The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-16
The Latest from EurOpe-Prussia's Won
derfuI Success,

derful success.
The European news brought us by the American
and by the NoUd Scotidn Is of almost startling
interest The Prussians are sweeping down into
Austria like an avalanche crushing everything
before them. The elimination of the contest,
thus far, was in a tremendous pitched battle on
the Sd Of July, at Sudowa in which the PruS'
SLAMS were commanded by the King in person,
and the Austrians by Field-Marshal BENEDEK,
and which resulted in a complete victory tor the
Prussians, the Austrians losing $4,000 prisoners
and ll6 cannon.
The previous contests are now shown to have
been uniformly favorable for the Prussans
The three days battles of the 26th, 27th, and
18th of June took place along an extended line,
and were caused by the movements of the
two Prussian armies, under the Grown Prince
and Prince CHARLES, towards q concentration
in Northern Bohemia. The one of these was
moving from the direction of Saxony where it
had captured Dresden; the other was the main
army Of Silesia. The obvious design of the
Austrian commander was to fall upon the ad-
vancing columns OF these armies separately be.
fore they could form junction. and thus
drive them back, or destroy them in detail In
these preliminary engagements the Austrians
pretended to have achieved success, and
In the multiplicity of details and amid
the contradictory nature of the dispatches,
1t was difficult to form a correct judgment as to
the real facts in the case. One circumstance,
however, did not escape the eyes of the careful
observer, and that was that, although the Aus
TRANS claimed victories in these early battles,
the Prussians had absolutely advanced their
Lines and had already secured firm foothold
across the Bohemian frontier. 1t was like the
successes which the Rebels used to claim in the
campaign between GRANT and LEE from the
Rapidan down, when every Rebel victory was
unaecountably followed by an advance of GRANT
and falling back of LEE.
This was the condition of affairs previous to
the accounts brought us by the late arrivals.
From them we learn that in all these prelimi.
nary engagements the Prussians we're uniformly
successful, especially in the battles of the 9th
and 28tb of June in which the Austrian corps
under GABLENz was completely broken up,
losing prisoners, guns, and colors in
large numbers. A5 consequence. the
Prussian armies had now got safely
through the mountain passes, and had crowded
down we'll into the open country, the Austrians
falling back towards the southeast, so as TO
cover the railroad leading 10 Vienna, and
taking up strong position at Gitschin, little
town of some 5000 inhabitants, O short distance
southeast of Turnau. and about fifty miles north.
east of Prague. Here, upon the goth of June,
the next battle took place, the Prussians carry
ing the town by storm, and inficting great
damage upon the AustrIans Up to this time,
in the brief campaign commencing on the 26th
of June, the Austrian losses are stated to have
footed up the enormous sum of 20, 900 killed
and wounded and 5000 prisoners. Several
battalions had been completely annihilated.
The Saxon Corps, the Clam-Gallas Corps the
Gablenz Corps, and the Kalk Brigade
had been thoroughly broken up, and
were no longer in condition to fight. More
over, the two great Prussiau armies had now
formed complete union, and were in excellent
spirits and condition. To add to the glory of the
occasion, the King had himself arrived and
taken formal command of the Prussian hosts in
person. In this threatening condition of affairs
the Austrian commander had but one resource.
and that was to concentrate his whole army for
great battle. This he did at Sudowa, a point
between Josephstadt and Koniggratz, short
distance directly north of ParduDitz. Here the
Prusslan army attacked him on the Sd instant.
The battle ragged furiously for twelve hours.
Until 10 A. NJ the advantages seemed to be ON
the side OF the Austrians, but from that time the
the Prussians had the best of it, and at P. NJ
they stormed the strong point of the Austrian
position, and drove them from the field. Evening
found the Austrian army in full and disorderly
rotreat for KOniggratz, pursued by the Prussian
cavalry. The magnitude OF the victory may be
estimated from the fact that up to the evening
of the 4th, the Prussians had captured fourteen
thousand unwounded prisoners and one hun
dred and sixteen cannon! Prince LIoHrENsTEIN
and Prince WNDIsCHGRArz were taken prisoners,
three Austrian Archdukes were wound cd, Gene
raj Count HUME was shot in the head, and Colo
mel BKNDER, and other staff officers, killed.
But the significance of this defeat to the Aus
trians may best be inferred from the fact that,
On the very next day, the Emperor hastened to
telegraph to LOUIS NAPOLEON, Offering to cede to
haH VenetiG and accepting has mediation for
peace. This shows that Austria is in extremity.
Inc emperor NAPOLEON Immediately telegraphed
70 the King of Prussia to obtain an armisuce.
"hether the King agreed to grant one or not is
not stated.
For the present the Prussians are masters of
the situation. They have isolated the Austrian
army under bENEDEK, from the JOINT Austrian
and Federal FORCES in the West, in and about
Main. They have concentrated
an immense army in Central Bohemia. Wen
appointed, ably commanded, and flushed with
uninterrupted victory In Campaign of wondsr.
fol character, tbere is apparently nothing To
stop them this side of Vienna. It is no longer a
question Of empire for Austria, but one OF life