Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-07-07
The Advance of the Allies.

Correspondence Of the London Times.
CASsANo. OH the banks Of the AIDA, June
l3.-Both parties are preparing with equal
vigor for the great occasion. In the mean
time until il happens, the allied armies. at
any rate, have an agreeable time of it in this
fertile and beautiful Lombard plain, through
which they are marching. 1t is like III
agreeable promenade in park. Although
the country between Milan and the AIDA is
similar 10 that further west yet the richness
of the vegetation. combined with the pertec-
ton Of cultivation, gives it an entirely differ
ent character. Thus You have the long,
straight nduSSseS, it is true, but they are not
those monotonous unburnt roads, with equal
ly monotonous rows of willows, or naked,
closely-planted poplars, cropped close as
charity boys. but you have road protected
in most parts by high, fnll-spread chesnnts,
poplars, aud elms, which impsrt shade even
at nooday. Two little bitches. with clear
flowing streams on both sides, impart add
tional freshness, and vvify dense mass Of
brushwood and creeprrs 1T the foot al the
high trees. Besides the wild yine which
creeps up gracefully under the branches OF
its more powerful nrghbors, yon find there
all the old acIuantances-tle nut, the rasp-
berry, the cranberry, and every variety OF
the three. while at their feet. near the fresh
water nestle "A number Of wild flowers IN all
their varied garments.
The side ruas are no longer those tiresome
nursery garden rows, which must have served
rs models for the background in the pictures
Of the early Italian school. The richness OF
the vegetation has transformed them into
delicious, cool, country lanes. The rice fields
have quite disappeared, and the corn-tieldS
are much less frequent. Instead ot them the
eye roams over large plots OF grass. chiefly
thick Lucerne which is grown IN large guam
titles in this country, renowned for its diaries.
The formal Enclosures beyond are 30 COM
pletelv hidden by The richness of the brush
wood aud the free growth Of the trees, that
they seem the borders of a considerable for
est Just sufficiently cleared to admit the
grapeshot All this mass Of verdure is AMI
mated by the song OF the nightingale, the
bIuckbirl aud the lark who seem to have for
gotten the numerous sportsmrn OF Lombardy.
or, perhaps. think that while the cry Is
"M,te al 7aie&chi" they, ~ good patriots,
have nothing 10 fear. From Milan all along
to the AIDA the villages succeed each other
with rs much rapidity almost as in the neigh
borhood Of London, only they are picturesque
Italian villages. and not uniform suburban
hamIets Besides these you almost every
moment meet one Of the cascini, or large de-
tached iarmhouses, or see them in the dis
lance, pe.ping out of the trees beyond the
road. Every one in the centre of groups Of
peasants. who seem to have forgotten their
work in their anxiety to have look ut the
troops Everywhere you are greeted by the
sounds of music and glasses, gaping crowds
salutng and crying "Errira," troops repos-
ing and refreshing themselves; the whole
looks like going to a fair.
And through this Jubilee the soldiers have
To march by easy stages. When they arrive
at the halt tor the day, they encamp in the
green fields to the right and the left, the tents
are soon pitched, there is plenty OF wine,
bread and meat, plenty Of wood to cook with,
and water everywhere. 4 detachment goes
to the village to fetch clean straw and the
biyouac is rs comfortable rs can be. Now
and then, indeed, shower comes down to
spoil the fun, but no one cares much about
this while there is plenty to eat and drink,
and the next morning the sun does the rest.
Not the least important part OF the afternoon
business is foragng for daintles, which If
pleasant work among such numbers ct rich
farms; eggs fowls and milk are never wanting
nor is the payment at full market price only,
but often rather more. II it goes on like this,
the peasant will soon lose his fear of war,
which, in his mind. is always equivalent To
giving without receiving.
The stir, animation and easy life which
the army leads at present, are, 1t seems, con-
tagious, for everywhere You see volunteers,
whom you cun recognize by the tri-colored
feathers in the hat. and often piece OF prin-
ted paper behind it. with "Cdcciaion deiH
Npf' printed Oh it. The name of Garibaldi,
;hr less severe discipline, rs it is supposed,
and the romantic character which attaches
To his troops, seem all to be 50 many allure
ments which take much more than the regn.
lar military service in the regiments. With
all this. the good people. | think. rather de.
crive themselves, for the TdcctdtoIt deW Iipi
hnv. just much regular drilling to under
go before they JOIN. rs if they were regular
soldiers Of the line of his majesty Victoria
Emanuele H. Those who are under the
uperint-ndcnre ot the Captain Of the depot
ut Como have, l. dare say, found this out by
this time.