The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-07-10
The War in Italy-The Opening Battle
Fought in the Heart of the Quadri-
lateral.

Inc war IN Italy-lne opening batue
Fought in the Heart of the Quadri-
lateral.
From the Herald.
The war in Italy has been begun by an i'm
portant engagement, fought on the anniversary
of the battle OF Solierino, by the centre of the
Italian army against the concentrated forces OF
Austria, in the very heart of the Quadrilateral
The vigor of Frederick Charles IN Saxony has
been equalled by Victor Emanuel in Venetia;
and we now have the two wars in Europe fairly
inaugurated.
Former news from Italy brought us inteli-
gence of the declaration of war by Victor
Emanuel and the issuance OF three days notice
that he should commence hostilltes on June %.
At that time Victor Emanuel was with the centre
OF his army on the Mnclo, facing 'the historic
square," his headquarters being at or near Sol
fsrino. General ClaldnI, commanding the right
wing, was on the river Po, with quarters at
Ferrara, and so disposed as to threaten Padua
and the rear OF the torresses OF Verona, Leg
naso. PesChlera, and Mantua, which torn t1e
| Quadrllateral Ganbaldl, commanding the
| volunteers which form the left wing of the
| Italian army was at Como, with orders to move
TO the left OF the defeuses of the Quadrlateral.
| The navy, under Admiral Pecsano, left the Gulf
| OF Tai anto for the Adriatc on the 23d OF June,
and IS doubtless now ready to cooperate in the
| movements of Cadni.
No sooner had the three days. notice expired
| than Victor Emanuel began his operations, aud
| with his "army OF the Mncio" crossed that
| stream between Mantua and PeschIeTa, and ad-
! vanced upon Villatranca and Verona Before
| reaching either point, however, he met the
| Austrian forces hurrying from Verona to the
| defense of the line of the Mincio, and at once
gave them battle near the village OF Custozza.
! The engagement lasted the whole day. 1t Is
characterized by both parties as very spirited
| and bloody, and a defeat Is admitted by the
| Italians. Their last posi- ion at Custozza was
| carried by assault at o'clock IN the afternoon.
| The losses on both sides were severe. During
| the night of the Oath utimo, and on the folio W.
| il g day Victor Emanuel retreaJed to the Min
| clio, and, recrossing that stream, re-establshed
| himself in his former petition.
This battle was evidently fought for an ad-
| vantage of a strateiC character in another quar-
| ter. Victor Emanuel must have known that in
invading the Quadrilateral he was moving
against the concentrated and superior mum oers
| OF the enemy; and 1t was doubtless his plan and
purpose in fighting them to keep them thus con.
centrated. Ii this result was attained, General
Claldint was doubtless enabled with a principal
wing OF the army to cross the Pc at Ferrara
unmolested, aud TO move rapidly upon Rovlgo
aud Padua. The success of such movement
would be at once encouraging and hazardous.
1t would place the Italians at Padua directly
between the Quadrilateral and Venice. Com
mucation between these two points IS OF such
vital importance to the Austrians that battle
would be immediately fought to recover II and
the ground thus lost or threatened Unless
Cialdini should be prepared in the numbers and
the quality of his men to withstand, pnaided,
the assault of the Austrans, the movement is
full of hazard Tor it entirely disconnects him
! from the other parts of the army. This operation
If such an one has been made-is of the most
dangerous and divergent marches, though the
probable co operation OF the fleet with the righ
wing robs it of some of it's terrors.
For the details of this engagement and the
results Of these strategic movements we must
however, await the development of further
news.