The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-06-27


and CorLetto then right wing. The troops yhich
had been ordered forward to defend the position at
Vie canal had to go back and take up position in
front and to the right OF the village Of Magenta
TBR FlGBr uN THE RAiLRoAp LINE
In order TO have clear idea ut the new dsposi-
ton. you must keep in mind the three roads-that
from Bufalora 10 Magenta running nearly due east
the main road To Milan. coming from Ponte Novo
di Magenta to Magenta and the railway line, which
after having passd the canal leads TO the left, and
Itersectipg the two roads, passes TO the western
side of the village of Magenta. The Railway line
plays even greater part IN this part OF the battle
Than on the other; it was the line on which
the Aus,rians received Marshal McMahons
attack. The station house, a considerable
building, and the village itself for
med the point d'dppui for the Austrian
centre, which extended along the railway as far as
the point of intersection of this latter with the
high road. The right wing was based on the adj
vanced post at the farmhouse, to the right OF the
road from Tnrbgo, which mentioned before. AS
soon as the Due de Magenta corps mad come up
he formed il in line of battle far as the ground
permitted placing the first division to the left
and the second to the right some artillery on the
narrow road, and the fusileers and chasseurs de
la garde as reserves, he advanced boldly against
the enemy's position. The infantry, as soon as
il came within sight of the enemy, had to extend
itself through the fields and vineyards. The
ground is so full of these latter and trees that the
line could not advance in compact order out haa 70
take more loose formation between tne SHIT
mishing line and the re guar order OF battle. The
farm house in advance became the OpJeet OF
murderous fight. The enemy had concentrated
considerable mass OF troops around ana III IT, ahd
against this the Second regiment of the Foreign Lee
nion was sent who attacked it with great Ci0n The
enemy who saw himself in danger OF losing this
point ddpp,a for his right wing, sent column to
the right 10 outfank this body. and, II possible TO
cut il off The Sardnians were TO have been 10 the
left as reserve, as well As 10 guard against any
such movement and then likewise 10 try and
envelope the Austrian right wing and rear. aud
thus 10 cut il OF from It's line OF retreat owing,
us | said before. 90 the difficulties OF the narrow
road they had not been able 10 come ny III time,
and the result was thar the Second resment OF the
Foreign Legion suffered good DEAL IL was, how
ever. eN,ricGted rc0m this position oy timely ad
vance Of reserve. As soon As this WAS done the
whole line advanced, pressing back the enemys
rrucps step by step. IL Was all along hand To
land 6sbt with rhe and oaycaet. Except on the
read there was no opportunity FOR the use OF ariil
lerv. The French had some rocket Batteries, now
ever with which they played successfully on the
enemy. h ID such ,4hE that the superiority
vi me rifle showed fseE over the USUAL nusket,
with which the Austrians were armed. Besides
MIS- the defenders OK the position Kept as much
rs possible IN close Inc, that every shot OF
lhelr nj, ursaries u0d upon them You never
saw sach a Ulghttal scene OF carnage As on all
MS ground, which the AGstrlAD> defended inch
by nun, ban mad % leave 80 last. II Is like the
remains VI q greaa rag tiir. shaSoe>, Suapsaohs.
nussats shoes, cloaAs, TUNES, linen all stained
with blood. snd speaking OF the obstinate resist
Ince even Row. when the greater part of the
wounded have been removed and the dead mostly
buried. OfhOw many dramas of heroism and fero-
city. ard ofhow many tragedies of woes and mise
ry must this have been the scene. But the fercest
fight was further behind on the railway line, and
the station house behind it, and the village close
by. Pressed back 81 along the line the AZs.rlszs
couoe-lrztsi k@Ts sl their s-5--s Of resistance n
-rN1I q the s1E1ssc eeE0-t TIE lire I'd -If1s
~ sLrgs lug III. tE1Glt1n-r slc s,nns
i,H7.,ylta, ~ liz. r!r.in lni l.f1 lnt ia,rrlnt
w l.,.uss I,fur-
H-rlmiin ID iii. int. Where llg lIii ,l.fsni L
ing % s,vnir vmt yuiin,rs. lrairlrst ralpv. Il
~ iOf sDnr tisiIuliun nii sites al lI'frr5Il
passing .iif ine. liaHitInf InlE the -lEitvpr
galG Wine; sunlsv'liil1 rils.at. inrng 1 Eint tf
ralii' lYlgaa snnt v'nici tia defenders aIlruI'.it
snnea nrutac,IOL. The aJuI v.il III THE Ilsiir'tr
nOrnIr nuiidnlrE amt u huri.r.. soht ainIsLilIis-
vrer, filed v-f!i ~itenie1 v-niit Lll I'p9yiF ID iUs
ilH Hassst .ienlHeiuesllI trulrf 90 lnsuL 1 ias
tyRl]H zane ~ .sr trUurtl 9ui here. md
suui -It puot vi rneIr sSiiGuEs5a e,grurE1es- 10
GRITTY tlR sl'Uisr pOanuI, lhs tuslsesrs a1c eases-
teu7 ~ sns guGfs ven Q,cs,s- forward They
utsrs 1tgpuge er3rlrg TIE enemy before them, IN.
u s1sr etrrTs Gyreslee by tie line VI strong
EEl-s- gzl-1ncs- 4 fer cannon shot would have
easiiy brought them down, tut there was no place
whence 10 bring them to bear, so nothing remained
but 20 tear IL down by main force and the of
the sappers.
ATTACK or TIRE VILLAGE.
II was done, and the column entered the village
Here every house had become a castle held by
take it, and letter after letter could be written on
the incidents in which these isolated combats
abounded. There is no doubt the Austrians fought
desperately, even when everything seemed lost: an
incredible number of their officers being killed.
the soldiers were left entirely to themselves in
these isolated positions, from which there was no
retreat. They had been told before that they had
to expect no mercy, as it was the habit of the allies
to LII all prisoners and wounded, so they fought
with this imaginary halter round their necks.
The wounded crept into the cellars, and hid
themselves where they could in order not to fall
into the hands of the cruel enemy, there to
starve and to die. Numbers have been found thus
concealed, and either dead so exhausted that
they are scarcely expected to recover. Even now,
three days after the battle, numbers are found and
brought into the hospital or to be buried. l saw
myself this morning. taken out Of the cellars of the
railway station, two poor wIetchos--a Tyroese ia
ger and soldier Of the lne-the first slightly
wounded and the second almost dying with fear
and exhaustion. They heard below the discharge
of the muskets found loaded on the field of battle,
and thought it probably series of wholesale exc
cutons. And yet how different was the easel Not
even towards their own soldiers the French
more humane than towards those who fell into
their hands by the chances of war. They nurse
them like children, handle them gently, like mo-
Tiers, and do everything in their power to relieve
their suiierings
THE VICTORY.
Well, by eight o clock the mission Of the Duo de
Magenta was fulfilled, and Magenta taken. AS the
attack Of the latter had saved the couple Of regi-
ments which attacked at the Ponte Nuovo di Ma
genta, SO the advance of this column, with the
powerful reserves which had come up by this time,
contributed to make the victory complete and swell
the number of prisoners. II is well nigh impossible
to name the number of these latter every moment
others are being brought in, but they must be at
least 5000. The number of dead and wounded in
the whole affair must be quite 10 000 for the French
acknowledge themselves to have lost 1900
That it was splendid and decisive victory there
cah not be the slightest doubt. The colors of two
Austrian regiments were TAKEN and three guns on
this side. This small number of guns is explained
by the circumstance that the Austrians could bring
them little more than their adversaries into play
and when they did, it was done very cautiously, as
if they had foreseen accident
The best proof of the greatness of the victory has
been in the result-that the Austrians abandoned
Milan the same night, leaving 900 lire in silver
and 5000 stand of arms in the citadel Their retreat
was precpitate that they did not even take time