Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-08-01
ON the " Times Austrian Army Correspond
Battle Of SadOWa.

OF Sadowa, as seen on the Austrian side, is |
given In the London Times. The author is
probably William II. Russell, whose reputa-
ton as a war correspondent is well known in
this country. His sketch was written at seve-
raj points during the Austrian retreat, and
we give that portion of it descriptive of
events after the triumph of the Prussians be-
came evident:
THE AUsTRIANs IN DISORDER.
ss The Austrian right and reserve become
more unsteady, but their artillery contests
every foot of ground. Suddenly spattering
of musketry breaks out of the trees and hous-
es of Klum right down on the Austrian gun
ners, and on the column OF infantry drawn
I'D the slope below. The gunners fall on all
sides-their horses are disa bled-the fire in
creases in its inensity-the Prussians on the
ridge press on over the plateau there Is an
awful catastrophe-two columns OF Austrlans
are led against the village, but they cannot
stand the fire. and after three attempts to car
ry it, retreat, leaving the hill side covered
with the fallen. 1t is a terrible moment.
The Prussans see their advantage: they here
get into the very centre of the position. In
vain the staff officers fly to the reserves and
hasten TO get back some OF the artillery from
the 'front.' The dark blue regiments multiply
on all sides and from their edges roll perpetu-
ally sparkling musketry Their guns hurry
up, and from the slope take both the Austrl-
ans on the extreme right and the reserves ln
flank. They spread away to the woods near
the Prague road and fire into the rear If the
Austrian gunners.
AwEpGE FORCED INTO THE AUSTRIAN Army.
Thus wedge, growing broader and driven
in more deeply every instant, was forced into
the very body of the Austrian army, sepera-
ting it at the heart anu dividing It's left and
centre from the right. The troops in the CEN
tire and lett are dIsmayed It hearing the en-
emys guns in their rear, and are soon exposed
to the fire which most OF ali destroys the NOR
| ale OF soldiers already shaken by surprise
The right, previously broken up and discom-
fitted, hurry toward the Prague road in some.
| thing like confusion and spread alarm among
| the reserves of the center and left. The reg
ular lines of the columns below are gradually
bulging out and at last swallowed up IN
dlsordered multitude. Officers gaIlop about
| trying to restore order. Some regimen is hold
together, though they are losing men in heaps
every instant. The left wing is arrested IN It's
onward progress. The PrussIan generals IN
front OF them and on the centre, seeing tn eIr
enemy waver, throw their battallIons a IeIuet
them and encourage their artillery To fresh
efforts, but the formidable Austrian cav airy
prevents any hasty or enthuslastib demonstra-
tions on the part of the Prussan right, whom
long-continued fighting and heavy losses must
| have somewhat enervated.
A LAsT HoPB.
| Even vet there was hope for the Austriaus
| There ON the Prussian front wheeled q force OF
horse with which Murat, or a keilcfnian
or a Seidlitz could have won a battle and 81 ged
An empire. There, still unshakeo, were at
least so 900 men, OF whom scarcely one had
ever fred u shot. The indomitable Au-trs q
artillery still turned hundreds of muzzes on
the enemy's guns, and girt their men In d
band Oi fire. To Let slip that cavalry ON both
sides Oi kium, 10 crash through infantry and
guns, seemed really worth doing, though iaIi-
re w0uld nave made the difference betweer
deleat aud i root. Ii would have been su-
preme deed Il tor such force to accomplish
or to perish IN attempting. And there Wa
no natural obstacles yIs bic from the tower u
d grand charge. The Prussian right separat-
ed from its centre and left, would have been
rolled down into the valley among the Austri-
aus and utterly crushed and the A ustrlan cen
tire md left have been liberated TO continue
their contest with the enemy. Moments were
precious.
/, The Prussian fire became more severe, the
waverIng of the Austrians greater. The fall
ing of trees on the Prague road the rush OF
fugi,ivcs, the near approach OF the Prusslan
shells TO the place, some of them bursting over
the state OF the battle. All the roads were
blocked up with retreasing trains and wagons.
Men were throwing down their arms and wad-
ing through the inundations. The Austrian
gunners on the causeway began to catch a
sight of the Prussans near at hand IN the
woods, and opened on them with shrapnel and
shell. 1t was now somewhere about Z
10 clock but 1t was not possible 70 note time
when such things were gong on so near.
l a ha rla ka q, asa4 70 nne
poin, ere an exclamation from by-stand-
ing officer or an awful clamor carried 1t to
another. Seconds were of iDestImable value
i-not only that hundreds were falling, but
they were falling in vain-that all the Is
sues for which an empire had summonds lts
, might and the Kaiser his people to the field
were being decided and that the tolls o
generations of emperors, warriors and sta tes'
men were about being lost forever. Ihe
genius of the Prussians was in the ascendant
THE DEFEAT.
Tho spirit of Bismarck or his genius ruled
the battlefield. While the a ustrian wa.
hesitating the Prussian acting. Tn,
lines of dark blue which came in sigh
. from the right teemed from the wales be
; low as if the earth yielded them. They filled
the whole background of the awful picture
|, of which Klum was the centre. They press
ed down on the left of the Prague road
In square, in column, deployed or wheeling
hither and thither-everywhere pouring II
showers of deadly precision-penetrating tbs
whole line of the Ausirians still they coult
not force their stubborn enemy to fly. Or
all sides they met brave but unfortunate
men, ready to die, if they could do no more
!, At the side of the Prague road the fgh
went on with incredible vehemence. Th'
Austrans had still an immense force of ar
, tillery, and although it's concentrated tir'
swept the ground before 1t, its effect wa
lost in some degree by reason of the rising
ground above, and at last by its divergence
to so many points to answer the enemy's
! cannon.
Many Austrians must have fallen by theil
= own artillery. Once an Austrian column
separating itself from the great multitude
!, below, with leveled bayonets, led by its of
ficers in front waving caps and sabres, went
straight at the wood around Klum and drove
back the Prussian Tiralleurs, but were stag
gered by fealful volleys of musketry. TheiI
officers were all killed or wounded. They
fell suddenly back. Down came the Prus
slams, but they were received on the bayone
point and with dubbed muskets, and were
driven back to the shelter of the wood, and
some were carried off prisoners in the re-
treating column. Indeed, handfuls of, Prus
I SLAMS were coming into the town behind u,
: all the 0ay, showing now GLOSS Sho uSus WAS
and considerable body OF the 10th regi
ment, with some officers, are now in th'
Grosser Ring.
Chesta and Visa were now burning, *
8 that from right to left the flames OF ten vii
lagos. and the flashes OF guns and muskesry
T contended with the sun that pierced th'
clouds tor the honor of Illuminating the sea-
. of steel and the fields Of carnage. 1t was
i clock. The efforts of the Austrians to oc
cupy kium and free their centre had Jailed