The Irish standard., 1900-02-24

under Visconti at Christallo. But it
was at Luzara that the bloodiest en-
gagement was fought. Eugene surprised
the French army advancing towards
| Borgoforte, and but for the time occu-
pied in reforming his line when he OBJ
served the scarlet uniforms OF the Irish
troops in the French center and lett,
the attack would have been delivered
before the French had time to deploy.
A bloody engagement cnsued. Twice
were the imperial forces broken and
flung back But on the third assault
the French center was driven i'll, leav-
ing the regiments OF Piedmont, Ber-
wick, the marines and Galmoys sepa-
rated from the main body. The Irish
held the key to the position. They
had to sustain the impetuosity oil the
whole OF the imperial right wing, rein
forced by the Danes and fresh body
OF infantry led on by the gallant LEIGH
tcnstein. Attacked in 'front.' TANKS and
rear, they still stood firm and immova-
bic, though unsupported by 4 second
line or reserve, separated from their
center, and both their tanks uncovered
AS rocks resist the waves OF the sea, so
they threw off the repeated charges OF
the imperial bayonets. Night descend
ed in utter darkness, but the combat
still ragged. The obscurity was illumi
mated by continued volleys. When all
nature was at rest, the thunder OF artl
lcry, the shouts OF the combatants, the
explosion OF gunpowder the groans OF
the wounded, and continued flashes OF
platoon firing, exhibited the horrors of
war in its most llidcous aspect. At l
O'Clock in the morning, hunger and ia
tigue had relaxed the powers OF de-
struction; utter darkness intercepted the
erring aim, the generals could give no
directions, the friends and foes were
alike indistinguislable. The murder
Gus conflict then ceased, the best con-
tested perhaps OF modern tines OF
$1,000 troops engaged 10000 lay either
dead or dying. The inperialist troops
remained in possession OF the field;
but the French withdrew only as far as
Luzara and defied attack In the fol-
lowing year Shcldons Horse saved the
army at Spire by timely and intrepid
charge; while at Gremen the orderly
retreat OF the imperial forces was con-
verified into 4 rout and slaughter by
the Irish brigade.
1t is not, however, in victory that the
best qualities OF the Irish troops were
displayed. On that disastrous day at
Blenhem when the genius OF Mari
boroagh and Eugene effected the ami
lilation OF the armies OF France and
Bavaria, the Irish troops held the po-
siton at Obcrllaw throughout the long
struggle, and when the elite OF the
French army laid down their arms be-
fore the vIctors. cut their way out OF
Obcrklaw and effected their retreat
upon the Rhine. In the bloody battle
oi Cassano, the chief engagement of
the campaign i'll Italy, Dillon's and
Rorkc's regiments joined in the dcspe-
rate resistance which saved Nendome's
army from extinction. The fight was
one OF the iiercest in a particularly des-
perate campaign. I'm narrow spot
not more than hall a mile in length and
Il iurlong in BREADTH the nations OF
Europe, from North Cape to Gibraltar.
from l'Ultma Irlanaa' to the banks OF
the Boristhenes. seemed to have sent
forth their choicest bands, to try their
strength IN the banks OF the Adda
Norwesians, Swcdcs, Irish, Danes.
Germans, Sclavonians, Poles, Italians,
Hungarians, French and Spaniards
were mixed up i'll this irightiul afray
Thousands OF voices roaring in differ
ent languages and dialects: 10000 tubes
pouring forth fire and death and 10000
bayoncts crossing and clanking against
each other in the work OF butchcry, cx-
llbitcd a scene more horrible and de-
structivc than the conflicts OF the cc-
mcnts, or the bursting OF volcano
from the bowels OF the EARTH = y
The island incloscd by the Retorto and
the AIDA was for years alter bleached
with bones. The survivors who subse-
Gucntly visited the scene OF this men,
orablc carnage could, from the mounds
OF bones and lines OF skeletons, point
out all the vicisstudcs OF this bloody
encounter The giant limbs and arms
OF the Prussian Guards indicated the
spot where the murderous fire of the
Irish brought 600 OF them to the
ground; the lane OF bones along the
Pcndno traced the line occupied by
Dillon's and Verac's, by Fitzgcrald's.
Galmoys and Bcrwick's. There many
4 gallant lrishman met the stroke OF
death in his early bloom; no mother
to mourn him, no maid with her tears
OF love, no friend to close his diving
eyes, not even a stranger to consign
him to a decent grave. In thirty years
alter, Umicaglia, the historian OF these
wars, visited the spot, and sat in sorrow
over these monuments OF human misery.
erected by the ambition of kings" and,
observes O'Connor," he might add, the
persecution Of intolcrant governments.