The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-09-01
MISC CELLAN EOUs.
Defeat Of the Italian Army.

iir5t Austrian tclegrams had Ted us to ap.
prchend. We have now the bulletins Of
both parties, and they agree on all essen
tial points. Mcagre and vague AZ tele-
graphic breyity and technical reserve nee
essarily make them, these dispatches re-
fleet great honor on tho truthfulncss,
moderation and dignity Of the bcligcrents
on either side. There il no attempt on
the part Of the Italians to disguise or pal
late the magnitude Of their disaste, no
uhscemly oxultatons on the part Of the
Augtrinns, not vo.d 6f disparagcmcnt
Of the foe. BY being just and even gen
crous toward one another, these combat
ants seem 10 act upon that wise maxim
which teaches Us TO deal with enemies NJ
with men who may at some future period
become friends.
The Italian army, divided into three
corps and u making up a force
Of from 10000 to 10000 combatants-
after crossing the Mincio at Goito and
other points on Saturday afternoon, and
sending accommodating parties toward
Pcschicra and Verona, cncampcd for the
night at some place beyond Roycrbclla,
cquidistant from the two fortrcgscs. On
the ensuing morning an attempt was
made upon those high positions Of Soma,
~omma Champagne, aud Santa Glustina,
which command the fifteen miles railway
lines joining the two strongholds, posi-
tions which played q conspicuous part in
the campaign Of 1913 The object Of the
Italians was evidently to take possession
of the railway, so a. to isolate Pcschicra
and secure basis Of operations against
Verona
The Austrians however, who were
masscd in great force in Verona, sailed
forth from the place at daybreak, and
anticipating the Italian movements, took
up their positions on those hills, which
are now everywhere bristling with bas.
tions and rcdoubts, and may be looked
upon as mere outworks Of the two ci:a.
dels, extending from the gatcst Of one tc
those Of the other. After severe and
I Ibloody-or, as the Italians describe it
''despcrate" struggle, which lasted the
whole day-that longest Of summer days
the Imperial army was victorious along
/ the whole line. They siormed the sum
/ mit Of MontcycutO, where the Italian,
/ held out the longest, and at the close o.
/ the engagement. at five O'Clock III the af
tcrnoon, they also carried the position d
/ Custozza. spot fatal To- the Italian arm.
{ in their encounter with Radclzki, in Ju
/ lv. 1913. The yict0rs captured scycra
guns aud about > 1000 prisoners, and be
haycd IA the Archdukc Albcri's bulletir
assures, aud as wa may readily believe
With even more than their ordinary brave
~ aud endurance. On the same cyeniu:
the Italian army was obliged to recros
the Mincio.
The Italian accounts Of the engage
mcnt present no points Of material differ
) cncc. According 10 them the First III
my Corps was sent forward TO occup
some positions between Prcschicra an
Ferona. but being surrounded by superi
or forces, it failed to effect It's purpse,
aud the description given Of its losses j
the contest, leaves us little doubt that
was all but annihilatcd
The Second aud Third Corp, unable
i. is not very clear for what reason-t
adyancc to It's rescue, were still in .th
evening "amost intact" 1t was ais
stated from Brcscia that the army ha
maintained its position, but there is littl
doubt that it had to Withdraw across tn
: Minco later in the night The Italian
had several of their Generals wounded
among others the Kings second sol
Prince Amadeus, who had arrived ;
Brescia.
The Italians, we are assured, behave
with great heroism, and no doubt, a
{ though they lost the day, they came OF
f without loss of honor An advanc
G across the Mincio, right into the heart {
: the Quadrilatetial, is an enterprise whic
E no other European army would, undC
such circumstances, have venturcd upoi
= but frenzy to do something seems
:. have possessed the whole Italian natioi
', aud the men in command could think
= nothing better than dashing their heat
against those formidable stone walls
There may be bravery in so desperate q
$ attempt to take the bull by the horns, b.
d we believe it would be impossible for Il
It King or La Marmora to say what resul
II they expected from their ill-conceivt
and worse executed attempt. 1t was
i battle in which they stakcd the very c
n istcnce of their army, while their en-
IS mics in the worse event ran no other Ri
s. than that of safe and leisurely retire
behind the shelter of their bastions
The least that may be said of it Is tn;
i like the Balaklaya charge, "C"efaitdeo
naaj's ce n etat pas ld guerre'" Ever sin
T. 1913 and 1849 the Austrians have strai
ed every nerve to strengthen those cit
dels, and have extended their outwor
u so that the line between Peschiera al
y Verona especially is vast entrench
a camp. There is every probability al
u that the Italians were on this occasi
outnumbered by their enemies, for t
p Austrians have from 100000 to $500
a men in Venetia; and as they had in thu
ii, hands that most formidable of all engir
ar of modern warfare, the railway, they h
probably massed three-fouths at least
s their troops in Verona, ready for the 10
Is expected italian inroad. The Arc
"a dukes bulletins, in fact, never speak
garrisons, but tell us that "the Imper
army" was in the field.
II h The King of Italy has fallen back
~ hind the Mincio, where he is not likt
: to be pursued but neither, perha
- will the condition Of his shattered arr
ne enable him to rescue the offensive
ct some time to come. We have Austri
ut official assurance that Cialdini crossed I
Dn-o+ DoIacaIla m, the 22d Tho tidir