twelve p.m. of the 23rd of June
CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE SEAT OF WAR IN ITALY LETTERS WRITTEN TO THE MORNING POST FROM THE SEAT OF WAR IN ITALY FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT FERRARA , June 22 , 1866 . Before this letter reaches London the guns will have awakened both the echo of the old river Po and the classical Mincio . The whole of the troops , about 110,000 men , with which Cialdini intends to force the passage of the first-named river are already massed along the right bank of the Po , anxiously waiting that the last hour of to-morrow should strike , and that the order for action should be given . The telegraph will have already informed your readers that , according to the intimation sent by General Lamarmora on Tuesday evening to the Austrian headquarters , the three days fixed by the general 's message before beginning hostilities will expire at twelve p.m. of the 23rd of June . Cialdini 's headquarters have been established in this city since Wednesday morning , and the famous general , in whom the fourth corps he commands , and the whole of the nation , has so much confidence , has concentrated the whole of his forces within a comparatively narrow compass , and is ready for action . I believe therefore that by to-morrow the right bank of the Po will be connected with the mainland of the Polesine by several pontoon bridges , which will enable Cialdini 's corps d'armee to cross the river , and , as everybody here hopes , to cross it in spite of any defence the Austrians may make . On my way to this ancient city last evening I met General Cadogan and two superior Prussian officers , who by this time must have joined Victor Emmanuel 's headquarters at Cremona ; if not , they have been by this time transferred elsewhere , more on the front , towards the line of the Mincio , on which , according to appearance , the first , second , and third Italian corps d'armee seem destined to operate .