The losses of the French in the battle amounted to 12,000 killed and wounded of non-commissioned officers and soldiers; 150 commissioned officers were killed and 570 wounded; 7 colonels and 6 lieutenant-colonels were killed, and among the wounded there were the Generals L'Admirault, Forey, Auger, Dieu, and Douay. The Sardinian army had 5,525 killed, wounded, and missing, of which 642 were killed. Of Sardinian officers killed there were 49, and 167 officers were wounded. The Sardinian army captured five pieces of cannon; the French took thirty pieces of cannon, four flags, and 6,000 prisoners. The Austrian losses were said to be 20,000 killed and wounded, including 630 officers, while the prisoners, missing, and stragglers were fully 10,000 more. The Austrians retired beyond the Mincio and took up their position under the shelter of their great quadrilateral of fortesses, where it was considered doubtful if the French would be able to contend with them successfully.
There was a pause in hostilities after the battle. Three days were required for burying the dead who fell in the conflict, but it was fully a week before the peasantry of the country, who had been summoned for the work, had buried or burned the carcases of the cavalry and artillery horses that strewed the ground for long distances. Negotiations for an armistice were begun immediately, and on the 6th July it was agreed upon. On the 11th of the same month the two emperors met at Villafranca and signed the preliminaries of peace. It was stipulated that Lombardy, with the exception of the fortresses of Mantua and Peschiera, should be ceded to Sardinia; Venetia was to remain in possession of Austria; the restoration of the Grand Duke of Tuscany and the Duke of Modena were stipulated; and an Italian confederation was proposed to be formed.
The defeat of the Austrians at Solferino was the foundation of the united Italy of later days. Within less than a
