Rassegna storica del Risorgimento

Documenti americani sul conflitto italo-austrìaco del 1859 29
wholc distancc to the position forced by the Sardinians two inilcs from the lake. The allies in the end carried ali the points .
I givc thesc views of the relative losses because I ihink it may be iuicresting to the Government to kuow something heyond the officiai statcìncnts; - it is ncedless to add that, as thesc Governments do not wish anything to be made public beyond their own statements, the faets wliich I communicate should be kept in complete reserve.
As to the nutrì hors of the troops engaged, I bave yet secn no reason to dc-part from the estimate given in my last dispatch. The French generala state that they joined actual engagement with 150,000 soldiers. The Piedmontese show that they entered into conflict with 50,000 more. This would make the Austrian force under fire to bave been 200,000 men. The Allies were confcssedly in equal numbers to tbe Austrians, and, as the Guard and other reserves on each side not brought under fire are not counted in these estimatcs, the whole number of fighting men on that field could not have been far from 450,000 men.
No great generalship seems to have been exhibited. Indeed, from the offi­ciai account appended, there was some confusion, and a whole division of the Sardinian army was marching backwards and forwards ali day under contradic-tory orders without doing any service. The conduct of the Austrians is re ali y unaccountable. After evacuating ali their strong positions and crossing the Mincio with their whole force, they appear to have changed their mind without reason and come back to give battio to the Allies on the abandoned ground and with a river in their rear. It is a curious example of the vacillation which has marked their course in diplomacy aud war since the beginning of the year. They are rash and timid by turns, and, as long as they are governed by their prescnt weak and presumptuous head, can meet with nothing but disaster. It is a common remark here that this is a war of soldiers rather than of generale.
The Allies passed the Mincio yesterday, June 29th, and appear to be closing on Peschiera. A number of heavy gun-boats bave been brought in pieces from France which are intcnded for nse on the lake of Garda. It is said that Peschiera and Mantua will be taken from the water side. This.however is surmisc. What Napoleon's plans with regard to those fortresses are, is stili involved in mystery. Prince Napoleon's corps is slowly on the way to the scene of conflict. News from the Vcnetian coast are now anxiously expected.
John Y. Mason a Lewis Cass
Legation of the United States, Paris, July 5, 1859. No. 402.
Sir: The war has progressed in Italy with uninterrupted success to the allies. The French and Sardinian armics have steadily advanced, and have passed the Mincio into the court of the Forts of the Quadrangle. In the battles of Magenta and Solferino, the losses on both 6ides have been very heavy, but the Austrians have been the losers: 'In the Moniteur Uni ver sei, of the [illegible] which I send herewith, is a graphic account of the last named great battlc, in which the
*) La relazione è del tenente Carr. Si veda sopra, il dispaccio No. 109 del Daniel.