Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-07-21

doubled fury. The wind had now gone
down, the ali, was still, and the sound of
musketry, as well as of the cannon, was
heard. The former was contin-
uous, sharp and inoessant, sounding like
the constant and irregular pattering of hail
upon o roof, while the latter was OCCASION
ally suspended, but while it lasted was
overwhelmingly grand and terrible. Over
the Sandman park rosea dense white cloud
of smoke, directly upwards, its sides per-
fectly upright and we'll defined, and spread
ing outward both ways at the top like an
enormous sheaf of wheat. The sun was
making glorious sitting in the west, and
as his light gradually departed, the vivid
flashes of each discharge of the cannon
CLEANED through the smoke like sharp
lightning through the breast of an enor-
nous cloud, sometimes only single flash
would be seen, then two or three at once,
and sometimes half-a dozen would break
forth in instant succession. 1t was begin
ming to be dark when / turned to descend
the hill, and all the way down | still heard
the roar of the cannon and the clattering of
the guns of the infantry. But the Aus
lrians were clearly falling back, and could
scarcely have failed to sustain total route.
1t is possible they may be in condition TO
make one more struggle in the morning,
bnt, judging from my own observation, it
is not probable. They have sus
tanned an overwhelming defeat, and it
seems to me not unlikely that the Empe-
ror may now be induced, by the represent
alton Of the neutral powers, TO accept the
peace whice Napoleon will be very likely
to tender to him. 4............-.r. u.
Just before nightfall tremendous can,
was distinctly visible in the d.
reelion Of Mantua, and it was supposed by
one or two French officers that Prince Ma
poleon was 'assaulting that fortress as part
Of the days operations, while the Emperor
was engaging the enemy in the open field.
But / see no reason to suppose that this is
true, as Prince Napoleon could scarcely
have reached Mantua by this tims, as he
was in Florence only week ago. s
/ have thus given you very general
outline of this great battle as it came un-
der my own observation. | have mention
ed DO names of ofsubordinate officers, because
have had no opportunity to learn. The
specific part which individuals took in the
engagement. All that l must leave for
subsequent letters, or refer you for 1t to
the official reports which weIhere shall not
see for three or four days after they ale
published in Paris, / am afraid to ven
ture any conjecture as to the number OF
killed and wounded in this battle; but
from the nature of the case it must be enor-
nous. am confident that not less than
ten thousand wounded have been brought
into this village alone during the day-to
say nothing of those who were left on the
field or taken to other places. The first
intimation we reeived ofan engagement hav-
ing taken place, was from meeting three or
four carts drawn by oxen, and filled with
wounded-before we reached Montechiaro
on the road from Brescia. As wehad heard
of no battle, we naturally supposed that
these wounds had been received in some sklr
mish. Soon after we met a one-horse car
riage, in which laid at full length an Off
Ger of rank, whose face wore so CHASTITY a
look as to make it evident he was dying
reaching Montechiaro, and stopping for a
moment to rest our horses, we were told
that great battle was then going on in
the plain before Castiglione; and going at
once to the summit of some old fortltica-
tions which once defended the town. we
could see with our glasses the smoke of the
engagement We lost no time in pushing
forward, although we were .old that we
could not reach Castiglione because the
roads were completely occupied by artll-
lery held in reserve. We went on, bowev-
er, continuing to meet carriages and carts
laden with wounded, and passing the
the French camps Of the previous night,
came to point, at about half a mile from
the town, where park of artillery wagons
was defling from their camp into the
road. Wathing our chance, we drove in
between two of the wagons, and SO enter
ed the town under cover of the enormous
cloudof dust which they raised. The main
street was denseiy crowded with carts, car
riages, horses, donkeys, oxen, soldiers, suit
tiers and persons and animals of every de-
scription. We pushed our way, without
directly past the house marked
as the "Quartier Generale," or head quar-
tiers of the Emperor, and were thus within
the camp. We had gone but short dis
tanee when we came to where the great
procession of the wounded was turning
down a cross street to church which had
been fitted up as hospital. 1t was GER
tainly the most dreadful sight ever saw.
Every conceivable wound which Gun be in
f1icted upon men was here exhibited. All
who were able to do so, were obliged to
walk-the wagons and animals at COM
mand being all required for those who
could not otherwise be moved. Some
walked along, their faces completely cover
ed with blood from sabre cuts upon their
heads. Many had their arms shattered.
hundreds had their hands tied up-and
some carried most ghastly wounds upon
their faces. Some had tied up their
others had stripped away
the clothing which chafted and made them
worse. l saw one man walking along
with firm step and resolute air-naked
to his waist, aud having bullet-wound
upon his side, an ugly cash along his
cheek, and deep bayonet thrust, received
from behind in his shoulder. Most of
those who were walking wore serious
look-conversing but little with one an
other, though they walked two and two
and few Of them carried upon their faces
any considerable expression of pain. ~ q
Those who were1more severely injured