Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-07-13
THE BATTLE OF SOLDERING.

Letters from the Battlefield.
Henry j. Raymond of the New York Times
and Malal1off," the Paris correspondent
stfqth aeRsFf hae vent t9 IaE5f Val Just in
time to witness the great battle of Solferino.-
"Malakof'' dating at Castiglione June q,
says =
Francis Joseph has commanded and lost to-
day his first battle. His army, concentrated
at leisure within the last fortnight, was the
most tormable in number of modern times
1t was stationed at point chosen by himself,
where he had tie advantage OF a superior DO
sltlon' and yet he was beaten completely from
the field by the French army.
The two armies had been gradually ap-
preaching each other for several DAYS, and il
was generally understood, as well in the army
as in the country near the scene of the great
conflict, that a field battle was iminent. The
army of the Emperor of Austria, which had
gradually retreatcd from the fatal field of
Magenta, halted, demoralized, at the Mincio.
The Emperor, who had been collecting rein
forcements-one might call it new army-at
Verona, advanced a week ago with this force
and joining with the army which had fallen
back from Magenta, moved to the encounter
OF the French, to seek revenge for the de-
feat OF Gyulal. The French were only too
"Sh PASuoSu W llidSI lllSlE enemy mus, and
the encounter on the plain of Castgione was
as if by mutual agreement.
On the night of the 23d, the whole Austrian
army moved up to the vicinity of Castiglione.
within mile of the advanced camp of the
French army. They came up so noiselesslv
that the French supposed it to be their inten-
ton to sweep around and encircle the town.
NO such attempt, however was made, and at
five o'clock this morning the battle commence
ed, but by which army the first gun was fired.
no one thus far has been able to inform me. If
was an understood thing, no doubt, in both
armies, that the moment had arrived for the
decisive trial OF strength, and it mattered lit
Tie who fired the first gun. Both armies were
eager 10 oegin the struggle, and only awaited
the signal of attack.
The Austrian center was on and toward tho
extremity of the long tongue of hills to which
have referred; their right on the same range
OF nils, close up to the town of Castiglione.
and their left extending directly out across the
PLAIN to the south of the termination of the
tongue of hills. On these hills there were two
villages occupied by the Austrians, and hiph
old tower overlooking the plain and the whole
country around. The Austrian position was
III crescent las at Magenta), about eight miles.
long and was exceedingly strong in every
point of view, since the French were Obliged
w "t''NN INN Nie pam, III Iull view, and Ill a
concentrated form.
During the first hours of the battle the
French were twice driven back by the superb
or numbers and the impetuosty of the Austri
ans. But this retrograde movement was not
repulse, and the ground lost was Immediate
~ regMned 1t was the first regiment of the
LouaVes that suffered most at this moment
AT one CLOCK l saw two cart loads of wound
Gu men OF TINS regiment as they came off the
the neld, on their way to the hospital at Cas-
hglione, and they told me that at that moment
nota single commissioned officer of their repi
ment was on his feet. Their brave colonel
who had been promoted only three DAYS be-
fore, III place of their colonel Killed at Mapentn
had received three wounds, and | saw
nm carried from the field soon afterwards
on litter, covered with blood and dust. and
apparently suffering deeply from his wounds
Inc two villages on the line of hills held by
the Austrlans offered the greatest resistance to
tue ADVANCE OF the French. One Of these, Sol.
ferlno, was taken and retaken three times by
Canrobert's division, and it is said that at this
point the dead bodies actually concealed the
ground from view.
Another village nearer to Castiglionc. in
Which, strange to relate, both the men and
the women of the town fired upon the French,
was totally burnt down by Marshal Canrob-
erts orders, who was naturally indignant Mt
such conduct. / had this detail from different
persons engaged in the battle but the burn
ing took place early on tho day before we ar
rived on the ground, and we did not, therefore,
see this incident.
The Austrians were gradually driven back
over the plain, and from their strong position,
ON the hill-sides, till ut four O'Clock they made
Their last obstinate stand at the town of Volta,