Maryland free press., 1866-08-02

4. l.aa ..ts.i.y. I'll WILLIAMS
Battle Of Sadowa--The Greatest Com
fiict of Modern Times-Half q MilltoI
of Men sEngaged-Hand to- Hand
Fighting-Stirring Details, SC, ~.
jitg .r. "a ifyToS 9di le-- LIZ: ~. 81 sss.-,sH
The military correspondent of tAe Londor
Times, at the Prussian headquarters, gives th'
fullest and cearest account of the battle of -Sa
dows that has yet been published: We copy The
following: ,....l.6g g,.o II - 5at5t.y! I'D
asg Opening Of the Battle. aoiaJ
The first shot was fired about half past seven
The Prlissian horse artillery, close down to the
river, replied to the Austrian guns but neither
side fired heavily, and for half an hour the can
nonade consisted of but little more than single
shots. At a quarter before eight the King d
Prussia arrived on the field, and very soon after
the horse artillery were reinforced by other field
batteries, and the Prussiun gunners began firing
their shells quickly into the Austrian position,
But as soon as the Prussian fire actively COM
p9enced, Austrian guns seemed to appear as i i
by magic in every point of the position from
every road, from every village came flashes ,ol
fire and whizzing rifle shells, which, bursting
with sharp crack, sent their splinters ratuipg
among the guns, gunners, carriages and horses.
AS soon as the cannonade in front became se-
rious, the guns of the seventh division began to
lombard the village of Benatek, on the eAustrian
right. The Austrians returned shot for shot, aud
neither side either gained or lost ground. In
the centre, too, the battle was very even--the
Prusians pushed battery for battery into the ac-
ton, and Kept upa tremendous fire on the Aus
trian guns but these returned il, and sometimes
with interest, for the Austrian artillery officers
knew their ground, and every she'll fell true, many
officers and men fell, and many horses were killed
or wounded. ,I..a. ii ..-,'.-
Gradually the Prussian cannonade appeared to
get stronger, and the Austrian batteries between
Dohelnitz and Donarcha retired higher up the
hill, but the guns at Mokrowens still stood fast,
and the Prussans had not yet crossed tie Bis
tritz but many guns were now turned on Mok-
rowens, and at 10 clock the battery there was
also obliged to retire a little. ..,,t..,
FIGHTING AROUND THE VILLAGE
While this cannonade had teen going ON, some
OF the infantry had been moved down toward the
river where they took shelter rom the fire under
n convenient undulation of ground. The Eighth
division came down on the left hand side of the
causeway, and under the cover of the rising in
the ground formod its columns for the attack on
the village of Sadowa, while the Third and Fourth
divisions on the right hand side of the road pre-
pared to storm Dohelnitz and Mokroyens. But
a little before their preparations were completed
the village of Cenatek, On the Austrian's right
caught fire, and the Seventh division made dash
to secure it, but the Austrians were not driven
out by the flames, and here, for the first time in
the battle was there hann to hand fighting. The
Twenty-seventh regiment led the attack; and
rushed into the orchards of the village the burn
ing houses separated the combatants, they poured
volley after volley at each other through the
flames; but the Prussians found means to get a.
round the burning houses, and taking the defen.
ders in reverse, forced them to retire with the
loss OF many prisoners. .......-.. ...-.,' o..
1t was ten o'clock when Prince Frederick
Charles sent General Stuhnapi to order the at
tack on Sandowa, Dohelnitz and Mockrowens-
The columns advanced, covered by skirmishers,
and reached the river bank without much loss
but from there they had to fight every inch of
their way. The Austrian iufintry held the bridges
and villages in force, and fired fast upon them at
they approached. The Prussians could advance
but slowly along the narrow ways and against
the defenses of the houses, and the volleys sweep
ing through the ranks seemed to bear the sol
diers down. The Prussians fired much more
quickly than their opponents, bnt they could not
see to take their aim the houses, trees and
smoke from the Austrian discharges shrouded the
village. ......i,. ...,.I.g ,.-.... -.t
Sheltered by this the Austrians Jagers fred
blindly where they could tell, by hearing, that
tremendously on the Prussians in their close
formations, but the latter improved their posi-
tions, although slowly, and by dint of sheer cour
age and perseverance, for they lost men at every
yard Of their advance, and in some places almost
paved the way with wounded. Then, to help
the infantry, the PrussaA artillery turned its fire,
regardless of the enemys batteries, on the viii
lagos, and made tremendous havoc among the
houses. Mokrowens and Dohenitz both caught
fire, and the shells fell quickly and with fearful
effect among the defenders of the flaming ham,
lets the Austrian guns also played upon the at
tacking infantry, but at this time these were
sheltered from their fire by the houses and trees
between. .....r .t.-.......
THE AUsTRIANs FLANKID. ..'
In and around the.villages the fighting c1n-
tinued for nearly an hour, when the Austrian in
fantry, who had been there driven out by a rush
Of the Prussians retired, but only a little way
up the SLOPE into line with their batteries.-
The wood above Sadowa was strongly held, and
that between Sadowa and Banatek, teeming
with riflemen, stood to bar the way of the Sew
enth division. But Gen. Franksky, who COM
mands this division was not to be easily stop
ped, and he sent his infantry at the wood, and
turned his artillery on the Austrian batteries.
The Seventh division began firing into the
trees, but found they could not make any i'm
preston, for the defenders were concealed and
muSketry Hre was useless against them. linen
Fransky let them go, and they dashed in with
the bayonet The Austrians would not retire.
but waited for the struggle, and in the wood
above Benatek was fought one of the fiercest
combats which the war has seen.' The Twenty
seventh Prussian regiment went in nearly {, 900
strong, with ninety officers, aud came out on the
further side with only two officers and between
three hundred and four hundred men standing
all the rest were killed or wounded. The other
regiments of the division also suffered much, but
not in the same proportion / but the woed was
carried. The Austrian line was now driven in
on both f1anks but its commander formed a new
line of battle little higher up the hill, round
Lisba, still holding the wood which lies abov,
Saodowa. -a y#.gI
NEW AUSTRIAN POSITION.
Then the Prussian artillery was sent across th
Bistritz, and began to fire upon the new Austrian
position. At the same time the smoke of Gen'l
Herwarth's advance was gradually seen moving
towards the Austrian left, for he had at Mech
anitz a village about seven miles lower down tn
Bistritz than Sandowa, found brigade of Sexol
troops with some Austrian cavalry, and was dri
! wing them towards tina position st LISA, rhimsel
following in such direction that it appeared h
! would turn the Austrian left flank. But the Au;
trian commander seemed determined to hold hi
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