Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1859-07-02
of the Manchester Guardian.
Garibaldf's Victory at Varese.
BELLA, May q

BELLA, May q.
1t was on Monday evening that Garibaldi' S
Chasseurs of the Alps arrived at Varese, af-
ter a prodigious march of two days. A pro-
clamation was issued by the General, invit-
ing the whole of the Varesotto province to
rise against their oppressors. The appeal
was generally listened to, and men of every
age and condition hastened to the official
residence of Marquis Visconti, the extraor-
binary commissioner sent by Count Cavour
as the coadjutor .of the Italian general In
less than two hours the whole of the sur
rounding country was in arms. Old men,
children and even women, come to the Town
Hall with all sorts of weapons, ready to help
the small band $4,000 of their brethren.-
Varese was soon fortified, barricades erected,
means of defence carefully ordered Band
of peasants were pouring into the town from
the numberless hamlets, villas, and villages
which decked the picturesque hills OF that
beautiful countryside finest in Lombardy,
and, perhaps, of Europe. Garibaldi, who is
always to be found everywhere when danger
is coming began to array in companies the
new comers, and gave the necessary defense
of the country, as he supposed that the Aus
TRANS posted at Gallarate would attack him
on the next day. He was not deceived in his
expectation, for ON Wednesday morning at
dawn 800 Croats and $50 Hussars, with a
field battery, marched from Gallarate to See
to Calende, where the advanced guard of our
Chasseurs was posted. This advanced guard
was commanded by Capt. Decrisforis, young
man of great military ability, who only two
months ago was in England, and kept first
rate military school at Putney.
After fight which lasted two hours, the
enemy was completely defeated, leaving some
prisoners in our hands. The Austrians were
obliged to retire on Somma, and nothing was
heard of them till next morning at four
o'clock. The second attack was of a more
serious character. 1t was effected by brig
ade of 5000 strong, with ten field piec-
es. After a first discharge of their
muskets, the Italian volunteers assaulted the
enemy with the bayonet, and with so much
impetuosity that the Austrian centre was OBJ
liged to fall back on its left wing, already en-
gagged by battalion of our right wing. Now
the fight became general; tremendous hand
to-hand fight, in which every inch of ground
was bravely disputed by both armies The
enemy's artillery was of no more use, be-
cause Garibaldi, having none, had orderedhis
men to fight hand to hand with swords and
odyOhOeo. AZ SiO iSPoiS VI IuO AAuohcIy
and artillery, the country people hastened to
to the scene of action with pitchforks, half
pixies, and cleavers. "Itwas dreadful scene
of slaughter" said an eyewitness to me,
(which lasted three hours.'' Nothing can
give an idea of the impetuousity of those It.
alians who could at last revenge so many
wrongs, SO many cruelties 1t was almost
madness. Two brothers Strambio, one cap
tain and another lieutenant, were seen to
leap into the inside of hedge of bayonets,
and cut down Croats as if they had been pup
pets. A Montanari, from Verona, whose
brother had been hanged, in 1856, by Ra-
detsky's order, was running up and. down
the bloody field, striking right and left with
his powerful sword.
At o'clock, the Austrian General was OBJ
liged to give the order for a retreat, as his
men were falling in all directions. Gariba,di
was close at their heels till they reached the
strong position of Malnate, where they stop
ped to repair their losses.
This is short but faithful sketch of Carl
baldl's exploits. 1t will always be recorded
as one of the most brilliant actions fought in
the present war, because he had no artillery,
and his soldiers were but volunteers, scarce
ly drilled, and unaccustomed to camp life.