The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-07-11
THE WAR IN ITALY.

"BREscHIA, June lG.-From the heading of my
letter you can perceive that we are fast advancing
towards the point where the Austrians must stand
at last. In the meantime the allied armies are fol-
lowing almost without firing a shot. Already on
the AIDA line it was evident that the Austrians
had given up resistance for the present, and in
tended to take up their position in or close before
their famous quddrtlatere. They had, indeed, de-
stroyed all the bridges on the Adda but put no
difficulties in the way of others being constructed
AS told you In my letter from Bergamo, it is more
than probable that Garibaldi's appearance at the
same time on the right flank of the Austrian line
contributed to hasten the backward movement, but
the plan for it had been devised BEFORE and the or
der given. The evacuation of Bergamo must, how
ever, have taken place before it expected, be-
cause letters sent there from the Austrian head
quarters were intercepted, and from these it APP
pears that the plan of the Austrians was to retire
in all haste behind the Chesa, the last transverse
river before the Mncio, and from thence the order
to draw back step by step towards the four
sallyports of the guadrilafere, Peschiera Vaeggio
Goito and Mantua.
Hitherto this plan has been followed very near
ly, for, except few skirmishes with Garibaldi's
troops, they nowhere waited for the approach of
the Allies 1t was only yesterday that the last of
these skirmshes took place, at ReZZato, village
few miles in advance of this town, on the road to
Tomato and Peschiera. Although small in its di-
mansions, it usual hot, for the volunteers
brave as lions, and the officers daring. Yesterday
two companies sent out as eclaireurs fell in with
whole battalion. Nothing daunted by this, de-
borhood which situated on the flank of the
Cassina, which the rest fastened to occupy. The
Austrlans came on but were so well received both
in front and in flank that they soon turned Ami
mated by this success, the volunteers rushed forward
into the village, and penetrated to the bridge which
leads the canal. Arrived there they fell into
a regular ambuscade; they were received with
hail OF musketry, which came down upon them
from all sides, the spot near the bridge being the
point of union of several roads, They were checked
by this unexpected reception, but even more by the
sight of the large of Austrians to which the
original battalion had increased Although only
so few in number, yet encouraged by the words and
example OF their officers they kept their position
until two regiments under Garibaldi's own leader
ship arrived.
"When the Austrians saw this reinforcement they
likewise brought up fresh troops and two batteries
of artillery. To these only few mountain guns
could be opposed, which, of course could not hold
their own against their larger mouthed opponents.
The result that the Austrians could not be dri
ven from their position. But neither seemed they
to have wish to disturb Garibads troops in their
position. The Division Caldini of the Sandman
army came up to the assistance of Garibald but it
arrived only when the fight was over. The COM
handing officer who led the original two compa-
MES towards ReZZato received three rifle bullets
but he is still alive. Colonel Turr, the Hungarian
officer who, as you will remember was arrested in
Wallacha, in 1856, by the Austrians and liberated
by the British Government, accompanied these
two companies, and while forming them to a new
attack was shot through the arm, besides which
about hundred of the Caccatori were killed or
wounded.
"Were it not for the examnla If Differentiation
and courage, which produces great effect here,
one might almost regret such ssirmishes, for q
small brave troop is soon exhausted. But it was by
this daring against most formidable odds tn Gar
baldi has so successfully accomplished his mission,
and thus one step in advance gives ten times as
many volunteers as are put hors de combat by the
engagement preceding it. Thus the 'own of Bres-
cha alone has given, out of population of 10000,
5000 volunteers; the whole town is swarming with
them, and they are just eager those who
first enlisted-nay, more so, for the prestige with
which the adventurous expedition into Lombardy
has endowed Garibaldi's corps is wonderful spur
to all young men in the towns, they leave silk and
cotton, trade and industry, to follow the tricolour
banner
snow you would live to know how we came
from the inc of the AIDA to that of the Mella and
the Chesa. The history is told in few words.
F - one step the allies made in advance the Aus
TRANS made one to the rear. This is literally the
whole story-no incidents except those always
sequent on the march of large army, more less
heat in the day, and chill rain at night more or
less dust and incumbrance on the road, fewer or
more daintes to be got b foraging.
s'But with all that you must not suppose that be-
cause there no fighting the march of the large
forces of the allies went, as it were, by ITSELF AL
though in popular opinion the idea of commander
in-chef is a gentleman on prancing horse, among
no end of balls and bursting shells, the coup
d'oeI on the battlefield, however important, is by
no means the greatest quality in a commander
Most battles have been won before even they began
by the preliminary dispositions. This was the art
in which all great generals excelled. ="
GAS no one could foretell thatthe Austrians would
continue to retreat, one had to be prepared at
ry step for rencontre with them, and while never
losing sight of this possibility it of the highest
Importance to conceal the real plan of attack, to
bring up the army under the most favorable con-
ditions before the enemy, and to guard against any
commencement of the latter. How far this has
been done will be probably apparent shortly. But
besides these strategca dispositions there was like
wise the "resfrumenaria" to be looked to- on which
Caesar, the great commander, lays such stress the
mi, maintenance OF large army making no requisition
me Woman armies and those of the French Republic
sne advantage which the Austrian army of the
orn.n 4ay mas Overwhelmingly, to live on the
county sud through which they pass This facilitates
anu slmplihes marching very much. There are no
long wagon trains which are slow 10 come mn ond
encumDer the roads, but it becomes on;te d;ffar
eht II one mas to organize regular svstam IF
supphes over long line for a large armv in
advance. The French and Piedmontese soldier has
indeed, an invaluable quality-namely IN carr th
most necessary part OF his rations for several d.
with him, and to keep them too, which is the great
art. He is thus never entirely dependent on the
commissariat. But when it comes to systematic
advance and not short expedition then the diff
culties are the same as with any other army. The
rapidity of the movement scarcely allowed the
drawing of these regular supplies from the country