Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1859-07-19

directly a0u CLOSELY upon liie Hoiu' ooutH NV
have found any eminence upon the PLAIN from
which | could have had so sweeping and COM
plete a view Part OF the Austrian force prob
ably crossed the Mincio River, which nows
southwark from the lower end OF Lake Vuai ae
and empties into the 70.
But the battle continued to rage all over the
region northwest of line connecting the towns
of Castigone, Solferno aud Volta. AT one
point after another sharp cannonadng would
arise aud continue for half or three quarters OF
an hour, and after each successive engagement
of this kind the result became apparent ID the
retreat of the Austrians and the advance OF the
French forces. During all the early part OF the
day the sky had been clear and the weather not
but clouds began to gather at about noon, ana at
o'clock, while the cannonadipg was at It's
height q tremendous thunderstorm rolled up
from the northwest; the wind came first, sweep
ing from the parcbed streets an enormous clouu
of dust, aud was soon followed by heavy fall OF
rain, accompanied by vivid lightning and rapid
explosions of rafting thunder. The storm last
ed about an hour, and the cannonading, So far as
we could distinguish, was suspended. Then the
rain ceased, the clouds blew away, the sun shone
out again, and the air was cooled and perfectly
delightful.
Though the cannon may have ceased for
time to lake part in it, the fight had meantime
gone on-aud when again resumed my post OF
observation, from which the storm expelled me,
the cannonading commenced quite on the ex-
treme left of the entire field and on the very
borders of the lake southeast from castglone,
aud West of Peschiera. The Piedmontese troops
under the King, who commands them in person,
had been posted there and received the Austrl
aus as they came around. From about o'clock
until after night fall an inceSsant and most terri
bic combat was here kept up. The batteries OF
the two armies were apparently about hall
a mile apart-aDd at tue onset they were ooth
served with equal and effective vigor. But the
Austrians gradually slackened their hre and sew
eral times took up new poslLlons-whllet the Oar
dinlans poured q rapid aud uninterrupted show
er of balls upon them-suspendlng only tor a lew
minutes at time, and then renewing 1t again
with redoubed fury. The wind had now gone
down, the air was stlll, and the sound of mus
kerry as we'll as of cannon was distinctly heard.
The former was continuous sharp and incessant
sounding like the constant aud irregular p ,tter
Ing OF hail upon roof, while the latter was oc
casionally suspended, but while 1t lasted was
overwhelmingly grand and terrible.
Over the Sandman park rose dense white
cloud of smoke, directly upwards, its sides per
fectly upright and well defined, and spreading
outward both ways at the top like an enormous
sbeat of wheat. The sun was making glo
rious setting in the west, and as his light
gradually departed, the vivid flashes at each dis
charge of the cannon cleaned through the smoke
like sharp lightning through the breast OF an e.
normous cloud. Sometimes only single flash
would be seen, then two or three at once, aud
sometimes half dozen would break in instant
succession. 1t was beginning to be dark when l
turned to descend the hill, and all the way down
still heard the roar OF the cannon and the ciat
teriug OF the guns of the infantry. But the
Austrians were clearly falling back, and could
scarcely have failed to sustain a total route. 1t
is possible they may be in condition to make
one more struggle in the morning, but Judging
from my own observation, it certainly Is not
probable They have sustained an overwhelm'
ling defeat end it seems TO me not unlikely
that the Emperor may now be induced, by the
representations of the neutral Powers, to accept
the peace which Napoleon will be very likely to
tender him.
am afraid to venture upon any conjecture as
to the number OF killed and wounded in this
battle but from the nature of the case it must
he enormous. | am confident that not less than
ten thousand wounded have been brought into
this village alone during the day-to say nothing
of those that were LETT on the field or taken to
other places. The first intmation we received
OF IN engagement having taken place, was from
nee ting three or four carts drawn by oxen, ana
filed with wounded-betore we reached Monte
chiaro on the road from Brescia. AS We had
heard of no battle, we naturally supposed that
t these wounds had been received IN some sKlr
m;sh soon after we met one horse carriage
in which was laid at full length an officer OF
rank, whose face wore SO ghastly look as "
make it evident he was dying.
On reaching Montechiaro, and stopping Tor O
moment to rest our horses, we were told that @
great battle was then going on in the plain be
/ fore Casligone; and going at once to the sum
mit of some old Notifications which once delend
cd the town. we could see with our glasses the
snake of the engagement. We lost no time IN
nnsbjpe forward, although we were told that
we could not reach Castgone because the roads
were completely occupied by artillery held IN re-
se,ve We went on, however, continuing to
meet carriages and carts laded with wounded,
, and passing the French camps OF the previous
{ night. came to point, at about hall mile from
the town, where q park of artillery wagons was
detiling from their camp into the road. W atch
ing our chance we drove IN between two OF the
wagons. aud so entered the town under cover OF
the enormous cloud OF dust which they raised.
The main street was densely crowded with carts,
carriages, horses, donkeys, oxen, soldiers, suit
Tiers. aud persons and animals of every descrip-
ton We pushed our way without hinderaLce
directly past the house marked as the Quarter
Generate, or headquarters OF the Emperor, and
were thus within the camp.
, We had gone but short distance when we
came to where the great procession OF the wound.
ed was turning down a cross street to q church
which had been taken for hospital. 1t was
:. certainly the most dreadful sight | ever saw
Every conceivable kind of wound which can be
inf ,cted upon men was here exhibited. All who
were able to do so, were obliged to walk-the
4 wagons and animals at command being all re-
onired for those who could not otherwise be
I moved Some walked along, their faces com
pletely covered with blood from sabre cuts up
ON their heads. Macy had their arms shattered
i Hundreds had their hands tied up-and some
carried most ghastly wounds upon their faces.
l Some had tied up their wounds-and Others had
stripped away the clothing which chafed and
made them worse. saw one man walking
long with firm step and a resolute ar-naked
70 his waist, and having bullet wound upon
his side, an ugly cash along his cheek, and a
deep bayonet thrust, received from behind, in
his shoulder. Most of those who were walking
wore serious look-conversng but little with
one another, though they walked two and two
and few OF them carried upon their faces any
considerable expression of pain.
Those who were more severely injured rode
upon donkeys or in carts-and few were car
red upon mattresses on mems shoulders. But
these were mostly officers, and nearly all | saw
carried in that way We're so badly wounded that
their recovery is scarcely possible. One had
both his legs crushed by a cannon ball. Anoth.
er had received q ball in his thigh, and was evil
dently suffering the most intense agony sMany