A
still more important event is the presence of Baron Ricasoli, whom I met
yesterday evening on coming here. The President of the Council was coming
from Florence, and, after stopping a few hours at the villa of Cicognolo,
where Victor Emmanuel and the royal household are staying, he drove to
Torre Malamberti to confer with General Lamarmora and Count Pettiti. The
presence of the baron at headquarters is too important an incident to be
overlooked by people whose business is that of watching the course of
events in this country. And it should be borne in mind that on his way to
headquarters Baron Ricasoli stopped a few hours at Bologna, where he had
a long interview with Cialdini. Nor is this all; for the most important
fact I have to report to-day is, that whilst I am writing (five o'clock
a.m.) three corps of the Italian army are crossing the Oglio at different
points--all three acting together and ready for any occurrence. This
reconnaissance en force may, as you see, be turned into a regular battle
should the Austrians have crossed the Mincio with the main body of their
army during the course of last night.
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