Year: 1859

CAsTIGLIoNE, June 24, 1859.-I came iron Brescia early this morning, and arrived just Il time to witness the last half of what nav very little doubt will turn out to have beel the greatest battle the modern world has seen Not less than 450,000 men were engaged II it and of these not less than 30, 0,O0O-deat or disabled--lie, on this bright, starry night upon the bloody feld

 As nearly as we can now learn, the Empe TOT Francis Joseph had collected here not less than 225, GOO troops, and commanded them il person. His evident purpose was to make { stand here, and risk the fortunes of the Wal upon the hazards of the day. Napoleol promptly accepted the challenge, and com menced the attack as soon as it was light thi. morning, by placing cannon upon the hills still nearer to Castiglionc than those held by the Austrians, and opening fire upon them on the heights beyond. He took his own stand upon the highest of these--a steep, sharp-backro ridge, which commands a magnificent view ot the entire circuit of tho plain, and from that point directed the entire movements of his ar my during the early portion of the day:

 Tte French very soon drove the enemy out of the posts they held nearest to the town, and followed them into tic small villages of the plain below. The first of these was Sol ferino, where they had sharp and protracted engagement The Austrians disputed every inch of the ground, and fought here as they did throughout the day, with the utmost dcs- peration They were three times driven ont of the town before they would stay ont. The against the French, upon whom they fired from i Il al, in sefdcfence, to burn the town. When they found it impossible to hold their ground any longer, they fell back, slowly and steadily, ntl- til they reached the village of Volta, south east from Castigli,ne, and only about a mile from the river Miucio, from which, however, it is separated by range of hills.

 At one point after another a sharp cannon adinp would arise and continue for half or three quarters of an hour-and after each suc- cessive engagement of the kind, the result be- came apparent in the retreat of the Austrians and the advance of the French forces. Dur ing all the earlier part of the day the sky had been clear and the weather hot. But clouds began to gather at about noon, Land at o'clock. while the cannonade was at its height. tre- mendous thunderstorm rolled up from the

 

 the parched streets an enormous clond of dust, and was soon followed by heavy fall of rain, accompanied by vivid lightning and rapid ex- plosion of rattiing thunder. The storm lasted for about an hour, and the cannonading, so far as we could distinguish, was suspended Then the rain ceased, the clonds blew away, the sun shone out again, and the air was cool ed ard perfectly delightful.

 The wind had gone down, the air was still, and the sound of musketry, as well as Of the cannon, was distinctly heard. The former was continuous, sharp and ineessant, sounding like the constant and irregular patterng of hail upon a roof while the latter was occasionally suspended, but while it lasted, was overwhel- miEgly grand and terrible

 Over the Sardinian park rose dense white cloud of smoke directly upwarfs. Its sides perfectly upright and we'll defined, and spread ing outward both ways at the top like all enormous shcaf of wheat. The sun was ma, king glorious setting in the West, and as lis light gradually departed, and the vivid flashes at each discharge of the cannon gleain cd through the smoke like sharp lightning through the breast of an enormous cloud Sometimes ouly single flash would be seen then two or three at once and sometimes hal a-.ozen would break forth in instant sncccs sion. It was beginning to be dark when turned to descend the hill, and all the way down still heard the roar of the cannon, and the clattering of the guns of the infantry But the Austrians were clearly falling back and could scarcely have failed to sustain to tal route.

 The first intimation we received of an en gagcmcnt having taken place, was from meet ing three or four carts, drawn by oxen, anG filled with wounded-before we reached Mon techiaro on the road from Brescia.

 We had gone but short distance when wt came to where the great procession of tn, wounded was turning round cross street to church which had been taken for hospital. Il was certainly the most dreadful sight eve saw. Every conceivable kind of wound whicl can be inflicted upon men was here exhibited All who were able to do so were obliged t walk--the wagons and animals at command being all required fer those who could not oth erwise be moved Some walked along, thci faces completely covered with blood from sa bre cuts upon their heads. Many had thci arms hattered--hundreds had their hand tied up--and some carried most ghastly wound upon their faces. Some had tied up tn, wounds-and others had stripped away thu clothing which chafed and made them worse l saw one man walking along with a firm stel and resolute air, naked to his waist, and hay ing bullet wound upon his side, an ugly gasl along his check, and deep bayonet thrust re ceived from behiad, in his shoulder. Most o those who were walking wore serious look conversing but little with cue another thougl they walked two and two--and few of then carried upon their faces any considerable cx pression of pain.

 Those who were more more severely injured rode upon donkeys or in carts--and few wer' carried upon mattresses upon mems shoulders But these were mostly officers, and nearly al l saw carried in that way were so badly woun dcd that their recovery is scarcely possible