The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1859-07-22
The Battle of Salferino.
New YORK, July 12-3 2. NJ.

D
Just back of Castiglione rises high range
Of hills, which projects mile or there
abouts into the plain, and then breaks off
towards the left, into a wide expanse OF
smaller hills, and so into the rolling sur
face which marks that portion of the
I plain The Austrians had taken their po-
sition upon these hills, planting cannon
! upon those nearest to CasugIione, which
they could approach, as the French army
was in full force around that little village,
and had stationed their immense army all
over the surrounding plain. AS near as
we can now learn, the Emperor Francis
| Joseph had collected here not less than
225, 900 troops, and commanded them in
| person.
His evident purpose was to make a
stand here, and risk the fortunes of war
upon the hazards of the day. Napoleon
promptly accepted the challenge, and com
menced the attack as soon as it was light
this morning, by placing cannon upon the
! hills still nearer to Castiglione than those
held by the Austrians, and opening fire
upon them on the heights beyond. He
took his own stand apon the highest OF
thesera steep, sharp backed ridge, which
commands a magnificent view of the en-
tire circuit Of the plain, and from that
point directed the entire movements of lis
army, during the early portion of the day.
The French very soon drove the enemy
out of the point they held nearest to the
town: and followed them into the small
villages of the plain below.
The first Of these were Salerino, where
they bad sharp, protracted engagement.
The Austrians disputed every inch of the
ground, and fought here as they did
throughout the day, with the utmost des.
peration. They were three times driven
out of the town before they would stay
out. The people of the village moreover
took part against the French, upon whom
they fired from their windows, and the
French were compelled in self defence, to
burn the town. When they found it i'm
possible to hold their ground any longer,
they fell back slowly and steadily until they
reached the village of Volta, directly
south east from Castiglione, and it is only
about mile from the river Mincio, from
which, however, it is separated by a range
of hills. Upon these hills, in the rear OF
the town, and overlooking it completely
! on the south and south east sides, the Aus
trians had planted very formidable batter.
les, and when l arrived upon the field, and
went at once to the height where the EN-
peror had stood at the opening of the en-
gagement, but which he had left an hour
before to follow bis victorious troops, these
batteries were blazing away upon the
French who we're stationed on the plains
| below.
The general result was soon made evi
dent by the slackenng of the Austrian fire
by the falling back of their smoke, and &
corresponding advance on the part of that
which rose from the French Artillery
The cannonading at that point lasted fol
more than an hour, but in precisely what
direction the Austrians retreated, it was
| impossible to see. Part of the Austrian
force probably crossed the Mincio River
which flows southwark from the lower end
of Lake Garda. At one point after anoth
er, sharp cannonading would arise, and
continue for half or three quarters of an
hour, and after each successive engage
ment of this kind, the result became APP
parent in the retreat of the Austrians, and
and the advance of the French forces.
During all the early part Of the day, the
sky had been clear, and the weather hot,
! but clouds began to gather about noon
and at 3 o'clock, while the cannonade was
at its heighth, tremendous thunder storm
| r1l cd from, tho ,,n,fb
lasted for about an hour, and the cannon
aiding, so far as we could distinguish, was
suspended; then the rain ceased; theclouds
blew away; the sun shone out again, and
the air was cooler-perfectly delightful.
Though the cannon may have ceased
for time to take part in it, the fight in
the mean time had gone on, and when |
resumed my post of observation, from
which the storm had expelled me, the can
nonade commenced quite on the extreme
left of the entire field, on the very borders
of the lake, north east from Castiglione
and west of Peschiera.
! The Pledmontese troops under the King
who commanded them in person, had post
ed there, and received the Austrians a.
they came round. From about 7 o'clock
till after nightfall, an incessant and most
terrible combat was here kept up. The
! batteries of thetwo armies were apparently
about half mile apart, and at the out
set they were both seized with nearly
equal and effective vigor; but the Austr
ans gradually slackened their fire, anC
several times took up new positions, while
the Sardinians poured rapid and unin
terrupted shower of balls upon them, sus
pending only for a few minutes at time
and then renewingit again with redoublec
fury.
The wind had now gone down, the ali
was still, and the sound Of the musketrv
as well as Of cannon, was distinctly heard
sometimes only a single flash would bt
seen; then two or three at once, and some
times half a dozen would break forth il
instant succession. 1t was beginning t.
be dark when turned to descend the hill
and all the way down | still heard the
roar of the cannon and the gathering o
the guns of the infantry.
The AustIians have sustained an over
whelming defeat, and it seems to me no
unlikely that the Emperor may now be in
duced, by the representation of the neutra
powers to accept the peace which Napo
leon will be very likely to tender him.