Fought June 24, 1859, between 150,000 Austrians, under the Emperor Francis Joseph, with Generals Wimpffen and Scholick in actual command, and the French and Piedmontese, under Napoleon III and Victor Emmanuel. The French attacked the Austrian position on the heights round Solferino, which were held by Scholick, and after very hard fighting, they were captured by the corps of Macmahon and Baraguay d’Hilliers. Meanwhile Wimpffen, with three Army Corps, attacked the French left, but was held at bay throughout the day by Marshal Niel’s corps, and when night fell, the Austrian centre being broken, Francis Joseph had no option but to retreat, and consequently recrossed the Mincio. The Austrians lost 22,000 killed, wounded and missing. The allies’ losses were 18,000, of which number the Piedmontese corps of 25,000 lost 4,000. Solway Moss (Scottish Wars). Fought December 14, 1542, between the Scottish invading army, under Oliver Sinclair, and a band of 500 English borderers, under Thomas Dacre and John Musgrave. The Scots were totally defeated, and many important nobles captured. Somnauth (Mahmud’s Twelfth Invasion of India). This city, one of the holy places of India, was captured by the Afghans, under Sultan Mahmud of Ghuzni, in 1024. According to tradition, he carried off the great gates of the city to Ghuzni; and certain gates purporting to be the same, but which afterwards proved to be of later date, were brought back to India with a flourish of trumpets, after the capture of Ghuzni by the British in 1842. Son-Tai (Tongking War). This fortress, defended by a garrison of 25,000 Chinese, including 10,000 “Black Flags,” under Lin Yung Ku, was attacked by the French, under Admiral Courbet, with 7 river gun-boats and force of 7,000 men, December 14, 1883. On this day the outer defences were carried, and the garrison driven into the citadel. During the night the French were surprised by a sortie, which however they repulsed, after severe fighting. On the 16th they stormed the citadel, losing in the three days 92 officers and 318 men killed and wounded. The Chinese lost about 1,000. Sorata (Inca Rising). This city was besieged, 1780, by the revolted Peruvians, under Andrés, the last of the Incas. The fortifications, well provided with artillery, proved impregnable, but Andrés diverted certain mountain torrents against the walls, and thus opened a large breach, through which the Peruvians entered the city, and massacred the whole of the garrison and inhabitants. Of 20,000 souls, it is said that only one priest escaped. South Mountain (American Civil War).