The New York herald., 1866-07-22

o'clock From ths neighboshood Of yossphstads csa!
tops Of rolling helds extends from the fight llI e
slopes away on the left into the meadows waered by he
lei with the 0rs about half way where Il recedes to1
wards the west and north Is similar ridge, appearing
By *. s Is
spires and lower ranges OF the Riesengebrge. This
must BE- taken TAX as general description Of the appear
There are many cross valleys permeaing both ridges
towards the Ebe and on both there are hills hillocs
some almost like tumuli. which villages and their
little churches nestle In the woods
the valley between tie first and second ridge runs
the Bstritz rvuet which Sadowa and Nechanitz arc
situated II Is traversed nearly at right angles by
main road from Jcin to Konggratz In the valley be-
SSsS ss oma. Ss HSs runs s. a
Smirtz, or Smiric, to Koniggratz, coming out
another road, branching from the Jicn road, aad
running by Nechsnz TO the main road between Prague
and R0nsgz There are numerous oshe, small % roads
all directions. Immediately below the city Of Konig-
grstz the land level and marshy but toward smrz.
jecting spur approaching the river which is out
shoot OF the st line Of hills, and thence In front Of
from left TO right gradual elevation from the river
takes place. in series Of irregular terraces On the top
Of this first ridge there village named smiratz Ths
ridge south westward TO the eft) without any mcre
remarkable object the sky line than very large ss
There are several villages on the inner side OF the
slope between Konggratz and the river From the big
tree the line continues to tho left hand till Nc
centre. where its undulatng contour is broken by
wooded knoll hill rising rather steepy on which Is
powered in thick and gardens Thence TO the efs
the line Of the dge depressed and carried towards tho
which villages unknown TO geographcrs, now
heaps OF cnders and ashes, surrounded by dead and
dying-the very centres Of the tremendous battle
AUSTRIAN ARMY.
The army which General Bencdek had to defend hi0
position consisted Of at least 25 900 men, but large de-
ducti0n must be made for the baggage guards the
rous escorts the garrisons Of Josphsladt K0nig
gratz tho sick and those tired by marching, and the
killed. wounded and prisoners in recent actons-so that
probably, he had not more than 100000 or 195,o0o
actually in hand.
ninc miles in length. On his extreme left In hin
first line the OF Nechanitz, and towards the
army corps under Field Marshal Lieutenant GabIenz;
the Third corps dar7ne under Field Marshal Leuenant
Count ihun the Fourth army corps under Field Marshal
Lieutenant Count Festetcs (wh0 wounded early In
the day. and the Second army corps under Field Mar
sha Lieutenant Archduke Ernest, were placed from left
10 right the slope OF the second range RIDGE
HIS second limo and his reserves consisted OF tho
Eighth corps d'drrnee under Field Marshal Lieutenant
the Archduke Leopold the First army corps was under
cavalry General Count Clam-Ga and the Sixth army
corps under Field Marshal Lieutenant Ramming.
He had at his disposal grand army Of cavalry II was
composed OF First light cavalry division, under Gen.
era Major Edelsheim the Second light cavalry division,
under the Prince Of HoIs,on the Second heavy cavalry
division, under General Major Fatseck. and the ThKd
heavy cavalry dvson Senera az MAJOR c9an' @ u0.
The horse, under Fedzeugmeister Benedek's ordersx
seemed 10 mc e vcrg nesi vary by many degrees aek
largest displayed battle field In recent days. I
think thai the Austrian Commander in Chief had
much less than 20 900 sabres under his command yes
terday.
The centre in front of KIum and Of Lipa strongly
held by the Third and Fourth corps somewhat thrown
back with the First corps in reserve. and the Sixth
corps were in tho right towards smiratz.
The Saxons also held considerable portion OF their fOrCo
in reserve addition to the Eighth corps the left.
II possible for any but the General himself
to describe the exact situation position whole
very best glass command the whole OF the field though
its cxtremtes not than four miles from
my actual point OF observation Once the engage
ment had fairly begun, and the troops had begun
to change their positions, even General Benedck HIM
self could not tell where they were. and his sta6
were, OF course still more ignorant Notwithstanding
the violent wind which prevailed the artillery and mus
kerry fire clung in the valleys and unduatons, and
mngng with the fogs and rain clouds at times quite
obscured the field The Austrans have excellent
system Of field telegraphs but could not be adapted
to the exigencies OF the battle, and, like human
appliances and inventions, 1t was found wanting at the
critical moment can only describe what saw and
as that was necessarily not ALL there may be many mig
takes and In the account which better nformatou
will reciify The general formation OF the Austrian iB0
| was in having masses Of columns checkerwise aanked
by powerful divisions OF artillery, and his cavalry
kept the low grounds the Prague road and be-
hind Klum, in of his CENTRE where disposed
TO act against the enemy ~ soon rs he showed symp
| toms of unseadincss.
Tho Austrans seemed for the most part to be posted
high ground The only disadvantage to which they
were exposed so far az could see was that the Pus
slams covered their proper left by good deal OK
wood The Of he roads rather In their favor
Here and there the Prussans may have got bit oG
whole in my judgment such as il is, they had % az
saut enemy better placed for defence than they
for attack. Al the time when reached tower the
| firing was not very heavy, and it principally car
ried by three Austrian batteries posted in front oc
There were several Austrian officers in the tower and
they Of opinion that the Prussans had only been
making demonstration TO try our right and finding it too
| strong would probably retire.
| RECEIVING rHE SHOCK
II looked the Prusans had attacked the position
/ xiv
had the action dew loped itself on The centre than i
rolled back from Nechantz, on the left and before half
past nnc the whole range Of hills and valleys slopes
for nine miles and more was II the earth had been
/ turned into snow wreaths agitaed in wntry gale
the trees and the village on the righ My God Imiio-
vItz is in flames " exclaimed the guardian OF the tower
| various other sounds Of varied import, possibly,
| smoked their cigars and looked on Imlovitz In
quarter Of an hour the Austrian batteries which
had gone down the slope toled up again, unmberc6
ana 1ea % @ ,ae ana se
slope Of the h coming towards the railway amid thoso
who could Of their own accord again. Thes0
increased In number.
| Pulls OF smoke high in the air, rising from tho
ground showed where the Prussian ire plying the
Austrans on the right but their guns replied
vigorously and all through that day, though sometimes
illpaccd, the Austrian artillery behaved most gall
laniy. II difficult 20 ascertain why the Austrian
corps on the reht unsteady, and why many
men leaving the ranks Of regiments stl invisibe
| but after time another sponge-lke rancoud wipsd
away everything and left II all like clean slate, from
behind which there issued rolling IRE Of cannon
close rs the yocys OF teu de joe When the shower
passed away the cannonado the right the
had sensibly diminished, and the Austrans seemed 10
have the advantage all along the 'front.' judging by tho
advance OF their guns and infantry except the left
| centre and right Of their lne
1 eADowA pLAMEs.
On the extreme LETT another black cloud now up,
licked by lames at the base. "Gou IN Himmcif' ex-
| claimed the guardian Of the tower. "sadowa burns
now'n And The pleasant little village, snug
church, hospitable millall were burning II win
surer diynaton Of the coming voc than we bad thas
the poor people had tears remained In hopeless
their homes The heat OF this great baftl0
burned up whatever tonched and forth the law
which destroyed II flowed all sndes Between thu
big and klum, In the and far away toward
the second ridge the fight raging with extraordinary
fury from ten o'clock ill haifpast ten, and has