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Leader (1850-1860), 23rd June 1855, Edition 1 of 2, Page 593, Untitled Article

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      of their trench ;^ aptj attacked Outages Blancs and the Mamelon / ' THese tliey carried Without the smallest check ,, and their leading column rushed forward and approached the Malakoff Tower ; but this it had not been jn contemplation to assail , and the troops were brought bWck and finally established in the enemy ' s works , from which ; the latter did not succeed in expelling them , t hough the fire of musketry and cannon which . was brought to bear upon them was tremendous . " . ' I never saw anything more spirited and rapid than the advance of our allies . I am happy to say that the best feeling prevails between the two armies , and each is proud of and confident in the gallantry and high military qualities of the other .

      I apprised your lordship , by telegraph on the 6 th , that our batteries reopened that afternoon . The fire was kept up with the greatest energy until the day closed , when it was confined to vertical fire ; but the next morning the guns resumed the work of destruction , and the effect was such that it was determined by General Pelissier and myself that the time had arrived for pushing our operations forward . Accordingly soon after six o ' clock on the evening of the 7 th , the signal was given for the assault of the works I have enumerated , and the result was most triumphant . The troops employed in storming the Quarries were composed of detachments of the Light and Second Divisions , and at night they were supported by the 62 nd Kegiment .

      The command of these troops was entrusted to Colonel Shirley , of the 88 th , who was acting as general officer of the trenches ; and he was assisted in the arrangements and guided as to the points of attack and distribution of the troops by Lieutenant-Colonel Tylden , of the Royal Engineers , the directing engineer officer of the right attack . Although nothing could be more spirited than the attack of the Quarries , or more creditable to every officer and man engaged in the operation , yet I cannot refrain from drawing your lordship ' s especial attention to the energy and determination which they all displayed in maintaining and establishing themselves after their first success in them . They were repeatedly attacked during the night , and again soon after daylight on the 8 th , and it was in . resisting these repeated efforts on the part of the enemy that a great portion of the heavy loss the army has to deplore was sustained .

      The mode m which Colonel Shirley conducted this very arduous service , and carried out his orders , entitles Mm to my highest commendation . I have great pleasure in mentioning the following officers , who are stated to have distinguished themselves on the ' occasion , viz .: Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell , of the 90 th , who commanded the storming party ; Major Mills , Royal Fusiliers ; Major Villiers , 47 th ; Major Armstrong , 49 th , who are all severely wounded ; Lieutentant-Colonel Maxwell , of the 88 th : Major Bayley , of the

      same regiment , who was unfortunately killed ; Lieutenant-Colonel Grant , 49 th ; Major Simpson of the 34 th ; Lieutenant-Colonel Johnstone , of the 23 rd ; Major Herbert , of the 23 rd ; Captain Lowry , of the 47 th ; Captain Turner , of the 7 th ; Captain Lowndes , of the 47 th ; Captain Nason , of the 4 !) th ; .. Captain Le Marchant , of the 49 th , who was wounded ; Captain Wolsey , * 90 th ; and Lieutenants Chatfield and Eustace , of the 49 th ; and Palmer , Irby , and Waddilove , of the 47 th ; and Captain Hunter , 47 th ; and Lance-Corporal Quinn , 47 th , who took a Russian officer prisoner in the most gallaut

      manner . I also feel it my duty to solicit your lordship ' s notice to the eminent services of Lieutenant-Colonel Tylden , of the Royal Engineers ; he has been indefatigable in the discharge of his peculiar duties from the commencement of the siege , and he has always been at hand to aid in the repulse of the enemy , when they have assaulted our trenches . He eulogises the conduct of Captain Browne , Of the Royal Engineers ; Lieutenant Elphinstone , of the same corps ; Lieutenant Anderson , 9 Gth Foot ( Acting Engineer ) , who is wounded ; and ho laments the death of Lieutenant Lowry , R . E ., who conducted the storming party , and was afterwards killed by -a cannon bhofc .

      ' Notwithstanding the frequency of the endeavours of the Russians to regain possession of the Quarries , and the interruptions to the work to which these attacks gave rise , Lieutenant-Colonel Tylden was enabled to effect the lodgment and to cfitablish the communication With the advanced parallel , and this redounds greatly to bin credit and that of the officers and men employed as the working party ; and I cannot omit thi « opportunity to express my approbation of the conduct of the Sappers throughout the operations . Tho exertions of the Royal Artillery , under Brigadicr-Genorni Ducrcs , and those of the Naval Brigade , under Captain Luahington , R . N ., in Moving tho guns , cannot be too warmly commended . Tho accuracy of their lire is tho thomo of univenml admimtion ; and tho constancy with which they applied themBolvea to their arduous duties under all oiroum-Btancea , however dangerous , cannot be too strongly placed upon record .

      It is deeply to be lamented tliat this success should have entailed so heavy a loss ; but I have the assurance of the principal medical officers that many of the wounds are slight , and that by far the greater portion of the sufferers are progressing most favourably . I have just learnt that the enemy have abandoned a work in the rear of the Ouvrages Blancs , " which they constructed at the commencement of the month of May . The French took possession of it on the 7 th , but they did not retain it . In the other -works they captured 62 pieces of artillery , and they have 14 officers and about 400 men prisoners .

      We have a few prisoners , and amongst them a captain of infantry , who was wounded , and taken by Corporal Quinn , of the 47 th regiment . I have , &c , Raglan . The Lord Panmure , &c .

      DESPATCHES FKOM LORD KAGLAN . Before Sebastopol , June 5 . My Lord , —I am deeply concerned to have to inform your Lordship that Rear-Admiral Boxer died on board the Jason last night , outside the harbour of ^ Balaklava , after a very short illness . He was removed to that ship in the hope that the pure sea air might prove beneficial to him ; but this expectation was not fulfilled . His malady made rapid progress , and early in the afternoon of yesterday it was intimated to me that his life was despaired of . His nephew died of cholera last week , and this melancholy event so deeply affected him that his health at once gave way , and he sank under the same disease .

      It is well known that this officer devoted his whole life to the public service . Since he undertook the appointment of Admiral-Superintendent of the harbour of Balaklava , he has applied himself incessantly to the discharge of his arduous duties , exposing himself in all weathers ; and he has rendered a most essential service to the army , by improving the landing-places and establishing wharfs on the west side of the port , whereby the disembarcation of stores and troops has been greatly accelerated , and communications with the shore have been rendered much easier . I have , &c , Raglan . The Lord Panmure , &c . Beforo Sebastopol , June 5 .

      My Lord , — I have great satisfaction in informing your Lordship that I received intelligence the night before last of the evacuation of Soudjak Kaleh by the Russians on the 28 th ult-It appears that previously to their retirement from the place the troops destroyed the principal buildings and the armament , which consisted of about sixty heavy guns and six mortars , and it is concluded that they have joined the garrison of Anapa , whence many of the inhabitants have removed . Sir Edmund Lyons has been so good as to send me the detached report of the naval operations in the Sea of Azof , which will reach England either before or at the same time as this despatch

      A body of French troops , under the command of General Morris and General Canrobert , and a column of the Sardinian corps , under General La Marmora , made a reconnoissance on Baidar on the morning of the 3 rd . The former proceeded along the Woronzoff-road ' pushed their cavalry several miles beyond Baidar ; the latter operated on the left through a mountainous district , and advanced into Baidar , after a fatiguing murch . Only a small number of Cossacks showed themselves . Nothing has occurred in front of the town . I enclose the return of casualties to tho ' Srd inst . inclusive . I have , &c , Raglan . The Lord Panmure , &c . Before Sebastopol , Juno 5 .

      My Lord , —1 have the honour to enclose a letter from tho Inspector-General of Hospitals , forwarding the weekly state of the sick of the army . Tho cholera hus sensibly diminished in the camps before Sebastopol , but it has attacked the Guards and the 31 st Regiment , near Balaklava , and some of tho new batteries , as well as the followers of tho army in that town . It is hoped that tho diseaao will pass from them as it has from tho stations where it first appeared . heavil

      I uni grieved to have to naf that it has fallen y on tho Sardiniun Contingent , and thut General Lu Marmora is in great anxiety about it . 1 am rendering him all tho assistance iu my power . While writing to your Lordship , an officer has brought mo a letter from him , announcing that his brother , General La Murmora , wlio commands hia second divittion , has been very severely attacked . H « has been accommodated with a quarter ut Kadikoi , and every attention shall bo paid him . * h » ve , &c , Raulan . Tho Lord Panmure , &c . OiiHualtios . —1 sergeant , 7 rank and fllo , killed ; 8 ofllcors , * 2 f > rank and file , wounded . Naval Brigade : 2 killed .

      DEATH OF GENERAL DELIJA' MABMOHA THE YOtTNGEB . The Sardinian Government has received a telegraphic despatch from General Alphonso della Marmora , General Commanding-in-Chief of the Sardinian expedition , conveying the melancholy intelligence of the death of General Alessandro della Marmora , commanding the second division . The despatch does not mention the immediate cause of the gallant officer ' s death , bathe had long , been in a very impaired state of health , and it was in direct opposition to the wishes and advice of his friends that he encountered the fatigues of the camp , which in all probability have proved too much for him . At his own suggestion General Alessandro della Marmora was charged , in 1835 , with the organisation of that corps of riflemen which has since done such good

      service , and is likely soon again to distinguish itselfthe Sardinian " Bersaglieri . When leading them at the battle of Goito he received a severe wound in the shoulder , which has given him constant pain ever since . For this and other services General , della Marmora had been decorated with some of the highest orders in the kingdom . He had latterly been , military commandant at Genoa , which office he held , in fact , at the time of his death , General Giacinto Collegno , the present commandant , having been only appointed temporarily " during the absence of General della Marmora on foreign service . " The death of this officer is felt generally as a severe loss to the army , with , whom he was most deservedly popular , and especially to the Bersaglieri , who naturally looked upon him as a father . —Times Turin Correspondent .

      MASSACRE OF ENGLISH SAILORS UNDER A FLAG OF TRUCE . The Government on Monday received from Admiral Dundas , Commander of the Baltic Fleet , a despatch to the following effect . The substance was detailed by Sir Charles Wood on Monday evening to the House of Commons . " A short time ago , her Majesty ' s ship Cossack took and destroyed some coasting vessels near Hango , and three persons—the captain of one of the vessels , his son , and another Finnish sailor— were taken prisoners . Admiral Dundas , anxious not unnecessarily to injure the trade of the country , directed the Cossack to bear up to Hango , in order to put on shore the persons who

      had been so captured , who had requested to be put on shore there , and four other persons , who had also been taken prisoners near St . Petersburg , and who had also requested that they might be put on shore there . The Cossack ventured to Hango in order to put these persons on shore , and at some distance from the place she anchored , and sent the cutter on shore with the seven prisoners and the ordinary boat ' s crew . A flag of truce was displayed for at least half an hour before she reached the jetty . Nobody was perceived but one person , who ran away at once . The boat arrived at the jetty , and landed the prisoners and their baggage . Every man remained in the boat . A body of Russians , who are reported to have amounted to from 300 to 400 ,

      came down to the jetty . Lieutenant Geneste , the officer , waved his flag of truce , and explained why they came on shore . The Finnish captain also took the flag of truce , and tried to explain , both in Finnish and English , the reason why they came on shore . The officer in command of the Russians not only Understood English , but spoke it . He said , ' They did not care in the least for a flag » f truce , and they would show how the Russians would fight , ' whereupon some hundred Russian soldiers immediately fired upon the officer and the prisoners on the jetty , and killed them all . They then fired into the boat till every man in the boat fell . Tho Russians rushed into the boat , and threw some of the

      bodies overboard , dragged one wounded man out , threw him on tMfc jetty , bayoneted him , and left five bodies for dead in the boat . The cutter not returning later in tho day , the gig was sent in , and it was ascertained from a distance thut tho cutter was moored to the jetty , and that there were some dead bodies in it . In the night , a black man wounded with two balls through the arm and one through his shoulder , cut the fastening , and tried to scull the cutter from the jetty to the ship . In tho meantime , the Cossack , standing in , in order to ascertain whut had become of tho men in the cutter , sent in a boat , and brought off tho single survivor , on whose evfdenco tho whole story rests . "

      Further official accounts have been received ; but they do not contain any additional facts . The Invaltde Iiussc , of the 15 th , contains a faint attempt to justify the atrocity ; ami , which is of far more importance , mukes a statement which allows us to hope that eleven of the crew ore yet surviving : — " The Involute Itwsa ( saya tho Berlin correspondent of tho Daily News ) describes the affair at Hango as in accordnnco witli fuir play , tho CosBaok ' a boat having effected an hontile landing , with all on board armed . Tho crow were it is said , suddenly attacked by a body of Russians , accreted behind buildings . They « it first defended thoninulvoa but were forced to surrender to superior numbers . Fivo wore killed , and one officer , one Burgeon , and nine Builorrt taken prisoners , of whom four wero wounded . Tho boat waa sunk , and the boat ' s flag , together with Hcven gunH and seven cutla 8 aoH j _ takeiK * _

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      ~" * Tho " Russians were thuu unaware of tho escape ol tho seaman , Brown , iu tho boat referred to .

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      * This officer is alao recommended by Colonel Tylden .

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  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), June 23, 1855, page 593, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2096/page/5/