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    Sm^mBmm^m^^ thb mabhb. 937

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    Tjbee War. The Detailed Accounts Of The ...

    Heaven mingled -with -th ? flames f «» m *™ 8 Sel ^ Sto roisBes . The torrent Of water , how--SS ?^ E ^ 2 ? 3 k- # enough to put out the yet Sg ^ onflagration , which c ontinued to burn for ' ' •^ SSSSSE ^ wiai dated the 20 th , and published in the Inde pendence Beige , gives some particulars of the operations of the Allies after they had established' themselves in Sebastopol : — "According to the last accounts from Sebastopol a portion of the allied army was engaged in sorting the ammunition and materiel found in the city , and reestablishing the circulation through the principal streets , which -was intercepted by barricades . General Herbillon-appointed governor of the place , was , preparing a

    , report on the state of the conquered works . Other parties were removing the-siege guns on board the fleet . The , main body of the army is stationed on the heights of theTchernaya , which the Russians attempted to carry on the 16 th of August . Equal activity was observable in the Russian camp . The position of . Prince Gortschakoff is . very strong , and the capture of the hills , defended by his troops , would cost the Allies as much blood as the storming of Sebastopol . His cavalry , which has not seen fire since the opening of the campaign , and is far superior in number to that of the Allies , occupies the plain of Simpheropol . Letters from Odessa state that convoys of provisions are constantly forwarded ¦ to the Russian camp , via Perekop . "

    According to a despatch from Sebastopol , dated the 16 th , the Russians were fortifying the north part , and . constructing new batteries . The . French wece advancing cavalry and , columns of infantry towards Baktchi-Serai by the Baidarroad . There is a xumour that Sebastopol is to be nazecj , and : the basins to be filled up ; but this must be received with doubt . On the 17 th it was reported that the Russians were throwing shells into the town from Fort Gonstantine . Admiral Pamphiloff is reported to he killed ; but a rumour to the effect that Osten Sacken had blown his brains out is not confirmed . Marshal Pelissier , writing on the 19 th , says : —

    " Out of the 4000 pieces of artillery found at Sebastopol , 50 at least are in bronze . Others were thrown into the . port at the moment of the retreat ; I shall have them sought for . We have already taken 200 , 000 kilogrammes ¦ of gunpowder from the place , and more has been found . The number of projectiles will exceed 100 , 000 . " The Presse d'Orient states that the Russians have destroyed all the forts and bastions south of the roadstead , including Forts St . Paul and Nicholas . Fort Alexander blew up , and Fort Quarantine was set fire to .

    General Gortschakoff , on the 23 rd , reported that a reinforcement of 20 , 000 troops of the Allies had landed at Eupatoria , and that the division there , raised to a strength of 30 , 000 men , had attacked the Russian infantry , which retreated over the heights ofRusta . It would seem , therefore , that the Allies are bent upon following up their victory , instead of sitting still and speculating . The Turks have made a successful sortie at Kars . It is also stated—though this , perhaps , is only another , version of the same fact—that the Russians

    attacked Kars in two columns ; and that they were repulsed , and left several hundreds of dead on the field . The place , however , is still invested , and various accounts are given of the state of the garriaon / with respect to provisions , some alleging that there is : a plentiful supply , others that the soldiers are reduced to eating horseflesh . At Erzeroum , cholera has broken out , and M . de Castaing , the French consul there , has fallen a victim . It is now said that the Asiatic army is to ho made up to 80 , 000 men . The Anglo-Turkish Contingent will go to TrebiEfxnd , and be placed under the command of Omar Pacha . A despatch from that city , of September Cth , says that the Russians have abandoned the neighbourhood of 35 rzeroum , and are at Malagu-, Ieiman . From , Constantinople , vid Trieste , wo hear that the Turkish troops intended for Asia have been sent to Eupatoria .

    THE FALL OF SOUTH SEVASTOPOL . THIS FIU 2 NCH Ol'KRATIONS . The attack of tho French ou tho memorable 8 th of ( September is described at grout length in the despatches of Murahul Polissior , and of Gonoral Niol , of the Engineers . Wo append tho mont interesting passages . The following paragraphs aro from General Niol ' s report : — " Near tho fortifications of tho town , our trenches had arrived within 40 metres of tho Central Bastion ( No . f > of tho liusaiana ) , and within i ! 0 of tho Flagstaff' Bastion ( No , 4 ) . Near tho faubourg of Karabcluaiii , tho English , urceutod by tho diflioultioH of tho ground , and by tho lire of the ; enemy ' s nrlillory , could not approach closer than within 200 metres of tho Groat Rodun ( No . 8 ) , on which- their approaches wore directed

    The fort of Maliikhofl' is « 50 metres in length , and 100 inotrou in width ; ltn parapotu aro 18 foot above tho ground , and in front of them in a ditch which , at tho point of our attacks , in six , metres deep and seven wide . Tho flrat was armed with 02 piocoa of cannon of variouw

    calibre . : In the Tront part , surrounded" by the parapet , is the Malakhoff Tower , of which the Russians only kept the ground floor , which-is loopboled . In the interior of the-works the'Russians < bave raised -a multitude of traverses , beneath which are excellent blinds , where ± he garrison found shelter and bed-places arranged in two tiers on each side . A . Russian engineer officer who has been made prisoner , estimates at 2500 men the garrison of the fort Of Malakhoff , of which I have thought it my duty to give you a description , in order that you may judge of the difficulties which our soldiers'have had to surmount .

    " The front of the Malakhoff , whichis l © 00 yards in lengthy terminates on our left by « tfce Malakhoff Fort , and on our right by the Redan of the Careening Port . This latter work , which at the ¦ commencement of the siege was only a , simple Redan , has been by degrees transformed into a strongly armed redoubt . iThe outer fronts of the two redoubts of Malakhoff and the Careening Port were united by a curtain armed with 16 guns , and in the rear of that enclosure the Russians had raised a second , which was united to the two redoubts . This

    second enclosure , already partly armed , had not any ditch which could prevent any-serious obstacle . As to the ditch of the first curtain and of the 1 Redan of the Careening Port , the rocky nature of the ground had prevented the Russians from digging it everywhere of an equal depth , and on several points it could be crossed without any serious difficulty . In order to cross those ditches , which were very deep , we had invented a > kind of bridge , which could be thrown across in less than a minute by an ingenious manoeuvre , in which our -men had been exercised , and these bridges were very- useful

    us . . . . . " The front of the Malakhoff was to be attacked by three columns—that of the left , commande d by General M'Mahon , marching directly on the fort by the front opposite to us , was to take possession of it , and hold it at any cost ; that of the right , under General Dulac , was to march on the Redan of the Careening Port , to occupy it , and to detach a brigade on its left , in order to turn the second enclosure ; and that of the centre , under General La Motterouge , leaving the 6 th parallel , having more ground to go over , was to carry the curtain , afterwards advance on the second , enclosure , and send one of its brigades to the assistance of the -first column , if it should not have yet-obtained possession of the Malakhoff Fort . "

    After stating that the troops of the Imperial Guard were given as a reserve to the Second Corps , and describing other arrangements for throwing bridges over the ditches , discovering mines , and , on taking the fort , opening passages in the rear for the arrival of other troops and artillery , General Niel proceeds : — " In the attack on the town , in order to avoid the obstacles accumulated by the enemy at the salient of the Flagstaff Battery , it had been decided that the principal assault should be made on the Central Bastion , between

    its salient and the lunette on the left ; that the column of assault , as soon as it had established itself in the Central Bastion , should detach a part of its force towards the gorge of the Flagstaff Bastion , the right front of which would be then assailed by a Sardinian Brigade , which had come to take part in the operations of the 1 st Corps , Gen . Dalesme , commanding the engineers of the 1 st Corps , had made arrangements for the attacks on the town , similar to those which I have just indicated for the attaoks on the faubourg of the Karabelnaia .

    " At 8 o ' clock on . the morning of the 8 th , , each containing 100 kilogrammes of powder , were sprung near the Central Bastion . The explosion took place in the middle of the bastion , and appeared to cause considerable disorder . At the same hour we fired , in advance of our approaches on tho Malakhoff Fort , three chambers , charged together with 1500 kilogrammes of powder , in order to break tho lower galleries of the Russian miners , and to tranquilliso our soldiers , who were massed in tho trenches , under which , according to tho accounts of desorters , all the ground was mined .

    • ' At noon precisely , our soldiers rushed forward on tho Malakhoff from our advanced place d ' armea . They crossed tho ditches with surprising agility , and climbing on the parapets , attacked tho enemy to the cry of Vive VJSmperew V At tho Fort of Malakhoff , tho elopes on tho inside being very high , tho first who arrivod stopped for a moment , in order to form , and then mounted on tho parapet , and leaped into tho -work . The contest which had commenced by niuaket-shots was continued with tho bayonet , with tho butt ouda , and stonoa ; the Russian artillerymen mado uso of their raimuera as weapons , but thoy wore ovorywhere killed , taken prinonors , or driven off , and in a quartor of an hour tho French flag was floating on the conquered redoubt . 'The Kedan of tho Careening Port had also boon curried-after a very Kovoro struggle , and tho centre column -had arrived as far an tho sooond enclosure . We had everywhere tnkon poHsvHftion of the 'Works attnolcail . "

    " At tho front of tho MalokhofF , ' tho Russians nuulo groat efforts to reconquer tho works which had boon takon from them . Returning' on the Redan with numorouB columns , Hupportcd by Hold artillery , they Hiiocoodod in retaking it , and in forcing uh to abandon tho second lino of fortifications ; but tho flrat column ? of attack , supported by tho Imperial Guard , remained iuunovablo bohind tho oxtorior wlopo of tho firnt lino . Sovoral attacks wore uleo attempted against tho

    Malakhoff . The dead bodies - of < the enemy became heaped' np in front of the gorge : but the first division remained perfectly firm , and at the close of tiie 'daytccwere maBtets of the-citadel . " Respecting the desperate efforts of the Russians * to retake the Malakhoff , Marshal Pelissier writes : — Formed m deep columns , they thrice assaulted the gorge of the work , and-then were forced to retire wifli immense loss before the solidity of our troops . " Of the struggle at the Little Redan , we -read in the same despatch : — " Three times did the . Dulac and De la divisions

    Motterouge take possession of the Redan and the curtain , and three times were they obliged to retire before a horrible fire of artillery and the deep masses that they found opposing them , when the two field batteries in reserve at the Lancaster Battery came down , crossed the trenches , and , boldl y taking up a position within half-gunshot , succeeded in driving back the enemy ' s columns and the steamship . A portion of- these two divisions , supported in their heroic struggle ¦ by the troops of the guard , which was covered with glory on this occasion , established itself all along the left of the curtain , whence it would not be driven by the enemy . "

    General' Pelissier thus sums-up his losses : —" Our losses on this day are—5 generals killed , 4 wounded , and 6 with , contusions ; 24 superior officers killed , 20 wounded , 2 missing ; 116 subaltern officers killed , 224 wounded , 8 missing ; and 1489 non-commissioned officers and men killed , 4259 wounded , and 1400 missing ; t otal , 7551 . " At the conclusion of his-repert ,- General Niel gives the following interesting particulars of the Titanic efforts of the siege : —"/ Thus has-ended this memorable siege , in which the means of defence and- those of attack assumed

    colossal proportions . The Russians had more than 8 f t 0 guns mounted , and a garrison the force and composition of which they could- vary at pleasure . 'After the immense quantity of projectiles they expended upon us it is surprising to see that they were still abundantly provisioned , and I have reason to believe that they have left more than 1500 guns in the place . The besieging army had about 700 guns in battery during the various attacks , and upwards of 1 , 600 , 000 shots were fired . Our approaches , which were in many cases cut through the rock by means of gunpowder , had an extent of upwards of eighty kilometres ( fifty miles English ) . We em ployed 80 , 000 gabions , 60 , 000 fascines , and nearly l , 000 , 00 P fiand-bage . "

    THE BSf & IilSH ATTACK ON THE 6 BEAT KEDAN . The annexed is the account given by the Times Correspondent : — " The cavalry sentries were posted at 8 . 30 . At- 10 . 30 , the Second Division and the Light Division moved down to the trenches , and were placed in the advanced parallels as quietly and unostentatiously as possible . About the same hour , General Simpson and staff moved down to the second parallel of the Greenhill Battery . Sir . JIarry Jones , too ill to move hand or foot , nevertheless insisted on being carried . down to witness the assault , and was borne to the parallel on a litter , in

    which he remained till all was over . Tt was a bitterly cold day , and a stranger would have been astonished at the aspect of the British Generals as they viewed the assault . The Commandcr-in-Ghief , General Simpson , sat in the trench , with his nose . and eyes just facing the cold and dust , and his cloak dr . awn up over his head to protect him against both . General Jones wore a red nightcap , and reclined on his litter ; and Sir Richard Airey , the Quartermaster-General , had a-white pocket-handkerchief tied over his cap and ears , which detracted somewhat frorii a martial and belligerent aapect

    " The divisional orders for the Second Division were very much the same as those for the Light Division . The covering party consisted of 100 men of the 3 rd Buffs , under Captain John Lewes , who highly distinguished himself , and 100 men of the Second Battalion of the Rjflo Brigade , I believe under tho command of poor Captain Hammond . The scaling-ladder party consisted of 160 of the 8 rd Buffa , under Captain Maude , whose gallantry was very conspicuous throughout the affair , in addition to the 160 of the 97 ; th , un ^ or tho gallant and lamented Welsford . Tho . part Of tho force of the Second Division consisted of 260 of tho Qrd Buffs , 800 of the 41 st ( Welsh ) , 200 of tho « 2 nd , and a working party of 100 men of the 41 st . Tho rest of Wiudham ' s Brigade ,

    consisting of tl \ c 47 th and 49 th , wpro . in reserve , together with Warren ' s Brigade of the aapio division , of which the flOtli and 66 th wore called into action , and Buffered severely- Brigadier Shirley w » a on board shjp , but as soon as ho hoard of tho assault ho resolved to joip his brigade , and ho accordingly caino up . to camp tlmt very morning . Colonel Unott , of the tffth Regiment , was tb , o senior ofliccr in . Brigadier Shirloy « nbsoijco , and on him would have devolved tho duty oj lending tho storming column of tho Light Division , Had tho latter not returned . Colonel Unott , l / rnorant of « , o brigadier ' s intention to loavo Bhlpbonrd , W > "M " with Colonel Windaiiin who ehotUd take J > ' ^' ° £ tho attack . They toaeod , and Colonel ^" * ^ ° J ; flt „ had it i » lib , powur to *« y whether ho wpuId jo < « j or * rtn « w r ' .,. lni ,. a Wiiidhain . Ho looked . ' « *"?¦ " % „ , RL

    luVnod U ov . r , and « . « ., 'My $$ <» £ SSLoZ £ tho llrat man Into the K « la ... , JJuJ J « m o ^ wi « o , and ho ^ rtS ^ Clt leading tho cXrnn ! XSSSft" ^™ ™ ^ fifth parallel

    Sm^Mbmm^M^^ Thb Mabhb. 937

    Sm ^ mBmm ^ m ^^ thb mabhb . 937

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 29, 1855, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_29091855/page/3/