Smyrna times., 1859-06-30
ISCELLAN NEO US.
The WAR I'M ITALY.
The Battle Of Magenta-FuU Accour


lcwing account of the battle of Magenta:
HEADQuARrERs, San MARITIME, June s.
The French army assembled round Alessan-
dria had grea: difficulties to overcome. If it
marched on Piacenza, it would have had TO be-
siege that fortress, and force a passage of the
Po, there 900 metres IN width. aud that difficult
operation would have had to be effected in pre-
sence of hostile army of 100000 men.
! If The Emperor crossed the river at Vdlenza
! he would have found the enemy concentrated
on the left bunk of Morlara, and he could have
only attacked him by separate columns ma
| nTuvering in the mIds OF country nterSected
| by canals aud rice-fields On both sides, there
fore, there was an almost insurmountable OBJ
stace; the Emperor resolved to obylate it, and
he deceived the Austrians by CONCENTRATING his
forces on the right, bJ occupying CasleggIo
and even Bobbla and Trebba
On the 2lst of May the army received the
order to march to the lett, and crossed the Pc
at Cassae, the bridge Of which had remained
ia our possession; 1t at once took the road to
EercellI, where the passage of the Sesla was
carried out to protect and cover our rapid
march on Novara.
The efforts of The army were directed on the
right, on Bobbio, and two combats. glorious for
the 5 Irdinlan troops, fought on that side made
the enemy believe we were marching on Nor
tara. Meantime the French army was advanc-
ing on Novara, and it took position on the very
slme ground where ten years previously KING
Charles Albert gave battle Here it was able
To meet the enemy If necessary.
Thus, this bold march had been protected by
100000 men encamped on our right flank at
Oleugo in front of Novara Under these cir.
cumstances, it was then TO the reserve that the
l. nperor had to intrust lie execution of the
movement akng place behind the llne Of bat
-,
On the % of June division Of the Imperial
Guard was advanced toward Turbigo on the
TiciGo, ald, not finding any resistance, 1t threw
three bridges across The enemy having re-
ceived cnuirmat0ry Intelligence that the ene-
my had Withdrawn to the left bank of the river,
ordered the TfcIno to be crossed at this point
by the corps d armee Of Gen. Nc Mahon, fol-
lowed on the morrow by division Of the Sar
dini4n army.
Oar troops hld scarcely taken position on
the Lombard hank when they were attacked by
an Austrian corps from Milan, brought up By
| the railway. They drove it back VIGOROUSLY
in he presence of the Emperor.
GA the same day (June y Espnasse's divl-
sion having advanced on the road from Novara
. to NJ Ian as tai as Trecate, from which place it
threatened the bridge at Butialora, the enemy
hastily evacuated the inirenchmenis II had
thrown up at Ih,s point, aud retired TO the left
bank, attempting to blow up the stone bridge
across the river. The attempt was not sue
ces ful the two arches attempted were not
sufficiently destroyed to prevent the passage.
| The 4th Of June had been fixed by the En-
| peror for the defHllive occupation of the left
bank of the Tlcino. Gen McMahon's corps II
drmec, strengthened by the division OF the vol
tigeurs of the Imperial Guard, and followed by
/ the whole army of the King of Sardinia, was
to advance trom Turbigo on ButlaIora and Ma
gcne, while the division Of the Grenadlers OF
/ the Imperial Guard ives 10 carry the tete- de-
! pOnt OF ButflOra on the left banh, and Marshal
| Canrobarl's corps IL Grmee was to advance
| along The right bank to cross at the me point
| 1.-THE execution Of this plan was frustrated
| by one Of those incidents which must always be
exppc'el in warfare. The army Of the King
was delayed in crossing The river, and only one
pt his divisions was able to follow the corps OF
/ Gen. McM4hon at u distance.
/ - Tnc advance of Esplnasse's division was also
! r llyed. and on the other hand, when Marshal
! Car J3ert's corps lett Novara to join the EN-
peror, who had proceeded in person to the
bridge at Butia lOra, il found The road so encum-
bertd that 1t only arrived very late on the
/ banks Of the T.cinO.
s. matters stood, and the Emperor awaited
not without anxiety, the signal OF the arrival
OF General Nc Mahon's corps at Bu1alora. when
about : o'clock he heard heavy tuslIade and
cannonade IN that direction. The General was
coming up.
This was the moment to support him by ad
vancing on Magenta. The Emperor at once
threw Wimpfens brigade against the formula
! 1, iad h,yt A,.t inf
: of the bridge; lie Cleres brigade followed nj
, the movement. The heights which border th'
, canal and village Of BuIai0ra were soon carried
by the impetuoslly of our troops, but they thei
found themselves opposed 10 formidable bodies
whom they could not drive back, and VIII
, stopped their advance.
Marshal Canfobcris column had not ye
come up, and. on the other hand, the cannonad
and fusIlade which had announced the arrIva
of Gen. Mcmahon, had completely ceased
r Had the Generals column been repulsed, an
}. would the division Of the Grenadiers OF tn
> Guard have to sustain alone the whole strengt
e of the enemy!
il This is the proper place to explain the mi
m neuver of the Auslrians
y When they learned on the sight of the ID
10 June that the French army had made itself una
ter of the passage of the Ticlno at Turbig
n, they rapidly recrOssed the river at VigevaI
,e with three of their corps d'armee. who burnt
as the bridges behind them. On the morning
a, the 4th they were opposite the Emperor IL;
il 900 strong, and it was against such dIspr
ID portionate force that the division of the Gren
dlers Of the Guard, with whom was the Emp
ror, had 10 compete
n At this critical moment Gen. Regnaud Sal
nd lean d'Augely displayed immense energy,
al did also the Generals under his orders. Ger
he raj of Division Mellinrt bad two horses 81
I'D nader him. Gen. LIE Clere fell morlaly wouI
ed; Gen Wln pffen was wounded in the hea
Commandan;s DesnIe and Maudhuy, of I
ke Grenaders Of the Guard, were killed
At, Zouaves lost 900 men. and the Grenadiers 8
ly, fsred loss moi less considerable.
In Finally. after long expecla ion of Il
10 bo,,sf daring which Mellinet's Division 4