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    that day may stand beside those of ancient or modern times . The -Hon . Captain Monck , ef the 7 th , -was pierced by a ball , which he felt was his death ¦ wound , bnt with expiring energy he drove his sword through the heart of the first advancing foeman , while a "blow from his strong arm levelled another with the ground . The Russian officers could scarce be distinguished from the soldiers , save by the narrow band of gold lace and the fineness of their linen and accoutrements . One officer lay dead , with a little dog sitting between his legs , a position from which no persuasion could move him . He had been mortally wounded , and had given his gold watch to a

    soldier who kindly gave him a draught of water . Another , quite a boy , lay with his hands clasped in the attitude of prayer . Near him lay one only wounded , who spoke French , and there nestled in his bosom a little kitten , which seemed unwilling to leave him . He informed us that their force had consisted in all of 55 , 000 men—40 , 000 infantry , 9000 cavalry , and 6000 artillery ; and that Menschikoff himself had chosen the ground . He said that three battalions , i . e ., , 000 men of the garrison of Sebastopol , were with the army . ' * We could have held it , " says the captured Eussian general , " against fair soldiers ; but we had not calculated on being attacked by red devils . "

    The Heights after the Battle . —The tower itself was choked -with dead Russians , mostly shot in the head . It is constructed of a very white stone , and presents to the eye a formidable appearance . The stone is , however , very soft , and should the vaunted forts of Sebastopol be composed of the same material ^ our s iege guris will soon account for them . French Zouaves and others were busy engraving their name 3 and regiments with their knives on this tower . Prince Napoleon had pitched his tent near this spot . I have omitted to mention that on the approach of the Allies , masons were busy on the tower , which was then surrounded with scaffolding . This was soon removed . Two miles further to the left I came upon the Light Division , which had encamped here . The Russians had evidently been some weeks on the ground , and the . remains of their camp prove it to

    have been very commodious . There were long rows of skilfully constructed ovens and rriess tables , formed of flat stones . The whole ground -yras covered with knapsacks , helmets , greatcoats , muskets , and other signs of a precipitate and disorderly retreat . The killed and wounded had been chiefly removed from this direction . Still now and then a stiff corpse presented itself . I passed one , that of a poor Eussian boy ; he could , not have been sixteen . He lay with both legs shattered to pieces . The Russians have certainly behaved barbarously in not sending to bury their dead , or to tend their wounded . An immense number of broken muskets covered the ground . When our men passed over the w-ounded , they instantly destroyed their weapons , by breaking the stock . A great many rifles of superior workmanship were picked up . Their maker is Malherbes , of "Liege .

    The Minie Rifle . —The immense superiority of the Minie * rifle and bullet , not only over the common musket , but even over the common rifle , -was incontestibly proved at this battle . Many of our fellows wcjre slightly wounded , but none of the Russians wero so . The Minie " ball makes no slight . wound . The effect on the Russians , judging from their dead , seemed awful . When it struck , it tore and broke all before it . Some of their wounded told us that men were wounded by the Minie " bullets after they had passed through the bodies of their comrades , The immense majority of the enemy were wounded through . the head , generally struck about the throat or under the chin , for the men fired xipwards as they wero ascending the hill . The common musket bullet at such a range would have done no great damage , but here the balls had come out through the top of the skull , rending the bone as if done by a hatchet . The wounds were awful .

    The Dbad on the Fibld , —The attitudes of some of the dead wero awful . One man might bo seen resting on one knee , with the arms extended in the form of taking aim , the brow compressed , the lips clinched—the very expression of firing at ai » enemy stumped on the face and fixed there by death ; u ball had struck this man in the neck . Physiologists or anatomists must settle the rest . Another was lying on liia back with the same expression , nnd hU arms rnisccl in a similar attitude , the Minio" musket still grasped in his hands ¦ undischarged . Another lay irt a perfect nrch , his head Testing on one part of the ground and hia feet on the other , but the- back rained high abovo it . Many men without legs or arms wore trying to crawl down to the waterside . Some of the dead lay with a calm , placid emuo on the face , as though they wero in aoine delicious dream .

    Tina Kussian Soi-dhcrb . —The Russian regiments engaged against us , judging from tho numbers on the caps ana buttons of tho dead and wounded , ware tha 11 th , 12 th , 10 th 17 th , 18 th , OlHt , 82 nd , 88 rd , and some of the Imperial Guard . Tho Itumlan regiment consists of « mr battalions , and each battalion may bo said to bo uou strong . Tho soldiers wwo mostly Rtout , strong men . Several of the roginwnt-H , 82 nd and 10 th , for example , wore a black leatherholinct , handsomely mounted hliT !? ' "n < l llftvl"K H hTmn « om » n th 0 top , with a nolo for the reception of a tuft , f tothor , or phuno other *

    wore simply a white linen foraging cap . They were all dressed in long drab coats with brass buttons , bearing the number of the regiment . These coats fitted loosely , were gathered in at the back by a small strap and button , descended to the ankles , and seemed stout comfortable garments , though the cloth was coarse in texture the trousers , of course blue stuff , were thrust inside a pair of Wellington boots , opened at tlie top to admit of their being comfortably tucked down ; the boots wore stout , well made , and serviceable . Their knapsacks astonished our soldiers . On opening them , each was found to contain the dress uniform coatee of the man , blue or green , with white facings , and slashes like our own , a pair of clean drawers , a clean shirt , a pair of

    clean socks , a pair of stout mits , a case containing a good pair of scissors marked " Sarun , " an excellent penknife with one large blade , of Russian manufacture , a ball of twine , a roll of leather , wax , thread , needles and pins , a hair-brush and comb , a small looking-glass , razor , strop , and soap , shoe-brushes , and blacking . The general remark of our men was that the Russians were very " clean soldiers ; " and certainly the men on the field had white fair skins to justify the expression . Each man had a loaf of dark brown bread , of a sour taste and disagreeable odour , in his knapsack , and a linen roll , containing a quantity of brown coarse stuff broken up into lumps and large grains , -which is crushed biscuit or hard granulated bread prepared with oil . This , we were told by the prisoners , was the . sole , food of the men . They eat the bread with onions and oil ; the powder 3 s "

    reserve" ration ; and if they march they may be for days without food , and remain hungry till they can get fresh loaves and more " bread stuff . " Tt is perfectly astounding to think they can keep together on such diet—and yet they are strong , muscular , men enough . The surgeons remarked that their tenacity of life was very remarkable . Many of them lived with wounds calculated to destroy two or three ordinary men . Many of them had small crosses and chains fastened , round their necks . Several were found with Korans in their knapsacks- ^ - ' most probably recruits from the Kasan Tartars . Many of the officers had portraits of wive 6 or -mistresses , of mothers or sisters , inside their coats . The privates wore the little money they possessed in purses fastened below their left knees , and the men , in their eager search after the money , often caused the wounded painful apprehensions that they were about to destroy them .

    The Prison-kbs . —Of the Russians one thing was remarkable . The prisoners are generally coarse , sullen , and unintelligent-looking men . Death had ennobled those who fell , for the expression of their faces was altogether different .. The wounded might have envied those who seemed to have passed away so peacefully . The soldiers are all shaven cleanly on the chin and cheek ; only the inoustache is left , and the hair is cropped as close to the head as possible . The latter is a very convenient mode of wearing the hair in these parts of the world . The officers ( those of superior rank excepted ) are barely distinguishable from the men , so far as uniform is concerned , but the generals wore sashes and gold epaulettes . The subalterns wore merely a lace shoulderstrap , instead

    of the cloth one of the privates . Most of them spoke French , and the entreaties of the wounded to bo taken along with us as the officers moved up the hill were touching in the extreme . The poor fellows had a notion that our men -would murder them if the eye of the officer was removed from them . An old general , who sat smiling and bowing on a bank with his leg broken by a round shot , seemed principally concerned for the loss of his gold snufF-box . This , I " believe , has since been restored to him . . The men say they were badly handled , and had no general to direct them . Menschilcoff lost hia head in a figurative sense . The officers displayed great gallantry , and , tho men fought with a dogged courage characteristic of the Russian infantry , but they wero utterly deficient in 6 lan nnd dash .

    Tub Russian Gknerals jtakicn Pmhonkiis . —Tho two superior officers captured are Generals TchetchanofT and GonikofF . They were dressed as simple privates , and wero so treated until their rank was made known by their fellow-prjsoners . They stnte the Russian force engaged as 85 , 00 Q men . but they add that they considered that number quit * sufficient to defend the position against tlio allied armies for five months . Ono of thorn is now on board tho Agamemnon . Ho is very sulky , and Bays ho thought ho « was to have fought against men , not against devils dressed in red . " Tho other general was found underneath a soldier ' s coat , with his son , both wounded , on tho 21 st . Ho says ho vrm glad to bo wounded by ono of the Queen ' s Guards , addinthat lie should

    g not havo liked to be wounded '' by any of those peoplo in petticoats" ( Highlanders ) , J ho following is tho way in which they wore captured -. — One of them was captured aftor tho battle under rather singular circumstances . Ho had hoard the filing , and , perfectly confident that , the action must have resulted in our rormlHo , camo with a singlo attendant to tho heights to congratulate , as ho believed , Prince MensohlkolT upon his victory . To his intonso surprise ho wan made primmer , nnd brought , in by Sergeant Trotter , of tlio ColdHtrcam Guards , who was on duty at one of the outposts . Tho other was captured in tho redoubt . Ho was Htretohecl on tho ground boaido his fallen homo , apparently ( load . An artilleryman , who hatl taken a violent fancy to hia coat , waa about to diveat tho supposed

    dead man of it , when the body began to move , and nearly frightened the man off . It was soon discovered that no harm had corne to the general , and on his coat being opened , two stars announced his rank . The general ' s object was evidently to lie quietly until night , and then make off . Russian Feeling about the War . —It is said that the Russian officers made prisoners unite in declaring the war to be very unpopular in Russia except with the upper classes . Tue Aiitjlleky . —The Royal Artillery lost four officers ; one of them ( Captain Dew ) had the upper half

    of his head cut off by a ball . The artillery behaved with their usual gallant and indomitable courage ; one of the first of the . artillery guns that attempted to cross the river Alma had one of the wheels of the gun carriage completely destroyed by the shot from the Russian guns , while the officers and men were up to their middles in the water . Nothing daunted by their position , and the heavy fire kept up on them , they promptly set to work , and in an incredibly short space of time attached another wheel to the gun-carriage , and marched forward to the scene of action almost as soon as the others . One of the officers of the Royal Artillery killed in action "Was serving the gun as No . 3 gunner at the time he was killed .

    The Frexcii Artillery . —The French Artillery seems to have greatly distinguished itself . A French officer writes : —" The battery of Commandant de la Boussionerc was exceedingly fine , when , towards the end , ¦ we aided the English by taking the Russians in flank . It fired with marvellous aim , extinguished the Eussian batteries , and permitted the English to dash forward . The battery of Toussaint charged and opened fire on the telegraph , within 40 G metres of the Russian infantry , which Sed at the aspect of its irresistible enthusiasm . General

    Bosquet , -who was much engaged in the combat , declares and repeats that the artillery system' of the Emperor ia henceforward placed at a very high rank . He fought with 12 . pieces against 32 guns of the Russians , which could not hold against tlieni . The Ottoman division had only 2000 men engaged "with the second French division on the enemy ' s left . Their , part was not so active a . one as those brave soldiers would have desired , arid General Bosquet had the greatest difficulty to make them remain in the position assigned to them . They only lost 230 men killed a . nd wounded . "

    The 95 th and 23 rd ; —The 95 th lost six officers killed and 12 wounded . It -was the maiden fight of the 95 th , and they well earned a name to inscribe , ori the colours , ¦ which are so riddled through and . through as to render the word " Derbyshire ' difficult to be spelt . The greatest loss was in the Welsh Fusiliers . Great numbers of them wero lying around tke breastwork killed and wounded ; four captains , a major , and the colonel of this regiment were lying dead together—a ghastly sight ! Those of our brave ' Guardsmen , 7 th , 23 rd , Highlanders , and 95 th , poor fellows , in front of the breastwork , showed how fierce had been the assault . A corporal of the 23 rd found himself alone in the enemy ' s battery , and actually bayoneted three men before assistance came to him . He was at once promoted to be sergeant , which wo hope is only a step to further Advancement .

    The Light Divisrow—Tub Guards and Hiohlandebs , — After the capture of the redoubt the Light Division followed up the hill , pouring in volley after volley after the retreating Russians . At this moment a compact column descended ono of the hilla . This waa mistakenfor a French division , and tho firing on the part of the British ceased . When within musket range , this supposed French column deployed in lino , and , before tha error could be discovered , poured a fearful volley into tho British ranks . Our loss Jiero was frightful—the 23 rd Regiment was nearly annihilated , and bix oflicera fell on tho spot . The 7 th Fiutiliera were equally

    unfortunate . Tlie Light Division was forced to givo way , and tho redoubt fell into the hands of tho Russians once more . Tho Russians pursued , and it was at this point that tho great charge of tho Guards and the Highland Brigade was made Tho High hinders , says an eyewitness , bohnved with distinguished courage . Their appearance , it is suid , was mo imposing that they seem , to have been taken fur cavalry , and n largo square wa » formed to" resist thorn . All our men had Minid rifles , and tho Russians , in column , opposed to our Guards in lino , wero mowed down by our -volleys ; COO out of 1000 in ono battalion full .

    Tun r > r > Tji ani > this Bayohet , —Ono correspondent states , that tlio 55 th actually crossed bayonets with the Russians , tout at one point it would appear ns though neither muBkot nor bnyonet did their work quick onoiifrii . Tho blood of tho British waa up ; they clubbed their muskets and brained the enemy . Tho MumoovHos Had in disorder . Tho officers who wero tuk < m j » ri « o «< ir « until they could not stand tho tremendous onslaught of _ our puoplo ; thoy always knew we wore excellont soldiers , but had no idea wo -were such " devils . " A Smimibant of tiiio Giuhds . — A colour-norgonnt of tho GimrdH , writing nn account of his mlv < inturoH nays : ' My dour nir , — You cannot iiunglno tho horrors and carnage . I hud tho colours , mirl my officer nnd comrades ( rlirlit and loft ) wowmUid , lint your ' small servant novor toucluKl . Miwsod ono "M lb . shot by politely bowing , which knockod off tho cup of tho sergeant in tho rear of mo . " 8 « rtfon » t IMvis to , in fuct , ft fine , atul-

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    October 14 , 1854 . ] THE LEADER . 965

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 14, 1854, page 965, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2060/page/5/