Year: 1859




stationed on the plain below. / was too far
off to observe with an accuracy the successive
steps of the action, but could distinctly see
the troops stationed upon the broad plain, and
moving up in masses towards the 'front.' where
the artillery was posted, as their services were
REQUIRED. But as soon as they reached this
point they were speedily enveloped in the smoke
of the cannon, and disappeared from observa
ton. But the general result was soon made
evident by the slackening Of the Austrian fire,
and by the falling back of their smoke and a
corresponding advance on the part of that
which rose from the French artilety. The
cannonading at that point lasted for over an
hour but in precisely what direction the Aus
trians retreated, it was not possible, from the
position occupied, to see. | was AFRAID to
change it, moreover, because, although might
easily have gone more directly and closely up
on the field, could not have found any eminence
upon the plain from which | could have had
so sweeping and complete view. Part of the
Austrian force probably crossed the Mincio
River, which flows southwark from the lower
end of Lake Guarda, and empties into the Po


But the battle continued to rage all over the
region northwest of line connecting the towns
of CastigIione, Soferino and Volta. At one



arise aud continue for half or three-quarters of
an hour-and after each successive engage
ment of this kind, the result became apparent
| in the retreat of the Austrians and the ad.
vance of the French forces During all the
early part of the day the sky had been clear
and the weather hot But clouds began to
gather at about noon, and at o'clock, while
the cannonade was at its height, tremendous
a. ! H.
the wind came first, sweeping from the parch
ed streets an enormous cloud of dust, and was
soon followed by heavy fall of rain, accom-
panied by vivid lig ghtning and rapid explosions
of rattling thunder. The storm lasted for about
an hour, and the cannonading, so far as we
could distinguish, was suspended Then the
rain ceased, the clouds blew away, the sun
shone out again, and the air was cooled and
perfectly delightful. Though the cannon may
have ceased for time to take part in it, the
fight had meantime gone on,-and when /
again resumed my post of observation, from
which the storm had expelled me, the cannonad-
ing commenced quite on the extreme left of the
entire field and on the very borders of the lake,
northeast from Castiglione and west of Pesch-
iera. The Piedmontee troops, under the King
who commands them in person, had been post
ed there and received the Austrians as they
came around. From about o'clock until after
night-fall an incessant and most terrible comb 1t
was here kept up. The batteie of the two
armies were apparently about half mile apart,
and at the outset they were both served
with nearly equal and effective vigor. But the
Austrisns gradually slackened their fire and
several times took up new positions, while
the Sardinians poured a rapid and uninterrupt
ed shower of balls upon them, ,-suspending
only for q few minutes at time, and then re-
newing it again with redoubled fury. The
wind had now gone down, the air was still and
the sound of musketry, as well as of the cannon
was distinctly heard. The former was contin-
nous, sharp and incessant, sounding like the
constant and irregular pattering of hail upon
a roof, while the latter was occasionally sus-
pended, but while it lasted was overwhelmingly
grand and terrible. Over the Sandman park
rose dense white cloud of smoke, directly up
wards its sides perfectly upright and well de-
fined, and spreading outward both ways at the
top like an enormous sheaf of wheat. The sun
was making glorious setting iu the west, and
as his light gradually departed, the vivid flashes
at each discharge of the cannon cleaned
through the smoke like sharp lightning through
the breast of an enormous cloud. Sometimes
only single fash would be seen, then two or
three at once and sometimes halfa-dozen would
break forth in instant succession. 1t was be-
ginning to be dark when | turned 20 descend
the hill and all the way down still heard the
roar of the cannon and the gathering of the
guns of the infantry But the Austrians were
clearly falling back, and could scarcely have
failed to sustain total rout. 1t is possible
they may be in condition to make one more
struggle in the morning but, Judging from my
own observation, it certainly is not probable.
They have sustained an overwhelming defeat,
and it seems to me not unlikely that the Emp
eror may now be induced, by the representa-
| tons of the natural Powers, to accept the peace
which NAPOLEON will be very likely to tender
him.


Just before nightfall a tremendous cannonad-
ing was distinctly visible in the direction of
Mantua, and it was supposed by one or two
French officers that Prince NAPOLEON was as
saulting that fortress as part of the general
plau of the days operations, while the Empe-
ror was engaging the enemy in the open field
But | see no reason to suppose that this is true
as Prince NAPOLEON could scarcely have reach
ed Mantua by this time, as he was in Florence
only week ago.


| have thus given you very general outline
of this great battle as it came uGder my own
observation. | have mentioned no names of
subordinate officers, because | have had no op-
portunity to learn to specific part which indi-
viduals took in the engagement. All that /
must leave for subsequent letters, or refer you
for it to the official reports which we here shall
not see for three or four days after they are
published in Paris


/ am afraid to venture upon any conjecture
as to the number of killed and wounded in this
battle !; but from the nature of the case it must
be enormous / am confident that not less