Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-08-17

Hl Publishers and Pr0prletOrs
The Battle at Buzzecca Fight Between the
Austrians and Garibaldi : The Latter
Gains Hard Fought Victory
From the special correspondent of the Pail
TnRNo DI SoPRA. July q.
At o'clock yesterday morning, com
menced the most desperate struggle
which the Garibaldians have as yet expe-
rienced, and one which beginning with a
severe repulse, it required all the exer-
ton of their energy to convert into vic
tory 1t appears that the Fifth Regiment
with the want of precaution, which dis
tinguished the regular army in their first
enterprise, advanced from the village Of
Buzzecca, already occupied by the vol
unieers, and suddenly found themselves
well into Pive di Ledro, and with strong
Austrian force in front and around them
Before describing what then occurred it
will be better that should endeavor to
give some description of the ground on
which the combat took place On the
high road from Storo to Riva the first
villages are Tiarno di Sopra and Tiarno
di Sotto, separated by distance of half
a mile
Shortly after passing Tiarno di Soto,
the road takes turn round the hill, and
runs for three miles almost in direct
line to the village Of Buzzecca; on each
side of the road there are at intervals
swelling green slopes, and BuZzecca it,
self lies a little above the level of the
plain which extends between the turn Of
the road to Lago di Ledro on the right
and Pive di Lago on the left Behind
Buzzecca the road makes another abrupt
turn to the left, and here there is quite a
cluster of villages. The battle-ground
however, was the little plain which |
have mentioned as stretching up for three
or four miles above The Lsgo di Ledro,
and the volunteers late in the day acted
also upon the mountainous ground on
the left hand side The Fifth Regiment,
then, having been moved forward from
Buzzecca into the villages on the road,
were attacked by body of Austrians,
who fell upon them with great fury, and
drove them heller skelter not only into
but almost completely through their first
position in the village of Buzzecca, the
idea of the enemy being to cut off part
of the Second Regiment quartered in
the Val de Ledro On the outskirts OF
the village, however, the Fifth rallied a
little, and being joined by the Second and
part of the Ninth (the whole of which
regiment had fought its way over the
hills from Condino), kept up disorder
ly fight under Garibaldi's own eye until
nine o'clock. 1t was at this time that
arrived from Storo, and from the terrible
panic which prevailed in Tiarno di Sopra,
as well as in the lower village, | Judged
that all was not going well in the front
Further along met numbers of wound
ed being conveyed to the rear, and the
portion of still sound men employed in
this charitable service appeared to me to
be somewhat excessive. One poor artil-
leryman, however, noticed who, with
his forearm blown completely away, and
shreds of flesh hanging from the stump,
was staggering back without any assist
ance Those Of whom | asked how the
battle was going, said sne and all that 1t
Jared i'll with the volunteers, and further
added. What can we do without Off
cers2 2" Arrived at the end of the straight
bit Of road, a most confused scene lay
before me-guides galloping hither and
thither, wounded struggling about, some
volunteers refusing to advance, others
tearing on halloing at the top of their
voices. Beyond | could see the line of
the Austrian musketry gradually advanc-
ing, and driving the Italians before it,
while rockets hissed out into the disor-
dered ranks, and our guns, which had
hitherto answered. suddenly ceased fir
ing. Now. too, the Generals carriage,
which had been stationary in the middle
of the road. drove slowly back. and al
most AT the same instant back dashed
two Of our Guns from the front, and turn
inc ont of the main road. rushed up one
of the green slopes to the left, unlimber-