Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-07-21
European Correspondents, of the n. Y. Times.
BATTLE OF S0LFERINU
Description Of the Battle-Field and the Con-
ffct by nm Eye-Vitness.
VIEW OF the FIELD AFTER TIE Battle.


CAsr1GLlosE, Italy, June "a, 1859,
came from Brescia early this morning,
and arrived justi time to witness the last
half of what have very little doubt will
turn out to be the geatest battle the world
has seen. You will get the official sum-
mary of its results by telegraph before this
letter reaches you, and will be prepared,
therefore, for this statement of. its magni-,
tude. cannot describe it with any pre-
cision as yet-for it has lasted all day. and
extended over circuit of moi less than fif
teen miles; the noise Of the musketry.
moreover, is still in my ears. and none of
those engaged in it. except the wounded,
have returned to give us any distinct and
connected report. But not less than 450,-
900 men have been engaged in it and of
these not less than 30,O0o4-dead or disa-
bled-lie, on this bright, starry night, upon
the bloody field. = diga1 ieolssstaB -
The battle commenced little before
five o'clock in the morning. mot far from
sunrise. Just back of Castiglione rises
high range of hills-which projects mile
or thereabouts into the plain and then
breaks off towards the left into wide ex-
papse of smaller bills, s,and so into the roll
ing surface which makes thatportion of the
plain. The Austrians had taken position
upon these hills--planting the cannon up
on those nearest to Castiglione which they
could approach, as the French army was in
full force in and around that little village
--and had stationed their immense array
all over the surrounding plain. As nearly
as We can now. learn the Emperor Francis
Joseph had collected here not less than
225,0oO troops, and commanded them in
person. His evident purpose was to make
a stand here and risk the fortunes of war
upon the hazards of the day. Napoleon
promptly accepted the challenge, and com=
meneed the attack as soon as it was light
this morning, placing gcaunon upon the bills
nearer to Castiglione than those held by
the Austrians and opening fire upon them
on the nights beyond. He took his own
stand upon the highest of these-a steep,
sharp backed ridge, which commands a
magnificent view Of the entire circuit of the
plain, and from that point directed the en-
tire amy during the early portion Of day.
The French very soon drove the enemy
out of the posts they held nearest town,
and followed them into the small villages
of the plain below. The first of these Sol
ferino where they had sharp and pro-
tracted engagement. The Austrians dis
puted every inch of the ground, and fought
here, as they did throughout the day, with
the utmost desperation. They were three
times driven out of the town before they
would stay out. The people of the village,
moreover, took part against the French
upon whom they fred from their windows
and the French were compelled in self-de-
fence, to burn the town. When they found
it impossible to hold their ground any
longer, they fell back slowly and steadily
until they reached the village of Volta d-
rectly southeast from Castiglione, and is
only about mile from the river Mincio,
from which however, it is separated by a
range of hills Upon these hills, in the
rear of the town, and overlooking it COM
pletely on the south and southeast sides,
the Austrians had planted very formidable
batteries, and when | arrived upon the
field l went at once to the height where
the Emperor had stood at the opening Of
the engagement, but which he had left an
hour before to follow his victorious troops.
These batteries were blazing away upon
the French, who were stationed on the
plain below. l was too far off to observe
with any accuracy the successive steps of
the action, but 1 could distinctly see the
troops stationed upon the broad plain, and
moving up in masses towards the front,
where the artillery was posted, as theii SER
vices were required. But as soon as they
reached this point they were speedily en- {
veloped in the smoke Of the cannon, and
disappeared from observation. But the
general result was soon made evident by
The slackening of the Austrian fire, and by
the falling back of their smoke, and a cor
responding advance on the part of that
which rose from the French artillery. The,
cannonading at that point lasted for over
an hour, but in precisely what direction
the, Austrians retreated, it was not posi-
Bile, from the position l occupied, to see
I was afraid to change it, moreover, because
although l might have easily gone more,
directly and closely upon the field, | could
not have found any eminence upon the
plain from which l could have so sweep
ing and complete view. ag +t,s ase
Part of the Austrian force probably
crossed the Mincio river, which flows South
ward from the Lower end of Lake Guarda
and empties into the Po. .z,is.s r.
But the battle continued to rage over all
the region northwest of a line connecting
the towns of Castiglione, Solferino and
Sofia. At one point after another sharp
cannonadipg would arise and continue for
half or three quarters of an hour-apd af- !
ter each successive engagement OF this
kind, the result became apparent in 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 hot. But the clouds began to
gather at about noon, and, at 8 o'clock,
while the cannonade was at its height, a
tremendous thunderstorm rolled up from
the northwest; the wind came first, sweep
ing from the parched streets an enormous
cloud of dust, and was soon followed by a
heavy fall of rain, accompanied by vivid
lightning and rapid explos ;ons of rafting
thunder. The storm lasted tor 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 cool
ed and nerfectly delightful. Though the