Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1859-07-16
TheAu.trian .QuadrilateraI Defense.

The New York Times says: A great deal
has been talked and written of their '.quadri-
lateral defense" into which the Austrian
armies are apparently retiring; but few
words in respect to it may not be out OF
place here If the reader will take up the
map of Lombardy and Venice, he will see at
the head of the Lago di Garde point called
Peschiera, from which the River Mincio flows
away in Southeasterly direction about
twenty-five miles to Mantua. About twenty
five miles to the East of Mantua he will fnd
the town of Legnago, on the River Adige,
and by following that river Northwestcrly he
will come to Verona, about twenty-five miles
from Legnago, and about half that distance
from Peschiera. These points enclose the
"quadilateral defense of Austria III Italy-a
defence formidable, firstly. because each of
these four points is well fortified post, two
of them, Mantua and Verona, ranking with the
strongest towns in Europe; and, secondly,
because the rivers of Mncio and the Adige
are both swift, broad streams, flowing
through a damp, low, marshy and dangerous
country; and. thirdly, because by the railway
which runs from Verona NorThward through
the Val Lagarina, and by Roveredo TO Trent
in the Tyrol, the Austrian army can keep its
communications easily open with the rest OF
the Empire.
This feature in especial of the positions on
the Adige and Mincio has probably become OF
the very first Importance to the Austrians in
the present juncture, since il was evidently
within the power of the Allies under Garibal-
di. at the latest advices, To throw themselves
from Bergamo, Lecco, and Sandrio in the Val
telline, upon the two great passes Of the Stel-
vic and the Mount Tonal, and 10y seizing BOr-
milo aud the Val Camonica, to block up the
way from Germany into Italy against the
Austrians TO the west of the Lago di Garda.
surraa1 m
ing themselves of Peschiera, il is clear they
would gain o tremendous advantage over
their anita onsts. The seizure of Brescia
seemed already within their grasp. This
ancient city, known for years as Brescid
Pdsndtd from the vast manufacture of wea-
pons of war carried on here, is one of the
fiercest and most unsubdued of the Lombard
towns 1t was cruelty sacked and put TO pill
lage by Haynaw in 1913, after furious con-
fiict, and the vengeance of the Brescians
must assuredly have put their city in the
hands of the Allies very soon after the defeat
of the AustriaRs on the Bergamo road. From
Brescia the country runs into hills to the
southwestern shore of the Lago di Garda,
where il begins to fall into plain again about
Desenzano and two or three miles further on,
at Peschiera. becomes entirely fiat. With
the feeling of the people in their favor, and
the Austrians retiring routed before them,
this disposition OF the country would signally
favor the French advance on Peschlera. The
fortress itself, which here commands the
Mincio, and protects the flank of the Tyrolese
railway line, is small, aud unless it has been
newly strengthened with eArth-works, (which
would appear to be very doubuui-) eau offer
no prolonged resistance to such seige trains
as the French army Is reported 10 carry with
il.
Hard by Peschiera, and abont half way be-
tween that place and Desenzano, the little
peninsula of Sirmio, famous as The poetieai
home OF that most poetic of Romans, Catuilns,
runs out into the lake, and offers Formidable
position for hostile artillery bearing upon the
fortres. Ii Is possible that the Austrian ar
nv at Cremona aud Pizzighettone may be
pushed up along the line OF the river Oglio,
to arrest the French advance by battle on
the way to Peschiera and the Aincto, but this,
as we have already said. does not appear to
Us probable. Should IL be attempted. and re-
suit Ia signal defeat of the Austrian forces,
IL would De difficult for the beaten army 10
preserve, not Peschiera only, bat Aantna and
Verona themselves nom the conquerors-
La truth, the time lost by the Austians. and
gained by the French, during the foolish
ia Sardinia, and the decisive operations OF
Gen. Garibaldi in Lombardy, will be found,
We thlnk, to have given wider scope 20 the
results VI the victory Of magenta than Was Al
iirst perceived, and has seriously affected the
military value in the present campaign Of
the famous position on which the Italian
strength OF Austria has been supposed 20
rest.