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Leader (1850-1860), 2nd June 1855, Edition 2 of 2, Page 3, WAR MISCELLANEA. IloVV \VK WICltIO KNAUL...

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      The War. The Newsrifrom The Crimea This ...

      P ^ ^ a triumph , w hich w e ha v e reason t o e x pec t , w ill be all t he sp eedier , i n a s much as se v eral le tt ers a g re e w ith G e n eral P elissie r's despatch in declaring that theF Russian soldiers are beginning to show in their sorties symptoms of reazation and discouragement . "

      THE RUSSIAN SISTERS OF MERCX . Of the Sisters of Mercy who have left St . Petersburg for the Crimea , ninety-six in all , at least sixty-three are stationed in and about Sebastopol ; of the lat t er number , at least half are in the town itself , and at the different su rgeons ' stations . The letters received in the cap ital from them , and those around them , portray in veryli v el y colours the amount of carnage which the fire of the besiegers causes the Russians . It appears that the wounded are for the most part removed to the north side of the fortress and thence to the interior ; but , from the f requent w ant of means of trans p ort , and , on the other ha n d , from the inexpediency of moving those severely wounded , their numbers in the town become extremely unmanageable . The extreme distance from their sources of supply makes it impossible to convey to the troops , much less to the sick , all the necessaries they require . The article of which there was the least deficiency was tea , so essential to the comfort of a Russian ; but of sugar there was a great lack , so that even the officers were obliged to be allowanced . Leeches cost a silver rouble a piece . The descriptions of the scenes these pious women pass through after every important affair are fearful . That of March 24 th is more particularly mentioned , on which occasion six hundred wounded were brought in for treatment in twenty-four hours . From the number of amputations and other serious operations , in which they assisted the surgeons , they frequently had to stand on a floor some inch or two deep in blood . The v i s it paid by t wo of the ladies , accompanied by a priest , to the Malakhoff Tower , and their celebrating Divine service there under the fire of the enemy , partakes of the romantic . After climbing the hill , and entering the , f or t ress , w here they found the soldiers and sailors assi- d u ously occup ied in returning the incessant fire of the j enemy , they reached the tower , now destroyed , w here , t he deceased K ornileff formerl y had his quarters . After . passing through a casemate occupied by the sailors , they j reached a long , deep , dark corridor , with a row of oaken ^ columns on each side . Here mass was celebrated ; the ^ chants and other sacred songs were not omitted ; all the j necessary paraphernalia was at hand , having been b r oug ht thither from a church that had been destroyed , and , after a sermon from tlie pope , they carried the church vessels in procession round the bastion , with tapers in their hands , the enemy firing all the time ! T hey subsequentl y went out on the ramparts of the fortress and w ere shown t he lune t te , Kamtschatka , and the two chains of sharpshooters opposed to each other , but yet so near that , as the soldiers there say , they might eat their broth out of the same plate . According to all accounts the bullets of our rirles are doing much more havoc than the balls of our cannon . — Times Berlin Corre- spondent .

      A LAMENTABLE MISTAKE . The Daily Neios quotes the following from a private le t ter , dated May l 4 : — " Last night the 18 th Regiment fired on the C 8 th by mistake . The Russians made an attack on the advance batteries , and were repelled by the G 8 th and Rifles ; the Russians returned in a short time with-a reinforcement , again attacked the batteries , and a fearful struggle took place . The reserves were then sent up—the 9 th , 18 th , and 4-lth—and when they got into the advanced trench , both sides were so covered with mud that we could not tell Russians from English ; so the reserve opened fire , but it was unfortunately on tho poor G 8 th . They then charged on them , when they found out their mistake , but not till a good many of the C 8 th had fallen ; however , the Russians had it hot and warm afterwards . Tho poor fellows who arc wounded in advance of the trench aro obliged to Jio thero all day till dark , as tho Russians fire on any of our peopl e who go to bring thorn in . Many ( if tho wounded mig ht recover if brought in , but they lie and bleed to death . Tho Russians make sorties daily and nightly , as , since General Jones came up , we aro pushing the works close up jjto the town ; ho tlie work i . s very hard upon our poor fellows , often being three or four nights without rest . "

      TniC SARDINIAN OONTINOKNTy Tho first detachment of Sardinian troops—a reg iment of Uiiles—landed thin morning ( May !•!) , and took up an oncumpnioiit near Karani , hi tho rear of our Ltalaklava position . Thcso troops aro lino men , and look hard y , energetic , and active- They inarch with tho firm and yot lazy Htcp which marks tho mountaineer , and as they passed along them was a wort of swagger in thoir manner which is goncnil to corps d ' e / ite , or crack corps , and which is hardly unbecoming to them . Our own JLlth Hussars havo it in n high degree , and it in tho distinguishing foaturo in tlie manners of tho Zouavo . Tho dross of tho Piodmontcso liiilos— . which nomo object to an boiug too much brigand fashion—houiuh , for all that , useful mid practical , ami certainly it looks bocoming . It is true- that tholr huts aro rather shocking to oyon accustomed to bearskin oapM and shakos ; but , with our Highland rogiinontH lying l '» H '" front , I do not hoo how wo can object to ibuthors . —Daily JScws Con'cspondtinC .

      ENGLISH AN 3 > RUSSIAN "WORKS . The work of arming our advanced ? batteries continue to be executed with alacrity ami . ! success , a n d i t is sai < that we are about to take the graveyaixL a very -uglj spot near th e Ov ens , which the Russians have for som time oc c up ied and covered' by theirrfiare . " We are now moving all our heavy mortars *—13 inches and 1 O indre * —into the advanced parallels . A shell ; from the enemj fell by chance yesterday on the p latform which had just been laid for one of these large mortars , and utterly destroyed it . In order to give an idea of the magnitude of the labours connected with , laying these : mortars , and of the loss caused by such an incident ; , I may say that the engineers , were four days gettuagi- the roefc levelled for the p latform , that the latter , required two days to lay , and that it weig hed nearl y three tons . There was scarcely a shot fired to-day on either side . The Russians are working vi gorousl y at the north side . They are erecting an earthwork over the Tchernaysa , opposite the eastern angle of the p lateau , under the very eyes of the French battery , and I watch them through my glass from the window of the hut every day , just as if one were looking from One Tree-hill at the pensioners fortifying the mound at Greenwich Observatory . The distance , however , is greater . — Times Correspondent . ¦

      THE IMPENDING CATASTROPHE AT SEBASTOPOL . It is perfectly well known that the Russian naval and military commanders have orders to destroy and retire , as a rule , when unable to meet the forces of the Allies with success . The same will occur at Sebastopol when they are hard pressed . The town will be burnt , the fortifications blown up , and the shipping sunk , as a last resource . If the allied generals have been well informed , we shall not find the garrison of Sebastopol so numerous as is commonly supposed . And the fig h t will not las t long , if we can onl y get at the enemy . The place is mined , and there are Russian special agents in Sebas-; opol , who are supposed to have orders to pay no respect ; ven to their own people , but to fire the mines as soon is there is no longer any chance of resistance . All this s perfectly well known at head-quarters , and will , no loubt , be anticipated . The wretched people who are tow the victims of the paternal government will > e our best friends as soon as we are able to protect hem ; and we shall no doubt find in the Crimea evenuall y anything but a hostile population . —Morning y ost .

      £ *¦ ° c ° ( Extractfrom a Private Letter ?) Balaklava , May 16 , 1855 . THE SARDINIAN CONTINGENT . . . . . This place is becoming as hot as an oven , during the day , in the sun . Troops are pouring in . ; the Sardinians have been landing this week : they are a fine bod y of men , well clothed and well appointed . The officers look gentlemen . England may be proud of her ally . A regiment of Riflemen from the Sardinian Al ps , clothed in dark green , with a black hat , having a plume of dyed cock ' s feathers . The Grenadiers aro clothed in bluish grey , trousers and frock-coat , the cloth fine and good , the make neat , and the fit smart . The fire-arms are rifles , bright barrels , and percussion locks . On march tho officers carry knapsack and blanket , even the Colonel , though on horseback . Like the French , the men carry tents d ' abm \ small affairs , which cover three men in a recumbent posture . These are put up at once in halting , an ( J . serve for a temporary shelter during the night . This contingent , 15 , 000 or 16 " , 000 strong , with cavalry and artillery , is British , and acts under Lord Raglan . The whole are camped around Karani , above tho British cavalry camp . If England must engage foreign troops , 1 wish she may ever secure such as these sent out by Sardinia . There is a look of honesty of purpose about them and their equipments ; the men are healthy , young , and active ; well clothed and admirably armed . Tho horses are lino animals , in first-rato condition . Tho land transport waggons , & , c , aro new , on a capital plan , and al t o g ether tho contingent is all any man could desire .

      TIITS BRITISH CJAVAT , irr . " In saying this I must not be supposed to underrates tho British army , because however much one may praise tho troops of other nations , it only requires a field-day inspection to " turn to one's own love , " and then we know tho " scarlet" will not rotroat . 1 have scon our men out with French and Turks ; infantry , cavalry , and artillery . It Avas a proud sight to mark the dirtbronco—tho British heavy cavalry in battle array , with scarlet coats , brass helmets , and drawn ' swords , form tho finest troops in tho world , and will rido down and over doublo tho number of nny other ' cavalry thoy aro brought against . ' Number for number , thoy would boat most of tho horso regiments out bore , if only armed with foncing-sticIcH . 15 ut you have only to ' soo Englishmen in tho field of actual Avar to noto thoir ' bearing and superiority . '

      TTI 13 nitlTISIf GOVKRNariCNT AND NATION . , "Ah to tho ( joverninont and Cioncraln , 1 i havo no romarkn to offer . If Kngland is to tako part in i any war , nho must seo to it that sho is not mado to play , second or third liddlo , as at pmsont , merely because hIio is miserably represented by limited numbers , JfO , OOO to tho I'Yoneh 120 , 000 for example . If wo aro a ' nation of shopkeepers , ' wo may rost , Hatisllod that them will soon bo no shop to kocp , unlosa wo either refrain from I

      « PM ^ i ^^^^ HBMHHHHHiHHHHBaHMMHMHWMMMHMHHiWMMpi bullying and war , or take a beeonriag position in it . s Better every man in Eng l a nd sho ul d part with half his 1 w eal t h , and ^ support th » power and dignity of tfce r Emp ire , than fritter the strength of the country away i piecemeal as-at present . .... T MR . UPTON . I' " The sale of Mr . Upton ' s effects has just commenced , r in Balaklava . Mr . Up ton is son of t he m a n w ho p lanned and executed the great engineering works of Sebastopol . He goes on parole to England with his family in one 1 of the shi ps of Sir S . M . Peto , and w il l , no doubt , find employment as an engineer . " DESPATCHES FROM LORD RAGLAN . B efore S ebas t opol , May 16 . My L ord , —Since my despatch of the 12 th instant nothing has occurred worthy of being reported to your lordship . T he fire has bee n very slack , and that of the enemy has been directed towards ^ the French works rather than against the English trenches . The remainder of the 12 th Lancers has arrived , and will be disembarked to-day . All our means are devoted to the landing of the Sardinian troops , which the bad weather had prevented on the arrival of the first shi ps * I have found it necessary , in some ins t ances , to la n d artillery horses at Kazatch Bay , to avoid further crowding the harbour of Balaklava . I enclose the return of casualties to the 13 th instant , inclusive . Lhave , & c , Raglan . The Lord Panmure , & c . & c . Casualties . —1 officer , 11 rank and file , killed ; 2 . sergeants , 5 L rank and file , w ound e d ; 1 rank and . file CfcnisstEg . 'W ^ Before Sebastopol , May 13 . ' - 'My L ord , —I do myself the honour to enclose the list of casualties t hat occ u rred bet w een th e 14 t h and 17 t h instant . For the last two days there has been hardly an y fi r ing on either side ; large convoys have come into Sebastopol from the northern side , bu t there has been no move m e nt of importance . The heat has been very oppressive since Wednesday . I deeply regret to have to report that I have just received a letter from General Osten Sacken , in answer to an inquiry I addressed to him on the subject , informing me that C aptai n A rnold , of the 4 th Reg imen t of F oo t , who was wounded and taken prisoner on the night of the 5 th , died on that same night . I have , & c . Raglan . The Lord Panmure , & c . & c . Casualties . —7 rank and file killed ; 1 ser g ean t , 22 rank and file , wounded . Naval Brigade : 2 wounded severely .

      HEALTH OF THE ARMY . REAPPEARANCE OF CHOLERA . The subjoined extract from a return of Dr . Hall to Lord Raglan , touching the sanitary state of the army , discloses the painful fact that our brave soldiers are again threatened with cholera . It must be added , however , that a telegraphic message of a later date announces that the disease is for the present decreasing : — " I regret to say that , since the 12 th instant , spasmodic cholera has considerably increased , and as many as eighteen deaths and fifty-two cases under treatment have been reported within the last twenty-four hours . Hitherto the disease has chiefly attacked new comers , and many of the cases have occurred when the men were either actually in the trenches , or immediately after their return from duty in them . This may have been owing to the combined causes of fatigue and local miasma , but to neither in particular ; for we find that the men of tho B , G , and P batteries , w ho ne v er go into tho trenches nt all , and who aro not overworked , ha v e suffered nearly as much as any others . All tho men attacked in them , with , I boliovo , one exception , had recently arrived in tho Crimea . In the P battery two of tho men attacked had only just landed ; one , I think , had beon about twenty-four and the other thirty-six hours on shore when they wore attacked , and in both the disease followod intemperance . Cholera has made its appearance in the Fourth Division during tho week , mid thirteen cases havo occurred , seven of wln ' oli terminated fatally . Four of tho patients belonged to tho 18 th regiment . "

      | In other respects the health of tho troops is for the most part improving , though tho Hurts and tho -18 th and 71 st regiments have boon severely tried by tlie boggy character of the ground on which they havo been encamped , ind which has beon rendered doubly muddy by tho late . ixcesHivo rains and heavy fogs- A singular surgical case is thus reported by Dr . Jlnll : —¦ " Thoro is ( in interesting caso in tho hospital of tho loft wit-go train , whero tho greater part of tho lower jaw ) ii both nido . i w « h carried away by a cdimon-Hhot . This nwo under tho nblfl and indefatigable caro of Staff-\ HHi ' ntinit-. Sfirgo < m A . M . Taylor , is rapidly proceeding to i euro ; ami , by judiciously drawing tho parts together , be deformity will by no moans bo so considerable afl night Ix ) imagined . Tho man is now walking about ; Hid , though li « as yet requires to bo fod through a tubo , io is ablo to winoko his pipe . "

      June 2, 1855.] Til Leader. 50v 1

      June 2 , 1855 . ] Til LEADER . 50 V 1

      War Miscellanea. Ilovv \Vk Wicltio Knaul...

      WAR MISCELLANEA . IloVV \ VK WICltIO KNAULIdl * TO < 1 KT INTO KlCUTCK . A Iritlsh naval oflicer , whoso uamo has , unfortunately ,

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), June 2, 1855, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_02061855/page/3/