THE RETREAT OF THE AUSTRALIANS.

West Coast Times, Issue 309, 19 September 1866, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE RETREAT OF THE AUSTRALIANS.

Dr Russell tbss describes the Austrian retreat :— "As I hurried out of Koniggi-atz towards evening, the garrison had closed tho gates towards the enemy aud only left an exit for the train towards Hohenmauth. The artillerymen were all at their guns, aud it was not long eVe the reports of the heavy ordinance at the bastions boomed through the air, above the report of the furious cannonade, which was only interrupted by night as the Prussians pressed on the retreating Austrians, and were held in check by the cavalry and the devoted arti'lery. The Austrians were compelled to cross the rivers by the pontodn bridges, at which horse, foot guns -and- trains crowed pell mell together, often under a pelting, pitiless shower of shell'and shrap-" nel, aud even of musketry. There are' dreadful stories coming out- of great uu- 4 known horrors which took place tlyit night' — how pontooa9, laden with' Jiuridredsi, were swept down the river and overturuett with their / shrieking;- helpless cirgoes, weighted with great coats and arms- and cartridges, aud sinking like stones to form a' pavement of dead to the bo.ttom of the sullen stream ; how artillery and horsemen crashed down upon and through the struggling infantry, aud jammed thorn in the narrow roads, und hustled them over the bridges into the pitiless waters ; how men, wading in their terror, were suddenly sucted down in the treacherous holes in marshy inundations, or were swept away in vain attempts to swim across to safety.' But for the timely warding sent up to the tower, I might have had the doubtful excitement of forming involuntarily one of the garrison of Koniggratz, or of getting into" the great crash which took place on the road behind us, and which, judging from what one actually experienced, must have been anythuig- but agreeable. For the first time I caight sight in this retreat *of the rear" of this army and of its camp . - followers, and it is no disparagement to the worthy '■ gentlemen to say, that no one would like to meet one of them in a loansome road on a dark night utiless he haJ his revolver handy, -or was secure in rags and poverty. The trains of waggons, the herds of cattle, the multitude of horses, filling the roads and tbe fields near it, were marvellous to behold. Meu of all arms came pouring in from the right, aud once came in so swiftly and in &ucli panic, that the officer commanding the guard gave orders to bis men to look out for cavalryj and so they trotted along, loading as they ran with their eyes right. Some of the fugitives reported that the left wing had abandoned all its artillery, and waded through inundations ; and it is maintained on all sides that the left was turned before the right, although, as far as I 'could see, the right was turned at least as soon. My view of tbe extreme "left was obstructed by some, woods, but I still think the Prussians who got into Klum came from the right instead of the left, and that the smoke and confusion below tbe slope were so great as to prevent even the generals knowing what occurred." *. The correspondent proceeds to say ;— • " Was it pity which stayed the hand of the pursuer? Was it that he had won his field so dearly that he cared not to follow, and could not convert a retreat into a debacle ? A slight shove would have done it "all. It was not till our escort reached Hohenmauth, at 3.30 a.mV next morning, that all. apprehension of a swift pursuit passed asvay ; and, although there were guns in hundreds, aad cavalry in'thou- ' sands on the road by this'time, I scarcely think they were in a 'state to present 1 a formidable front to #an enterprising enemy." . ' ' The same correspondent, writing from Vienna on the 7th, describes the scene at the station there when the train arrived from Brunn !— " The terminus presumed a most painful scene. It was thronged with weeping women, agonised parents, and relatives" and friends awaiting the arrival o? the wounded, and the expression of {heir faces as they ran looking into the carriages ivas agonising, Then when some (Jear object was recognised, with head bound up in discolored bantlages, or was lifted out without a leg or arm, there came a wail of anguish, and each little group surrounded its own and bore him away. Litters and straw beds and couches lined the walk of the station^ .' Have yotf" had many wounded to-day ?' ' Many I' exclaimed the porter, ' why,' all Vienna will be unable to hold them soon. There were more than a thousand came hi this afternoon, and that's nothing.' Vienna through her streets is an early city, but as I drove along there j were lights in many, a window late 6s it was, and if one could have looked within he would have no doubt beheld scenes almost as dreadful as those of the battle, and have seen where the soldier, paved from the hasty grave on the field of honor, was passing away amid breaking hearts that would not be consoled by reflecting that he had died for his country, and that their care and affection'had smoothed bis pillow and deprived death of his terrors." The correspondent thinks that the Austrian losses, including prisoners, amount to 25,000, and the loss of guns, from' 150 to 180, though it would not astonish him to hear it was more, Marshal B'enedek's means he considers were not The battle was not unexpected,' and the position was favorable. Benedek spent the previous day in arranging for the battie, but bis plans were only communicated to his chi f of the staff, Count Hemchsteiri, who is now deprived of command,' and if General Benedek had fallen' in the moment of victory it is very likely his geuerals would not have known how he intended to use it. "So people say, at all events. But, oddly enough, we are always hearing

jn camp of generals betraying secj-u to the enemy, and the fear of treason is epidemic.',