Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-07-31
A puRE PANIC.

The day after the battle, crowds Of peo-
pie we're coming down the street with
uncommon activity. Their numbers and
their speed increased. Zouayes and 9th
er soldiers we're running as fast as the
rest. ] stepped into the street and asked
three or four soldiers in succession what
was the natter Each gave the esame
reply" Je ne sails pas"-but never stop
ped his running in the least. Presently
one shouted as loudly as his spent breath
would permit, "Tbey are killing the
wounded" And when / asked him
'BloT' be replied "Les Austrichisas."
This was certainly rather startling inior-
nation, and, as it was backed up by
general flight Of the whole population,
we thought we might as well join in, TO
prevent being run over by the crowd
French mounted officers came tearing
down the street, squirting their horses IN
to dead run over the pavement Shut
tiers we're closed, doors bolted, and Sar-
dinan Gags pulled in with a good deal
more alacriiy than they had been hung
out the day before. Everybody who
had a cart and horse mounted it and start
ed. saw Zouaye, who had been limp
Jog through the street not moment be-
fore. seize a horse which stood at the en-
trance Of stable yard, without saddle,
bride, or even halter, leap on bis back,
and holding by lhe name, kick and bal.
loo him into keen gallop down the street.
Everybody was running for dear life. We
went with the crowd until we cleared the
town and reached the high road to Lon
ato.
A French officer, whom recognized
rs one had seen in command of the
guard Of the wounded, came dashing
along en- grand galoP. l called out TO
him as be rushed past, Are he Aastri-
ans there ? On d. was his only reply
Following close to his heels came one Of
the large wagons belonging to the Imperi-
al suite, and in it young man to whom ]
had seen the surgeons of the Imperial
household especially deferential the day
before. Next came an open cbaise, with
two civilians, one Of whom was lashing
the horse, and the other fighting of the
soldiers who were trying their best tc
climb up behind. BY this time wo had
stopped running, and fallen into a leisur
ely walk; the men in the chaise were
touchingly sympathetic, and consolingly
shouted to Us that we were certainly lost
as the Austrian Dragons we're slashing
their way, right and left, directly in oui
rear. This decided US TO quit running
altogether, as it was quite hopeless to rur
away from pursuing cavalry. This re
Taxation Of our pace and the recovery Q
our wind induced cooler view Of tn
whole affair; and we were already begin
ming to see its farcical character, whe
our cowardly coachman came putting an
blowing behind US, his face swelling wit
fear and red with heat. He raised hi
eyes and clasped his hands in pity as h
passed us, and soon turned off from til
road and buried his stalwart form in
field Of wheat This quite reconciled u
TO the desperate state Of things, an
laughing at his sorrows we entirely forge
our own. Reasoning the case, moreove
as we walked along, we thought it .ju
possible that corps of Austrian hor
might have dashed in from Peschiera
rescue the prisoners, Of whom there we
5000 in Castiglione but anything beyor
this seemed quite impossible. The who
body OF fugitiyes upon our road was o
Of sight but long cloud Of dust on Il
road to Monteehiaro showed that in III
direction the panic was undated.
we had agreed to meet +" Malakoif'
his return from Brescia at Montechiar
we struck into the cross roads leadi
through the farms and country distric
and after a couple Of hours, brisk walkir
reached the place. We found it in {
very hight Of the fever and it was with
good deal Of difficulty that we prevail
upon the landlord Of the inn to open
doors and give Us possession Of {
rooms we had previously engaged
This was certainly the most remarl
bic instance Of a pure panic ever saw
and the most striking feature of ii v
the rapidity with which it increased
force and volume as il rolled along.
heard afterwards that it produced
most serious results when il overlook
trains Of wounded on the road to Bresl
They were tumbled headlong from
carts into the roadside, and many of th
we're RIM over by the artillery-wago
as they were utterly concealed from 81
by the dense clouds Of dust which h,
over the road. OF its results at Bre.