower and the
ruined wall which surrounds it are, as I told you,
built on high cOnical mountain, which throws out
three spurs, one toward the plain, the second to-
ward Castiglione, and the third toward the lake.
The first Gf these is the least steep and the broad
| est. On its summit is 4 large church. with Gu
rious cupola, and large yard before it. inclOsed by
! high walls. One of the roads goes down to the
! plain from this point through tolerably steep
street, but once ont of the village the road goes
down in a gentle slope. This road il ianked on the
left by high isolated plateau, while on the right
it is commanded by the long plateau-like spur
which from the tower in the direction of Cas-
| tiglione, and Thich forms yrominent feature in
the scenery, owing to score or so of bigh poplars
| q tbn
two others, compensates this disadvantage by its
precipitousness The church, which is built at the
/ edge ofit, forms likewise a prominent feature
Just at the junction of this spur with the mountain
itself a very steep road leads down toward Castg-
! lione. The part of the village built about those
points is called the upper villa -e. Toward Cavri-
the mountain falls off very precipitously, and
just at the base of it is built the lower village to
which the road leads up by San Cassiano.
As all the roads are between the different spurs
each forms sort of defile The chief attacks were
consequently directed upon the heights themselves
Most of these are so steep at their upper part that
person unencumbered by anything has the greatest
| difficulty in climbing them, you may imagine
what it was for the French soldiers to get to the
top with their packs The Austrians the top
had left theirs behind them, and waited the attack
in this manner. Add to this difficulty scorching
| June sun, several hostile batteries sending down
grape, and dense of infantry firing down
with their rifles. 1t was noon before the heights
were crowned. A brigade of the first division of
the lst corps, and one of the second divisions first
corps, did their best to get possession of the heights
but they had to go back again. 1t was then that
| the Emperor who was one of the low hills di-
rectng the movements, is reported to have said,
"H fat aroir point cesi Ia cie de la po8ition-
Dites Grenddiers de la Garde de s'auancer:'
and then, if remembering that they had had
their share at Magenta, he said mon; enUoyez la
premiere brigade des Foligers;" and the Chasseurs
and the first battalion of the lst and I'd regiments
| ofvotigeurs on, and took the heights at a
run, with the twelve guns which were placed there.
| Their dash magnificent that the Emperor.
and, in imitation of him, the whole staff raised
their caps and shouted "Brdro les Vohigeursp'
got to the place short time after it had been
taken, and must confess | never such destruc-
tion of humanity in small space. You saw
what the fight cost both sides when you counted
the number and facings of the different regiments
engaged. The wonder to me, however, is how the
position could ever be taken. Those of the enemy
who were in the keep at the foot of the town were
taken prisoners They had orders to defend the
place to the last man.
The attack of the I'd corps which, as YOU will re-
member, was placed to the right of the first, and
had TO clear the plain the left of the road 10
Goito, the slopes Of the hills, had no less diff
cultes, although of another kind. The ground is
level table by nature, but has been ntersect-
ed with roads, hedges, rows of trees, bitches and
banks. Every one of these artificial obst cles be-
came a means of resistance to the enemy. This
resistance greatly facilitated by the number of
detached farmhouses which abound there, and every
one of which became little block house. which had
to be taken.
The 4th corps worked in the same way on the
ri hand off tha nil Of tI;