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    1108 THE LEADER. ^Saturday,

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    Mr. ' Russell's (Timed' Correspondent) A...

    was evident that a larger force than the Russians employed would have forced him to retire from his ground , or to fight a battle in defence of it -with the aid of the other divisions of the army ; and yet nothing -was done . No effort was made to intrench the lines , to cast up a single shovel of earth , to cut down the brushwood , or fbnn an abattis . It was thought " not to be necessary . " A heavy responsibility rests on those -whose neglect enabled the enemy to attack us where ire were least prepared for it , and whose indifference led them to despise precautions which , taken in time , might have saved us many valuable lives , and have trebled the loss of the enemy liad they "been bold enough to have assaulted ¦ us behind intrenchments . We have nothing to rejoice

    over in the battle of Inkerman . We have defeated the enemy , indeed , but have not advanced a step nearer towards the citadel of Sebastopol . We have abashed , humiliated , and utterly routed an enemy strong in number , in fanaticism , and in . dogged resolute courage , and animated by the presence of a son of him whom they believe to be God's vicegerent on earth ; but we have suffered a fearful loss , and -we are not in a position to part with one man . England must give us men . She must be prodigal of her sons , as she is of her money and of her ships , and as they have been of their lives in her service . It was a little after five o'clock this morning when Brigadier-General Codrington , in accordance with his usual habit , visited the outlying pickets of his own

    brigade of the Light Division . It was reported to him . that . " all -was well , " and the General entered into some conversation with Captain Pretyman , of the 33 rd Regiment , who was on duty on the ground , in the course of "which it was remarked that it / would not be at all surprising if the Russians availed themselves of the gloom of the morning to make an attack on our position , calculating on , the effects of the rain in disarming our vigilance and spoiling our weapons . The Brigadier , who has proved a most excellent , cool , and brave officer , turned his pony round , at last , and retraced his steps through the brushwood towards his lines . He had only proceeded a few paces when a sharp rattle of musketry tras heard down the hill and on the left of the pickets of the

    Light Division . It was here that the pickets of the Second Division were stationed . General Codrington at once turned bis horse ' s head in the direction of the firing , and in a few minutes gallopped back to turn out his division . The Russians were advancing in force upon us ! Their grey greatcoats rendered them almost invisible even when close at hand . The pickets of the Second Division had scarcely made out the advancing lines of infantry who -were clambering up the steep sides of the hill through a drizzling shower of rain , ere they were forced to retreat by a close sharp volley of musketry , and were driven up towards the brow of the hill , contesting every step of it , and firing , as long ; as they had a round of ammunition , on the Russian advance .

    The pickets of the Light Division were assailed soon afterwards , and were also obliged to retreat and fall back on their main body , and it was evident that a very strong sortie had been made upon the right of the position of the allied armies , with the object of forcing them to raise the siege , and , if possible , of driving them into the sea . About the same time that the advance of the Russians on pur right flank took place , a demonstration was made by the cavalry , artillery , and a few infantry , in the valley against Balaklava , to divert the attention of the French on the heights above , and to occupy the Highland Brigade and Marines ; but only an interchange of a few harmless rounds of cannon and musketry took place , and the enomv contented

    themselves with drawing up their cavalry in order of battle , supported by field artillery , at the neck of the valley , in readiness to sweep over the heights and cut our retreating troops to pieces should the assault on our right bo suece 33 ful . A Semaphore post had been erected on the heights over Inkerman , in communication with another on the hill over their position , from which the intelligence of our defeat "was to be conveyed to the cavalry general , and the news would have been made known in Scbastopol by similar moans , in order to encourage the garrison to a general sortie along their front . A steamer with very heavy hIicII guns and mortars was sont up by night to the head of the eveck at Inkormnn , caused much injury throughout the day by the enormous shells she pitched right over tho hill upon our men . Everything that could bo done to bind

    victory to tUoir eagles—if they hiwo any —> vnB done by the Hussion generals . The prosonco of their Grand Duko Michael Nicholaovitch , who told thorn that tho Czar had issued orders that ovory Frenchman nnd Englishman waa to bo driven into tho soa oro the year closed , cheered tho common soldiers , who regard tho son of tho Emperor as an incarnation of tho Divine Prceonco . They had abundance of a coarser and more material stimulant , which was found in their onntouns « nd flasks ; ' and , above nil , tho priests of the Gr « ok Catholic Church " blessed" thorn oro they wont forth \ ipon thoir mission , and assured thorn of tho aid nnd protection of tho Most High . A . inasH was wild for tho army , and tho joys of Heaven wore- frcoly ottered to thoso who might fall in tho holy flght , and tho favours of tho Kmporor wero largely promised to thoso who might survive tho bullets of a heretical enemy .

    The men in our camps had just begun a Htrugglo with the rain in ondouvouriug to light their fires for broakfuat when , th < j alarm was ( rivon that tho Russians ii

    ¦ were advancing in force . Brigadier-General Pennefather , to whom the illness of Sir De Lacy Evans had given for the time the command of the 2 nd Division , at once got the troops under arms . One brigade under Brigadier-General Adams , consisting of the 41 st , 47 th , and 49 th Regiments , was pushed on to the brow of the hill to check the advance of the enemy by the road through the brushwood from the valley . The other brigade ( Pennefather's own ) consisting of the 30 th , 55 th , and 95 th Regiments , were led to operate on . their flank . Thev were at once met

    with a tremendous fire of shell and round shot from guns wMch the enemy had posted on the high grounds , in advance of our right , and it was soon found that the Russians had brought up at least 40 pieces of heavy artillery to bear upon us . Meantime , the alarm had spread through the camps . Sir George Cathcart with the greatest promptitude turned out as many of his division as were not employed in the trenches , and led the portions of the 20 th , 21 st , 46 th , 57 th , 63 d , and 68 th Regiments , which were available against the enemy , directing them to the left of the ground occupied by the column of the 2 d Division . It was intended that one

    brigade , under Brigadier-General Ton-ens , should move in support of the brigade under Brigadier-General Goldie ; but it was soon found that the enemy were in such strength that the whole force of the division , which consisted of only 2 , 200 men , must be vigorously used to repel them . Sir George Brown had rushed up to the front with his brave fellows of the Light Division—the remnants of the 7 th Fusiliers , of the 19 th Regiment , of the 23 d Regiment , of the 33 d Regiment , and the 77 th and the 88 th . Regiments , under Brigadiers Codrington and Buller . As they began to move across the ground of the 2 nd Division , they were at once brought under fire by an unseen enemy . The gloomy

    character of the morning was unchanged . Showers of rain fell through the fogs , and turned the ground into a clammy soil , like a freshly-ploughed field , and the Russians , who had , no doubt , taken the bearings of the ground ere they placed their guns , fired at random , indeed , but with too much effect on our advancing ; columns . While all the army was thus in motion , the Duke of Cambridge was not behind hand in bringing up the Guards under Brigadier Bentinck- ^ -all of his division now left with him , as the Highlanders are under Sir Colin . Campbell at Balaklava . These splendid troops with the greatest rapidity and ardour rushed to the front on the right of the Second Division , and gained the summit of the hills towards which two columns of the

    Russians were struggling in the closest order of which the nature - of the ground would admit . The Third Division , under Sir R . England , was also got under arms as a reserve , and one portion of it , comprising the 50 th , part of the 28 th and of the 4 th Regiments , were engaged with the enemy ere the fight was over . And now commenced the bloodiest struggle ever witnessed since war cursed the earth . It has been doubted by military historians if any enemy have ever stood a charge with the bayonet , but here the bayonet was often the only weapon employed in conflicts of the most obstinate and deadly character . We have been prone to believe that no foe could ever withstand the British soldier wielding his favourite weapon , and that at

    Maida alone did the enemy ever cross bayonets with him , but at the battle of Inkerman not only did "we charge in vain—not only were desperate encounters between masses of men maintained with the bayonet alone—but ¦ we were obliged to resist bayonet to bayonet tho Russian infantry again and again , as they charged ua with incredible fury and determination . Tho battle of Inkermann admits of no description . It was a scries of dreadful deeds of daring , of sanguinary hand-to-hand fights ,. of despairing rallies , of desperate assaults — in glens and valleys , in brushwood gladea and remote dells , hidden from all human oyes , and from which tho conquerors , Russian or British , issued only to engage fresh foes , till our old supremacy

    , so rudely assailed , was triumphantly assorted , and tho battalions of tho Czar gave way before our steady courage and the chivalrous fire of France . No one , however placed , could have witnessed even a small portion of tho doinga of this eventful day—for the vapours , fog , and drizzling mist obsourcd tho ground where the struggle took place to such on extent ns to render it impossible to see what was going on at tho ( Ustnnco of a few yards . Besides this , tho irregular nature of tho ground , tho rapid fall of the hill towards Inkormnn , where tho deadliest ilght took place , would hnvo prevented ono under tho most favourable circumstances scoing more than a very insignificant ami < letnllod pieco of tho terrible work bcloiv . It was six

    o clock when all tho Iloiul-, < uiartor camp was rouscc by roll after roll of musketry on tho right , and by tho Hharp report , of field gunti . Lord Raglan was informed that tho enomy woro advancing , in force , and soon after woven o ' clock ho rodo towards tho hcoiio of notion , followed by hiB staff , nnd accompanied by Sir John Kurgoyno , BrigacUor-Gonexal StrangwayH , U . A ., and several aides-do-cam p . Ah thoy approached , tho volume of sound , tlio steady , unceasing thunder of gun , nnd riflo , and muskot , told that tho engagement wan at itti hei ght . Tho shell of tho RuasintiH , thrown with groat precision , burst so thickly among tho troops , that tlio noiao rosembled continuous dittohargoH of cannon , and tho massive fragments inflicted death on every eido .

    One of the first things the Russians did , when a break in of the fog enabled them to see the camp of the Second Division , -was to open fire on the tents with round shot and large shell , and tent afteT tent -was blown down , torn to pieces , or sent into the air , while the men engaged in camp duties , and the unhappy horses tethered up in the lines were killed or mutilated . Colonel Gambier -was at once ordered to get un two heavy guns ( 18-ponnders ) on the rising ground , and to reply to a fire which our light guns were utterl y inadequate to meet . As he was engaged in this duty , and was exerting himself with Captain Daguilar to urge them forward , Colonel Gambier was . severely but not dangerously wounded , and was obliged to retire . His place was taken by Lieutenant-Colonel Dickson , and the

    conduct of that officer in directing the fire of those two pieces , which had the most marked effect in deciding the fate of the day , was such as to elicit the admiration of the army , and deserve the thanks of every man engaged in that bloody fray . But long ere these guns had been brought up there had been a great slaughter of the enemy , and a heavy loss of our own men . Our generals could not see where to go . They could not tell where the enemy were—from what side they were coming , and where going to . In darkness , gloom , and rain they had to lead our lines through thick scrubby bushes and thorny brakes , which broke our ranks and irritated the men , while every pace was marked by a corpse or man wounded by an enemy whose position was only indicated by the rattle of musketry and the rush of ball and shell .

    Sir George Cathcart , seeing his men disordered by the fire of a large column of Russian infantry which was outflanking them , while portions of the various regiments composing his division were maintaining an unequal struggle with an overwhelming force , rode down into the Tavine in . which they were engaged , to rally them . He perceived at the same time that the Russians had actually gained possession of a portion of the hill in rear of one flank of his division , but still his stout heart never failed him for a moment . He rode at their head encouraging them , and when a cry arose that the ammunition -waa failing , he said coolly , " Have you not got your bayonets ? " As he led on his men it was -observed that another body of men had gamed the top

    of the hill behind them on the right , but it was impossible to tell whether they were friends or foes . A deadly volley was poured into our scattered regiments . Sir George cheered them and led them back up the hill , but a flight of bullets passed where he rode , and he fell from his horse close to the Russian columns . The men had to fight their way through a host of enemies , and lost fearfully . They were surrounded and bayoneted on all sides , and won their desperate way up the hill , -svith diminished ranks , and the loss of near 500 men . Sir George Cathcart ' s body was afterwards recovered with a bullet wound in the head and three bayonet wounds in the body . In this struggle ,

    where the Russit ns fought Avith the greatest ferocity , and bayoneted the wounded as they fell , Colonel Swyny , of the 63 rd , a most gallant officer , Lieutenant Dowling , 20 th , Major Wynne , 68 th , and other officers whose names will be found in the Gazette , met their death , and Brigadier Goldio ( of the 57 th Regiment ) received the wounds of which ho has since died . The conflict on tho right was equally uncertain and equally bloody . In tho Light Division , tho 88 th got bo far into the front that they wero surrounded and put into utter confusion , when four companies of the 77 th under Major Straton charged tho Russians , broke them , and relieved their comrades . The fight had not long commenced ero it was evident that tho Russians had received orders to fire at all

    mounted oflicora . Sir George Brown was struck by a shot , which -went through his arm and struck his side . I saw 'with , regret his palo and sternly composed face , as his body wna borne by me on a litter curly in tho day , his whito hair flickering in tho breeze , for I knew "we had lost tho services of a good soldier that day . Further to tho right a contest , tho like of which , perhaps , never took plnco before , was going on between tho Guards and dense columns of Russian infantry of flvo times thoir number , Tho Guards hud charged them and driven them back , when thoy perceived that tho Rwwians had outflanked them .

    Thoy -wore out of ammunition too . They woro uncertain whothor there "woro friends or foes in tho roar . Thoy had no . support ,, no reserve , and they wore lighting with tho bayonet ngainut , an enemy who stoutly contested every inch of ground , -when tho corps of another Russian column appeared on thoir right far in thoir rear . Then a fourfnl mUrailln was poured into thorn , and volleys of riflo nnd musketry . Tho Guard . i wero broken ; thoy had lost ; 12 officora ( lend in tho Held ; they had loft onehalf of thoir number on tho ground , nnd thoy retired along tho lower road of tho valley . But they woro aoon reinforced , and Iliey tqicedlly uven / rcd their loss .

    Tho French mivunca about ten o ' clock turned tho flunk of thu enemy . Thoy retired nt 1 . 40 , with a lost ) of 900 O killed and wounded . About hulf-pnut nine o ' clock , Lord Raglan and hia start" wero aHHcmblod on a knoll , in tho vain hopo of getting a glimpse of tho battle wblob wuh raging below thorn . Hero General StrnngwnyH wun mortally woundml , nnd 1 nm told that ; ho mot Mb doath in tho following way : —A flholl came right in among the fltnfl— it oxpludcd in Captain tSoxnorwot ' a horwo , ripping him open ; «

    1108 The Leader. ^Saturday,

    1108 THE LEADER . ^ Saturday ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 25, 1854, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_25111854/page/4/