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Leader (1850-1860), 26th August 1854, Edition Town of 2, Page 795, Untitled Article

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      Untitled Article

      beautiful fire from a 10-inch gun , landed in the battery we had driven the enemy out of a few days before . His position ¦ was one of . great danger , but the battery was put in such good order by Captain Pelham , that the men were well covered , and he bad no loss . " - The General ' s breaching batteries will be ready by to-morrow ,, and they shall be well supported by the shipsof-the-line of both nations and the steamers . HJlie . narrowness of the ground on 'which the General has established , his bleaching battery very much circumscribes the space ; the greatest caution will be necessary to . prevent firing on his troops , and the little space in the anchorage before Bormarsund , and the intricacy of the navigation , will prevent ships approaching the main fortress so near as could be wished ; but when the batteries are established , acting in the Tear of the fort , and supported by the shell guns ia front , it cannot hold out more than a few hours . " 9 . I have put off to the last moment the departure of the mail , but 1 shall send an extra courier the moment-the fort surrenders .

      " 10 . The -western'tower was fired either by accident or design , I do not know which , and blew up at 11 a . m . yesterday . " 11 . I am sorry to add , that Lieutenant Cowell , Koyal Engineers , Aide-de-Gamp to Brigadier-General Jones , was unfortunately wounded in the leg by the accidental discharge . of his pistol . He is now on board the B ' elleisle , doing well , but the loss of his services Is much to be regretted . u I have , &c , " ChaelesNapier , " Vice-Admiral and Comniander-in-Clnef . " The Secretary of the Admiralty , " P . S . A return of the whole of the -force landed and of casualties will be forwarded by - the next ! . Opportunity . ; , together with an inventoiy ; of stores and list of prisoners . "

      Untitled Article

      - ¦ ' ¦ : . ¦ ¦ :. " JTo . 855 . ¦'¦ ; ; '¦ ¦ ¦ :. ; ¦ ¦ ¦ " Bulldog , offBomaratiud , Aug . 16 . " Sir , —In continuation of my despatfch of . this date , I leg you will inform their Lordships that , after sending : away the mail , the fortress opened , a heavy fire on Captain Pelliam ' s battery , which had . annoyed them much , and wMcli he maintained all ' yesterday arid to-day , and it is Wonderful how lie and his men escaped . He had with-him Lieutenant Close and Sir . Wildman , iiiate , of whom he speaks highly . Seeing Ins position , I immediately ordered the ships and steamers nained in the margin , * " , who were vithin range with their 10-inch guns , as- ^ vell as the French mortars on shore , which Jiad been playing on them some tinne r to give them a shot and shell every five minutes ; and their fire was so well directed that the enemy held out a flag of truce .

      " 2 . I sent Captain Hiill ( of the . Bulldog ) on shore , who was shortly joined by Admiral Parseval ' s Aide-de . Camp nnd twp of General Baraguay d'Hillier ' s staff , and the troops in the fortress agreed to Jay dowJi their arms arid march out . " 3 . After I had landed I was joined by the French Admiral and the Goinmander-jn-Cliief of thcjMmy -the prisoners ( about 2000 , ' I believe ) -were marched out und embarked in steamers , and proceeded to Ledsund , to Commodore the Hon . Frederick Grey , who will conduct them to the Downs to await for further orders . ' , " 4 . I beg to congratulate their Lordships on the fall of tins important fortress , wlfich will be followed by the subrnission of the Garden of Islands , with so small a loss ; and I am happy io- say tho greatest cordiality has subsisted between the French Genovnl and Admiral und myself , as well as between the soldiers . and sailors of the two nations .

      " 5 . As soon as I can' collect a list of the stores captured , it shalLbp forwarded to tlieu- Lordships , and a Commissary has been named for that purpose . " 6 . This despatch will lio delivered by my Flag-Lieutenant ( Licutonant Jolm do Courcy Agnov ) , whom I beg to recommend to their Lonlshipa for promotion . "I have , &c , " CnAitucs N " A pijeu , " Yicc-Adjniral and Comuwnder-in-Olucf . " Tho Secretary of tho Admiralty . "

      Untitled Article

      , „ . , " Bulldog , off Bomntfiund , Aug 11 . " Sir , —I am sorry to inform their Lordships thut tho 1 ' cnolopo , in going through between Pmsto and Tofto to wutoh tho pnssugo , unfoi'liiiintoly ran ashore on an unknown rock off Buinursund . Thu enemy soon discovered her position , and opened fire upon her . Tho Gladiator and Pigmy , who wore-nt tho other end of the passngo , immediately eaino to nor assistance , and tho French AilniiraJ sent boats , from the Tridont und Duperrd , TWo bonfc * of New-Admiral Oliad'a squadron woro unfortuimk'ty on shore , und their ciws engaged in the operation of dragging up guna to General Jones ' s buttorios . " 2 , Tho Hocla , ( Cnplnin W . VI . Hull ) had just arrlvoil , with Rear-Admiral Phimridpo , und I sent her llown ulao to render assistance . Onptniu Hull , with hin usual skill imhI activity , assisted by tho Gladiator , immodiiitely took hold of tlio l ' enolopo , nnd endeavoured to tow her off / but she was immovable .

      i S , 00 " 1 /? Uw onomy hnd got lior rnngo , nml wore frequently hulling | 1 Cr n 8 will ,, h the lleohv , I ftont Admiral 1 Imundgo down with orders if hIio could not bo m . msil to throw her emia overboard , Jind otliorwjMo tighten her . which » io « Ud , and hIhj IbrtunuMy flouted . I hops tliuir Lordship ' s nm boo that , under tho cirvnmstancca , I wiw juttUilod in o doring her guns to bo thrown overboard , Tlio ' oni-my hud SiroSnrTirT , ' . th ilt ortll ° otlltw Rl'ipH , uiul w « r « 7 ia t ' " ' ccl » ontly hulled \\ w . ' 4 . l nm vory muoh obliged to Ilour-Adminil riumi ulire c " nduot !! f trT 1 ?^ < ' tl 10 R- 'cal eSiinV S ffl , lice h «? IiMr ? ^ - < J , a ( nn ; «""* 1 Jl' <* > »» « f « " tl »« SrhyLfJffSrfv ; ^ Arrogant , Annphion , Vib ^ w ,

      James Hunt , of the Pigmy ) , under very trying circumstances . " 5 . lam happy to > say the loss has not been , geeat , neither was the damage sustained very serious . " I havce the honour to be , ' Jar , your very obedient humble servant , " Charles jMapxeb , " Vice-Admiral nnd Goniinander-in-. Chief . " The following despatch , published on Wednesday has a separate interest of its own . Napier directed the landing of . the necessary guns ; and Admiral Chads gives an account of how that was done : — " No . 18 . Edinburgh , off Bomarsund , August 12 . 1854 .

      " Sir—In obedience to your directions to give every aid from the four ships of my squadron named id the margin * to Brigadier-General Jones , to form a breaching battery , I consulted with that officer , who proposed to compose bis battery of six 32-ponnders of 42 cwt ., which guns you had forwarded in the Bt'lleisle , when the following operations were undertaken . " Each ship having previously prepared two sledges , after a pattern made by Captain Kamsay , for dragging the guns , four were landed on the morning ol the 10 th to convey three guns and the carriages and the gear , with 150 men to each sledge , vaiider their respective senior lieutenants , the whole being under the-command of Captain Hewlett , of my flagship , encouraged occasionally by / their own captains . - " The situation selected . jfar the battery from the landingplace was four and a half -miles distant , - « v « r execrable ground ; the greatest portion of steep rooky 'hills and ploughed iields .

      'VAt iiye o clock the boats left the ships , erected shears , landed the guns , and had them in the general ' s camp by one o ' clock ; , the exertions and good-wall of the offlcers and seaineh crested , much astonishment in the encampment ; of the French troops , who cheered them in passing , . and on some of the trtost difficult ascents , went in voluntarily and niost cheerfully tx > the drag- ropes , and gave their assistance . " Oil arriving in camp the men were much exhausted , and laid down to rest , and prepare their dituiers , when an order . arrived that they were ; to embark immediately , as the Penelope was on shore iunder th& fire of tbe enemy , ahd their ships might be required ; jthe order Sv ^ S received with cheers ; and , ' forgetting . ; oi ! anei » , 9 nd fatigueV * rii'Shed dbyvln to their boats in threerq [ uartersx » f . an hour by a abort route ; but close under the enemy ' s fipe . '

      " On tlie ' next inornirig the same number of guns were landed ; "but on thi § occasion with 20 O men from each ship , as the parties the previous evening were much fatigued . These guns were in tbe camp by 10 . 30 . " The bands of the ships atteuded the parties , and the whole march was one of triumph over difficulties that ^ previously had been considered ' almost : insurmountable . '¦ - ' ¦ IThJe spirits of the men were occasionally excited iy a dropping shot from the , enemy . ¦ " It is unnecessary for me to expatiate on'fhe merits of Captain Hewlett , the rcfficefs , und seamen , in performing this arduous service , but fco express iny admiration of their great zeal and perseverance , as from personal observation on the spot you will have formed your own judgment . "I have , Sic , " H . D . Chads , Rear-Admiral , &c . " \ ico-Admiral Sir Charles Napier , K . C . B ., &c , "

      Untitled Article

      GLIMPSES OP THE SEAT OF WAR . From the correspondence scattered rather plentifully over the daily papers we are able to make extracts , giving interesting pictures ' from the camp at Varna , the Turkish quarters at [ Bucharest and Giurgevo , and the shores of the Crimea .

      THE CRIMEA . During the late reconnaissAnce at Sebastopol an officer on board one of the ships kept a note of what he saw . Here is his entry for the 26 th and 27 th of July : — " 2 Cth—At half-past fivo sighted tho advanced steamers off Sebastopol and joined them , thence steensd . to tho northwest , along the coast , to reconnoitre Certainly a more beautiful country for tho landing ; of an army to conduct operations against Sebastopol cannot bo well wished forj a long grnssy plain , extending miles inward , to tho . mountains of tho Crimea , and sloping gently and gradually towards the ; great fortress ; cavnlry and artillery will bo in thoir glory upon it j it is lmymnking time in tho Crimea , and tho whole plain is covered with tlio small cooks ; no wonder tho generals hoisted a signal ' perfectly satisfied' on beholding such ground .

      AUomurds wo steamed for Scbastopol , oft' which we * remained for some time , counting tho gunn at its most formidablo entrance , Borne of them enaoonced gloomily in the ombrnsnres of tho miiny-tiorcd onsomatcd batteries , and othera bluckly overtopi > ingtl > o whito shining walls or bright grnas-giwn onrthwork . s . Immeaintoly commnndinR the ' cntriinco , I counted , on tho -north sulo , in v . casematod . buttery of two tiera , « nd guns Sn barbette , 1 ) 2 guns ; on th © Bout . li sido , a cnaotnntLMl battery of throe tiora , oontiuning 102 i guns ; to the right of this a battery of two tio » a nnd guns In burbutto of 108 ; to Ui « riirht of this < ts r » nnn Sn •¦ W . t « rv - » f

      two tioi-B , and guns in barbette ; to tho right of this rango ngain , IK ) or -10 guna upon nil earthwork ; in tho rear of thin , botweon it mid tho town , \ h a similar buttery j tl « -ro is aluo a onsomntcrt throo-tlored battory of perhaps 18 guns , whioh would liro ri ^ ht down tho entrance of tho hiirbonr . Two Inrgo oncitmpmuntH woro viniblo upon tho hill on tho south . Thoso gvinri uro wlmt wo naw and counted merely at tho cntmnoo ; nfter tliin iiiHpootion > wc aU > od out to boi \ i | gnin . " 27 l , h . —At duyllRlit in tho morning , atawling towards Cnpo Aisi , nnd at ten o ' clock w « ro niuiev tha pretty lhtlo

      monastery of St . George , which nestles among trees on the summit of a lofty and broken cliff ; on the plateau above is a telegraph station-which , judging from a great display of banting on the occasion , duly reported our proceedings to Sebastopol . Wetheu stood in Balaklava-bay—the Fury , 'HSghflyer . Cacique , Monlebelio , and Britannia in tow of ithe Retribution . The coast here is most bold and rocky ; -at the entrance of Balaklava-bay , upon a lofty rock stand the ruins of a castle of the Byaantme period j on the low rocks were many soldiers and rifles , and upon & position commanding the entrance to the little harbour-we eould distinctly perceive a couple of rooket-tubes peing planted . "

      VAKETA : THE CHOLERA . Up to the 9 th of August there had died about 260 men of the cholera in the British army ; and they were then dying at about thirty a day . The Times correspondent describes the scene at the hospital : — ^ " The French losses from cholera are frightf »] . The disease is not much on'the wane among them , and there are divisions in which they die at the rate of seventy and eighty a day . In the French general hospital , since the 14 th of July , 720 men have died of cholera , and only seventy-eight men have been sent out cured ; Convinced that there is something radically wrong in the air of the place , the French are clearing out of the hospital altogether to-day , and will henceforth treat their cases in the field . The hospital was formerly used as a Turkish barrack . It is a huge

      quadrangular building , like the barracks at Scutari , with a courtyard in the centre . The sides of the square are about 150 feet long , and each of them contains three floors , consisting of spacious corridors , With numerous rooms off tiheap of fair height and good proportions . About one-third of the building is reserved for our lise ; the remainder : was occupied by the French . Although not very old , the building is . far from 'being .-in thorough repair . The Mmdows are broken , the walls in / ,-Jparts are -cracked and shaky , and the floors are mouldering ' - . and rotten . Sincethe sipkness broke oiit it : has been perceived that tneie . is something or ; . other radically unwholesome , about this building . I / ike all places which haye been inhabited by Turkish soldiers for any time , the smell of the buildings is abominable . Men serit in there Svith fevers and other disorders : were frequently attacked- with the cholera

      in its worst , ( ormj and diedwith unusaal rapidity , in spite of all that could be done to save them .: The French have become so persuaded of this that they are , . as I have' said , taking to the field in preference to this pest-house . I rode up there at twelve o ' clock the othei * night for medicine for au officer , a friend of mine , who was taken suddenly ill in the evening . Along two sides of the hospital yras drawii lip a long train of araba cai'ts , and by the miopnliglit I . could : see that some of them , were filled with sick soldiers / I counted thirty-rive carts , with three or four men in each . These were sick French soldiers sent in from '; the p « fhps , and waiting till- room could be found for them in the hospital . A number of soldiers "were sitting down by the road-side , and here and there the moonbeams flashed brightly off their . piled arms . The . men vrere silent ; not a . song , hot alangh ! A . gloom , which never had I seen before among French troo p s , reigned amid these groups of gray-coated . men , and

      the quiet that prevailed was only broken now and then by the moans and cries of pain of the poor sufferers in the carts Observing that about fifteen arabas were drawn up without any occupants , I asked a sous-officier for what purpose they were required . His answer , sullen and short , was , — 41 Pour les morts—pour les Francais decedes , Monsieur . " The white walls of the fatal hospital looked clean and neat as they towered abovo the lengthened cortege of the dead which lay in deep shadow at its'base , but tho rnurmurings of sickness and the . groans of the dying stole out on the night air through the long lines of latticed windows . As I turned nwnyand spurred under the gateway which leads to the English quarter , I encountered a burial party escorting the bodies of six of our own poor fellows to their last resting-place outside the walls by tho soa beach of Varna . The ration has now b « en increased to l ^ lb . of meat instead of lib . A ration of spirit ( rum ) ia also issued daily . "

      THE LIGHT DIVISION . An officer of the Light Division , writing on the 31 st of July from Monaster , saj » e : — " Our doctor tells mo that . the division is very ill-supplied with medical requisites , among other things that , although according to the English papers no leue than 40 , 000 cholera bolts have been sent out for tho use of tho troops , not one can be obtained by tho rogi mental surgeons . Tlao present urgent want pf them is-not tho fault of the modicnl authorities certainly , for , as you may have read in tho papers , the necessary transport has been wanting , or wo should have had a store of these us well as other requisites . Had tho flamo dogreo of attention which has been paid to clean shaving find pipeclay boon in tho first instance paid to securing proper nourishment , healthy sites for encampment , good snnitaryarmncomonts , and some comforts for the men , the troops would hnvo boon more worthy of tho name of the Hqht division , for they would have boon stronger , raoro active , I 11 \| 1 lmM- < W uV \ lrt ff \ raaiaf «» AtiAtmr \ .. lintltnt * ivi 4-V-t . v nl « nv > A nP iivwufci nwivia / luaiah ciia

      «» a ^ > VAfVMlj ' , W 4 IUblftVl 1 U LIU" BUilJ'U III a Rusaian or of the cholorn , Tho following nnoedoto may bo relied on . A senior oilicer of one of tlio regiments , sulloring from tho prevailing disenso , mentioned to a woll-lcnown bn- ^ gndior , that tho onicer commanding tho Turkl . tli troo ^^ itfT ^ " " . "'"/ ,-. Dovna hud , through un intcrprotor , said to him , ' y ± n \ had ( - - . ' " . V bettor lot tho Knglish general know that if ho MhtiiSap » ... r , ' ' A *\] ' , ¦? feeding his men on tluit ' booftlioy will die . ' ' foj roXM , '•'_" , . ' .. ' / . j , ;^ h-j replied tho brigadier , ' if ono ia to think ho much i | , boiw tlfov- \ " ' - / vm I . ) 'men , thu bost thing ; I enn hoo to bo done is to wrap . « i < m ,. i < pj , / l . ^ ^ ' i ! J *"' in cotton wool , and put them in fi lnss chmos , ' Now ^^ Mip ; ; , ;< ?" , , f-- < j 0 " amdaall feohngM of hnnintiity , any ono who ^ oujd riifldjTWWp - 'i -. ; . r « n'f'l f " pooh an offoit < lii-oct «( l to preserving fclio hoalth pWlRfi ^' WHi : n « . 7 ^ . 1 , iO / - ' diora , is luinUy littotl to bo wit mated with y £ ty * W ^ W ^ . \ 't | < 1 thorn , f « r li « cannot have an udeqiuito CHtimrftttf WfB § 8 ^ v 8 $ -- ' ' i "! ivaluo ovuu In n jn-oiiniiiry aunso , ( or 1 ho cost ol a r ^« npr « p = ^ -a 3 < ^ < and di « oli ) linod Holdim-to tho country is 110 triflo . . How < W *^ l ,, ; .. , J « . >' ' •"' tho rntioiiM huvo boon cunwditrmbly improved by tho . addition ofaoOoc , mi par , ami rloe , and tho Goof can bo turned to much tatUsr puriwao than before in making good Houp . "

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      " * KtlUiburgh , Dounhl M'L . Mnokon « io , Bonior H « ut . " Hogwo , Tliumaa Davii : » . ( lJ ) , ecinior liout . " lUunht'iin , Goo . H . Olarkc , BBiiior limU . ~ " AJux , Walter J . l ' ollarU , aciilon . ' licuit , "

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      AuausT 26 , 1854 . ] THE LEADER . 7 ^ 5

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 26, 1854, page 795, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2053/page/3/