ROME.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 369, 27 October 1849, Page 3

ROME.

Pending the arrival of further intelligence respecting the attack by the French on " the Eternal City " which was made on the 20th of June, and which (as we mentioned tn our last) there is reason to apprehend terminated in its capture and sacking, we give insertion to some of the official documents and other authentic statements which have reached us with regard to the preliminary proceedings of the French invaders. They are worth placing on record as portions of a remarkable and eventful contemporary history.

Despatch of Marshal Oudinot, General-in chief, to the Minister of War. Head Quarters, Villa Parafili, June 4th, 5 A m. Monsieur le Ministre, — The diplomatic negotiations commenced by M. Lesseps have, as you know, lomevrhat stopped the active progress of the expeditionary corpi since the 17th May. However, tl.e works have never been completely i terrupted. The engineers and artillery, assisted by workmen from the infantry, have been employed in making gaboons and facines. A bridge thrown over opposite the anchoragp of San Paolo has enabled vi to take up a position in the basilica o' t 1 at name, which, white' it enables us to communicate with the A'bano road, nUows vi to forettal there the advance* of any foreign force. Our position there is so much the s'ronger, n« our soldiers have built at the head of the bridge a building capable of receiving a baltulion. The inceasant devo-ions to their work of the officers, subalterns, atid eoldiers of marine, has enabled us to provide successively for the victualling magazines, and the great paik of artillery, the first pieces of which arrived on the Ist June. Our troops had occupied Monte M mo, or the Sacred Mount, which overlooks the Hi^h Tiber, the Vatican, the Fort of St. Angelo, and the Aucona and "Florence roads. The enemy, vhich had worked 'here •with great activity for several weeks, abandoned it .suddenly, and it was occupied a few hou 8 after by the 13th Light and 13th Infantry without a blow. On the 31st May, M. Lesteps had c ncluded with the Ho man authorities a convention, which he wished me to sign. "But military honour and my instructions compelled me to refine to siga an act which would jrevent our entry into Rome. In a former despatch I had the honour of informing you that, on the Ist June, I bad forwarded a notice to the triumvirate, to inform them that tlie neutral truce consented to by M. Lesaeps wai no longer to be in vigour after 24 hours. I advised all the enemy's advanced posts of this. On the demand of our Chancillor of Legation, M. de Gertindo, I contented to defer the at'ack until Monday, the 4th, at least. Thi* diplomatic agent wa* informed that our countrymen who wished to leave Home would find a safe asylum at San Pao'o. However, the moat rigorous investment of the place rendered immediately necessary the undertaking of the fint operation of the trenchej. The General of D vision, Vaillant, commanding the engineers, could not seriously commence operations so long as the enemy should be at liberty to annoy him by the possess! n of tht Villa Pantfili, the Church of San Pancraz'o, and the Vilias Corsini and Valentini. By taking one of these the other two must necessarily be carried also— and to it was done. Two columns, the first commanded by General Moll:ere, end the other by General Jean Levaillant, received orderi to attack at three in the morning on the 3rd ; the first starting from the Villa Mattel, and the second from the Villa San Carlo. At their point of junction, General Regnault de S . Jean d'Angely was to take the command of both, and reu*tralize their action, Governors Rostalon and Gulswiller had orders to concentrate and support the movement. Though the Villa Pamfili is surrounded by a wall four yards high, and nearly 50 centimetres thick, and though the enemy had formed barricades in several places, and though it was defended by about 20,000 men, it was quickly taken More than 200 prisoners .of whom ten were officers, had been taken at 5 a.m. Three flags and 200,000 cartridges were also left in our haudi. The Church of San Francisd, adjoining the park of the Villa Pamfili, shared tbe same fate ; and we were forcibly established there at 7 o'clock. During this time, two companies dislodged the enemy from a vast edifice, situate three hundred yards from the trench depot, and 600 yards from the walls of Rome. The occupation of the Church of San Pane 'az to led necessarily to that of the Chateau Corsini, which is a triangular buiidin?, constructed with large blocks of ■tone, and very solid. The enemy had eu trenched themselves in a very strong manner, and less than the energy and cleverness °f our officers could not have lufficed to dislodge them. The result was attained at about 10 o'c'ock. Almost simultaneously the Villa Valentini, and a ltrge arm which belongs to it, and is at the same height, wai also carried. However, the Romani, knowing all (he impo tance of these positions, could not allow us to remain in peaceable possestien. From morning until seven in evening columns of attack, supported by the fire of the

rampartf, made effortt to retake and preserve these three buildingi. Shells had teveral times let fire to them, which obliged us sometimei to leave them. But they were retaken by us immediately. The courage of our soldiers in theie grave circumstances was the more worthy of admiration, ai — faithful to our resolution not to attack Rome before Monday — we never once answered the fire of the rampartt with cannon. At one moment the Roman troops, led, it ii taid, by Garibaldi, tried to turn our left by making; a sortie upon the plateau leading from the Vatican to the Villa Pamfili. But the ardour of our soldiers prevented this attempt of the enemy, which was instantly repressed. Diversion! were made by our troopi ; and the enemy scoured the lett bank of the Tiber within view of the ramparts. On another hand the brigade of Sauveu, potted for ■ome days tit Monte Mario, had received orderi to seize Ponte Molle, of which one arch had been deit royed, and which every one thought ruined. Thii supposi ion had engaged the General to tend twenty men of good will, who swam over to the left bank, having their muskets and part of their clothes placed on a raft. This operation did not succeed ai was expected. The General then determined to seize that portion of the bridge which was on the light bank. Some skirmishers, of whom a certain number were chasseurs a pied, posted at this point, succeeded, after considerable efforts, in silencing the two cannon which enfiUdad the bridgj. Ths-y forced a thousand 110. mans, who were on the left Bank, to take refuge in the house and stop firing. Our skirmishers were then enabled, by means of fascines and beams, to re-establish the bridge temporarily for the passage of the infantry, and three companies were soon placed on the left bank, where they soon were m a state to repulse any attack from the enemy. In the night the Roman tronps again attempted a sortie, but the resistance of our troopi forced them to retire without any result, Such is the state of things. The day has been a mo»t glorious one. Our tro«ps have none of them been engaged all at one time, but relieved by each other in succession ; nevertheless most of them have been on foot from two o'clock in the morning to six in the evening. They carried positions which teemed impregnabtr, of which the possession will have an immense influence on the remit of the liege. The number ol wounded on our part amounts to ]G5, comprising seven officers. You will shortly receive a detailed account on this pom*. So soon at I shall have received the several reports of the chiefs of corps, I will give with more precision than I can now (he facts which have hotiouied the divers comb&tt fought on the 3rd of June. I shall be happy to call all the solicitude of government ou the kuldii rs, who so valiantly cttned the Fiench flag on that memorable and glorious day. ('Mgned) The General in Command of ths ExpeditioDary Corpt,

OUDINOI DX ReGGIO. The prisoners taken have been sent to Corui'a. In Rome a decree was published on the 10th of June, Forbidding the Romans, under the severest penalties, to express their opinions on passing events ; and a list of suspicious personages, denounced to public vengeance, having been drawn up by the clubs, the Triumvirs issued proclamations, in which thpysay :— " the people will disdain the advice suggested by fear, us well as the inspiraions of vengeance. The Government conscious of the Hffection of the people, watches the machinations of both, and will act with energy against the propagators of alarming rcort", and those who recommend recoutseto illegal and perilous measures • against the first, not because it dreads ' the influence of cowardly advice, but because such ad* vice and rumours are an insult to a brave people ; again -t the latter, because anarchy is as f itol as fear to 4 n ble cause, and because it is of importance to preserve the Republican banner free, not only from foreign insult but a'so free from all stain »nd excesi. The Republic is strong and holy. The defenders of the walls of Rome are remarkable lnth for valor and virtue Let all good citizens denounce to the Government the propagators of news, «nd they hhiill be severely punished. The Government confide* to the good citizens, by wh in it is certaiu of being undeistood and obeyed, the maintenance of order and the defeat of culpable desigm, which also denote fear and threaten to di«gruce our banner." The French meanwhile were proceeding rapidly with their siege operations. M. Casttlnan, Captain of the StaflT, had heen sent to destroy the iron foundry of Porto d'Anzo, were projectiles were manufactured. Three pieces of ordinance were spiked ; 800 shell* and balls, and 1200 kilogiammas of powder were seized and taken to Civita Vecchia. The following- official communication was addressed to the French Government on June 12. " With the view of preventing further bloodshed, General Ou'linot has addressed the following letter to the President of tho Roman National Aisembly —

" Head-Quarters, Villa Parafili, June 12, Fire o'clock, p.m. " Mons : eur le Preiident of tlie National Assembly, —The events of war have, as you are aware, brought the French army to the g'ttes of Rome" In case the entrance to the city shall be still closed against me, I shf.ll be compelled, in order to penetrate it, to employ immediately the me mi of action which France hat placed at my disposal. Previous to having recourie to so terrible a necessity, I consider it my duty to make a last appeal to the population, which csnnot entertain hoitile feelings against France. The National Assembly will, no doubt, like myself, spare the capital of the Christian world thia sanguinary calamity. In this convi< tion I pray you, M le President, to give the enclosed proclamation publicity as quickly as possible. If, in twelve hours after the receipt of this despatch, a reply conformable to the intentions and honour of France shall not have reached me I shall consider myself compelled to Hssault the city- Receive, M. le President, the assurance, &c.

OUDINOT DE RKGGIO. "PROCLAMATION. '• VPla Pamfili, June 12, three o'clock p.m. •' Inhabitants of Rome, — We come not to bring you war, we come to consolidate order and hherty amongst you. The intentions of our Government have been misunderstood. Thesie?e works have brought us beforo your ramparts. Uutil the present moment we have replied, but at rare intervals, to the fire of your batteries. We are arriving at the last moment, when the necessities of war produce such dreadful calamities. Spare them to a city filled with 10 many glorious monuments. If you persist in repelling us, to you alone will belong the responsibility of irreparable disasters. OUDINOT DX RCGGIO. " The Triumvirate remained deaf to all the propositions made to them, " The Commander-inChief consequently found himself compelled to commence the attack against the city on the 13th instant, at nine o'clock In the morn' ing.

"By order of the Commander-in-Chief of Civita Vecchia. 11 C. de Vandremay Davoust." The operations connected with the commencement of this attack having occupied till the 20th., on that day the proceedings took place which are said to have issued in the overthrow of the city.