New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-07-24
TIE EUROPEAN WAR.


AK LES BANS, SAvoIE, FRANCE, July l, 1866.
Editor C.escent-I give YOU some gleanings
from the latest French papers on the present war
which, should you think them worthy OF it, you
are at liberty to insert in your valuable journal
The italian army crossed the Mincio in three col
umns, on the night of the Esd of June-the first
under Gen. Durando at Mougambano; the second
at Borghetto, and the third at Goito. have not
been able to ascertain the names Of the relative
commanders of the second and third corps. Gen,
Durando had orders to occupy all prominent posi-
tons between Peschera and Verona While
marching on the latter place, the Ansuians, who
had allowed the Italians to cross the Mincio with
out any demonstration, suddenly opened fire on
Gen. Durando's advance guard from their en-
trenched camp at Villafranca. The Austtians
numbered sixty thousand men. The action COM
menced at dayhreak on the lsh. The Italian
corps, which consisted Of thirty thousand men,
was being badly cut up, when the two other corps,
hearing the cannonadng, came up to their support,
The engagement lasted until evening, the Italians
still occupying their original position, over which
fact they exult not little. The Italians claim
100 prisoners eight of whom were officers, two
captains being the highest rank reported among
their captures. Five hundred of these prisoners
belong to a regiment of Tyrolese sharpshooters;
the rest to Syrian volunteers. The Austrians
claim 1000 prisoners and ID pieces of artillery.
The Austrian Notifications at NillafranCa may
be considered as the outworks of Verona, from
which town they are seventeen Kilometres or
rather more than ten miles distant, south. Villa
franca enjoyed historical celebrity as being the
place at which the pTelminaries of the peace OF the
Ilth of July, 1859, were arranged. Prince Amedee,
second son of Victor Emmanuel, who commands
the first brigade in the first division of the first
corps, was slightly wounded in the shoulder and
of bPTFF dc
General Gerale, whose division suffered the most
of the first corps, was also badly wounded, and is
not expected to survive. They are both at Bres-
eia. General Villare, Of Nice, was killed. Prince
/ Humbert heir apparent is said to have fought
livery brayely; he commands division.
Thus far the Garibaldians have done nothing ::
/ they are nassed on the frontiers of Tyrol. The
opinion formed Of them during my stay in their
midst, at Milan and Como, was, that it would be
difficult task to make soldiers Of them even II tley
had good officers; whereas, the latter allaye been
| chosen from every other rank Of men than tne
regular army. Some of your readers Will no DOUBT
smile on reading this and name Morgan, Mosby,
and other Of our gallant officers ana pLlns UP w
old discussion against West Pointers. am ready
to admit that we had as good olcers from all.oIa
the civilians as many officers chosentrom amongst
1 those who had received military educauon'
| Officers chosen from volunteers did very well IN
| our army where tactics were thrown aside, or
/ reformed to speak more correctly, and where ell
the rank and file were more less instructed; but
here where they will all have to follow tactics as
nearly as they know how, and will be opposed to
an army oticered by greatdisclpilnarians and tao
ticians, whether raw troops with only their enthu
siasm to support will be found to answer, as it did
in America, remains to be proven. think they
| will not.
! Some of the rank and file wear the medal of
1859, but not ALL Itseems to me that if all their
| officers had gone through that campaign their
| friends would have more cause for hopefulness
The regular Italian army has some good soldiers
but their most reliable ones are those from Savore
4 ~
ers are excellent troops, not so the line. The
king, the commander-in-chef, delights in war but
whether he became proficient in the art under the
French, in 1859, remains to be tested.
In Germany, the Prussians have entered Bohe-
mia with two armies, one under Prince Frederick
Charles by Zittau and Rcheberg, called the army
of the Elb. Tie other, called the army of the
Oder, under the Crown Prince, by the pass of the
| Giant mountains of Landshht. Both are following
railroads which connect at Josephstadt If they
could occupy the latter place and push on to Par
dubit2, they would cut on ten. Benedek's commu-
nicationssby rail, and divide his forces. To defend
Josephstadt the Austrian sixth corps, marching on
the twenty sixth on Skalitz were attacked BY the
army of the Oder. The Ptussians were driven
| back and Skalitz occupied by the Ausrians after
combat Of FIVE hours. The Prussians made another
attack atmidday butwere repulsed by the artillery
| On the 9th the Grown Prince defeated an Austrian
/ corps under Gen. Ramming, at Naehad, after 8
| combat Of three hours the Prussians taking FIVE
! field pieces and three stands of colors On the
1 9th, d Prussian army of five thousand men at
tackled the Hanoverian army near Langensalgt and
lost two pieces of artillery. The Hanoverians re-
| tired northward, after trying to negotiate new
armistce, which was refused. The federal army
does not seem to be organized, as it gives no aid
to the Hauoverians although encamped but short
distance from them, At0swiczim battalion and
half two squadrons of laneers and two field
pieces of the Austrian army drove three companies
of Prussian fusleers three battalions Of militia and
one entire regiment Of lancers across the Vistula
The ultimate result Of the war is hard to deter
mine the Austrians have the best army, the
Prussians the most money, and the Italians the
most enthusiasm. The Russian government has
suppressed two papers on account of their Prussian
sympathes, which seems to denote that if the
French side with Italy, Russia will RECOMMENDED
the Crimeah war, which will likely involve Eng!
land. Such is the opinion oflmost of my friends,
many of whom are officers in tie French army,
Hoping you may find some interest in what
have written, am, respectfully yours,
EDMUND s. DICKEY
Tie following is the correspondence soliciting