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    Awm. 14, 1855.1 miEAMB. tm

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    WAR MISCELLANEA. TSflB'SfiA OF AZOV AND ...

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    T He W A Jr. It Is Almost A Misnomer, Th...

    own regiments who were down towards the front . While all this eiriHty was- going an we > were walMng among the dead , over blood-stained ground , eovered -with evidences of recent fight . Broken muskets ; bayonets , cartwich-boxes , caps , fragments . of clothingv straps and belts , pieces of shell , little pools of clotted blood , shotround and grape— shattered gabions- and sandbags , were visible around us on every side ; and through the midst of the crowd stalked a solemn proeesaion of soldiers hearing their departed comrades to their long home . I

    counted seventy-seven Utters borne past me in fifteen rainuteai each filled -with a dead enemy . The contortions of the slain , were horrible , and recalled the memories of the fields of Alma , and Inkerman . The Russians appeared to treat their dead with great respect . The soldiers I- saw -were -white-faced and seemed ill-fed , though many of them had powerful frames , square j & oulders , and broad chests . All their dead who fell within and near our lines were stripped of boots and stockings . The cleanliness of their feet , and , in most cases , of their coarse linen shirts , was remarkable . evidence of

    " In the midst of all this stern war , a certain amount of lively conversation began to spring up , 5 b which the Russian officers indulged in a little badinage . Some of them asked our officers ' when we were coming in to take the place ; ' others , ' when we thought of going away . ' Some congratulated us upon the excellent opportunity we had of getting a good look at Sebastopol , as the cliance of a nearer viewr except on similar occasions , was not in their opinion very probable . One officer asked a private confidentially , in Englisb ^ how many men we sent into the trenches ? ' Begorra , only 7 . 000 a-night , and awake covering party of 10 , 000 , ' and turned

    the ready reply . The officer laughed , away . At one time a Russian with a . litter stopped by a dead body , and put it into the litter . He looked , round for a comrade to help him . A Zouave at once advanced with much grace , and lifted it , to the infinite amusement of the bystanders ; but the joke was not long-lived , as a Russian brusquely came , up , and helped to carry off his dead comrade . In the town we could see large bodies of soldiery in the streets , assembled at the corners and in the public places . Probably they were ordered out to make a show of their strength . The Russians denied that Prince Menschikoff was-dead ; but they admittedthat Admiral Isturmin was killed .

    "Owing to somemisunder 3 tanding " or other , a little fusillade began among the riflemen on the left during the armistice , and disturbed our attention for a moment , but it ; was soon terminated . General Bosquet and several officers of rank of the allied army visited the trenches during the ^ ar mistice , and staff officers were present on both sides to see that the men did not go out of bounds . The Armistice was over about three o ' clock . Scarcely had the white flag disappeared behind the parapet of the Mamelon before a round shot from the Sailors' Battery went slap through one of the embrasures of the Russian work , and dashed up a great pillar of earth inside . The Russians at once replied , and the noise of cannon soon re-echoed through the ravines . 'V— Times Correspondent .

    .. A GOOD SHOT . " A splendid shot was made by the Naval Brigade from their 68-pounder . -The Russians . had . mounted . ^ . p iece of 70 1 b . in the Mamelon , and on Sunday they directed shot and shell from it—now against Gordon ' s Battery , and now on the French . We generally shut them up , however , in a short time . On Monday morning they began again , and the officer in charge of the battery sent up to know what he was to do with the gun . The answer was , " Fight it . " Our 68 was laid ; and the very first shot went right through the embrasure , and smashed the Russian gun to pieces , to our intense satisfaction . This balances our account for tho damage done to ono of our 32-poundera , and to a heavier piece by tho Russian fire within tho last few days . "—Idem .

    RErORT OP PROGRESS . " "We are keeping up a steady fire on the town and its works continually , night and day , from tho two sea service mortars in front of tho picket-house . Tho enemy has good work to put tho fires out caused by tho shells from these pieces j but as the town ia built of stone so much , this is accomplished without any groat difficulty . Our advanced works extend to within a few yarda ( within 100 ) of tho White Tower ; so wo must soon do

    something with that pluco . Q ur field 9-poundor piocea in the advanced trench do g < Ad work , and very ofton eompol tho Russian riflemen to leave thoir pits ; they have boon found to answer oxtromely well . A good many are under tho impression that tho garrison is not bo strong as represented to bo ; thoir reasons for thinking bo arc tho ninny marchings nnd roliovinga of troops outsido tho town . Tho force inside , and kept tliere , we know to bo a kind of foreign legion—Albanians and Amauts ; cvon some Irishmen .

    "I am abla to tell you that the ohtetric wires are down from hoad-quartcrs ami vory closo to Sir George Brown ' s quarters . Wu have now Uiilaklava houdquarters , and pur extreme right , all linked together within a miuuto ' s call . The communication will cvon l » o carried to tho trenches by miruntf of a Hoiunphore , which will bo greeted in tho batteries , with one on tho toji of tho hill- in front of tho Light Division , and inonsages taken from tlionco to tho electric—tho entire procoas not occupying five minute , ? . The whole ia under tho

    management of Lieut . Stopford , HS . ' E . " ^ -Jltf 6 fpning Post Correspondent . The same writer sayB that the English army now falls little short of 30 , 000 men ? but he admits that deaths from low fever are- still frequent . -

    STATE OF THE FORTIFICATIONS AND' TOWN-OFSEBASTOPOTi . « I was enabled ( during the truce ) to get within a very reasonable distance of the Malakhoff Tower , and certainly was much struck by the number , strength , and solidity of the earthworks round it . All of them seemed in beautiful repair , and more like the permanent defences of a regular fortress than the-mere efforts of a sudden emergency . In front was a deep ditch , with strong chevaux de frise of rough-pointed timber at the other side ; while above , from the edge of the fosse to the slope of the battery , were pointed-stakes about three feet high , set so closely in the earth as to appear at a little distance like a dark band all round the work . But with such a commanding point as the Mamelon once in our possession , the whole of these stockades and the batteries behind them could be destroyed in a single day .

    " On the left of Malakhoff , but projecting one hundred yards in advance of it , was the Redan . This is now one of the most tremendous of all the Russian works . Its three sides have double tiers of guns ; there being in this battery alone , it is calculated , not less than 250 pieces of ordnance , some of them of the very heaviest calibre used in warfare . This work , like Malakhoff , is also defended by a broad deep ditch , with chevaux de Jrise , but without stakes , on the slope of the parapet . " From between these batteries a most admirable view could be had right down into the town behind them . Even with the naked eye everything could be seen quite distinctly ; but , with a good glass , a . minute examination of every house could be made . The most

    minute examination which I could make failed to show me that we had inflicted any injury worth speaking of in the town . The little huts of the Turkish and Tartar population outside the walls are destroyed . The handsome town inside the walls is , as a town , uninjured . A barrack and a few warehouses nearest to the walls are much perforated , and the roofs nearly gone ; but this is all . The large public buildings , the barracks , churches , and rows of splendid houses show no mark of injury of any kind . As I looked at some of the best streets , I could hardly persuade myself that I was not gazing at

    some of the better parts of Bath or Brighton , so white , regular , and handsome was their appearance . Very few persons were in the streets ; probablyj did not see more than thirty or forty in all , and , of this small number , at lettst two-thirds were soldiers . I ^ saw nc » women of any class . A good many boats were busy about the harbour , and many people seemed at work on shore , a little above tho water ' s edge on the north , where , numbers of carts and arabaa were passing to and Tro ; but beyond these signs of life there seemed nothing doing . The town itself appeared almost entirely deserted . "—Morning Herald Correspondent .

    Under the date of March the 26 th , this writer says he believes we shall open fire in another week at the latest . He adds : ' " It is a matter of positive certainty that , if the allied commanders wish it , the whole town could ~ Tie ~ utterly destroyed in-twenty-four hours . " It may be so ; but we must be careful how we talk of " positive certainties" before the fact . general canitobert ' s account of the sortie ok the 22 nd . General Canrobert , in his despatch dated March 23 , says : —

    " About 11 o clock at night , tho enemy attempted a general sortie on this side , in which he appears to have employed no less than fifteen battalions , stated by the Russian prisoners to be each one thousand strong . These troops , divided into two columns , advanced in a body , and with savage howlings attacked the head of tho roadway we have formed in front of our parallel for reaching the ambuscades previously occupied by the enemy , ambuscades which it is our intention to connect strongly one with another , so as to make of them a place d'armes . Repulsed three , times , and three times led back by their officers , tho Russians were compelled to abandon their plan of occupying this point , which was defended by some companies of tho 3 rd regiment of Zouaves , under tho command of Lieut .-Colonel lianon . Tho combat there waa obstinate , and has cost us dear , but has inflicted on tho enemy Iosbcb far greater than ours , and proportioned to the musses he brought up .

    u Tho efforts of the enemy , who could only ptill down tho still empty gabions , at this spot , being without effect , wero next directed against the left of our parallel , towards tho ravino of Kurnbelnin , where he was warmly received by n tiro of musketry , and was unable to penetrate . 1 I « then Hiuldtiiily throw himself upon tho right of the English parallel , contrived to cross tho worka , and found himself in tho rear of our left , -which for aiv instant Vas u . xposed to a murderous lire in reverse , ( general Autcinarrn , who ' commanded in tho trench , niadts tlio noccsftavy disposition , * with hi . s acuiMtoiucd vigour nnd eompoHuro . " Tho 4 th battalion of Infantry Chu . sHGiirw , coining up to a « H « Ht , wa « nont into thornvino , whero it throw itHolt' valiantly upon tho enemy , who , boing hhnnelf expoacd , suffered con » idoraL > lu lorn , ami wuh repulsed to return no more . . . .

    " This operation- of the besieged baa differed' completely from all those whieh he has- hitherto attempted against our works . In order to insure its soeoess , and . notwithstanding the strength of the garrison , considerable as that is , he brought up from without two regr mehts ( eight battalions ) of fresh troops ( those -of Dnieper and Ouglitch ) . It . was a species of general assault against our lines of communication , and th & com bination appeared uncommonly well devised for obtaining £ a great result . The importance of this : failure « athe part of the besieged ought to be estimated by the greatness of the object he had in view ;"

    DESPATCH FBOH LOKD RAGLAN . Before Sebastopol-, March-27 . ' My Lord , —Adverting to my despatch of the 24 th inst ., I do myself the honour to state that the following 1 officers have been brought to my notice as having distinguished . ' themselves on the night of the 22 nd , and morning of the 23 rd , in addition to those whose names-1 have already submitted to your Lordship : —Major the Hon . James Lyon Browne , of the 21 st Regiment , brother of the Hon . Captain Browne of the Royal Fusiliers , who , it . has already been iny painful duty to report , fell upon . this , occasion ; Captain Butler , of the 20 thy and Captaia Rickinaa of the 77 th .

    I . am happy to say- that Captain Montagu , of- the Royal Engineers , who- was- taken prisoner , was not wounded , and that Lieutenant - Colonel Kelly , of the 34 th Regiment , who also fell into- the enemy ' s hands , is not- severely wounded , though ; - he . received some injury both , in his head and hand . Major * General Eyre , the General Officer of the-trenches , highly eulogises the dispositions of Lieutenant-rColonel Kelly , and laments the ' loss of . hia . services . The Major-General also speaks in- the wannest terms , of the conduct of Lieutenant-Colonel Tylden , Royal Engineers , who received a contusion , which , however , I am glad to be able to assure your Lordship docs not incapacitate him from continuing those exertions and displaying those qualities

    which render him so valuable an officer . There was a suspension of hostilities for about three hours on Saturday for the purpose of 'burying those who had fallen in the late encounters , and it was evident from the numbers of bodies of the enemy , and of the Erench , to whom the last sad offices had to be paid , that the loss sustained both by the French and the Russians had been very severe , particularly that of the latter . Some French , too , were found lying close to the Mamelon , —a proof that their gallant spirit had carried them up to the enemy ' s intrenchments . Nothing of importance has since occurred . The siege operations continue to progress , and during the last two nights the interruption from the fire of the enemy has been inconsiderable . The enemy are very assiduous in the improvement of then * defences and in the establishment of a trench in the front of the Mamelon ,

    towards which our ally is advancing by serpentine sap . The weather continues very fine , and the aj > pcarance and health of the troops are manifestly improving . Dr . Gavin , of the Sanitary Commission , and Mr . Rawlinson , Civil Engineer , have arrived , and are earnestly applying themselves to the discharge of the duties they have undertaken to perform . ; and I will take-care that they receive every assistance it may be in my power to afford them . - The- Ilimalaya ^ . arrrye . d , . andjaas been disembarkiug her horses yesterday and this day in Casatchbay . Since writing the above , I have received the official report that Captain A . El Hill , of the 89 th Regiment , was severely wounded and taken prisoner last night while posting hia sentries in front of the advanced trench on our extreme left . I have , & c , Raglan . The Lord Panmure , & c .

    Awm. 14, 1855.1 Mieamb. Tm

    Awm . 14 , 1855 . 1 miEAMB . tm

    War Miscellanea. Tsflb'sfia Of Azov And ...

    WAR MISCELLANEA . TSflB ' SfiA OF AZOV AND THE RtrsstAir REINFORCEMENTS . — " A Hertfordshire Incumbent" writes to the Times aa follows : — " The natural highway from Central Russia is tne Volga , down as low as Dubovka , where the river approaches very near to the-Don . From this point , oven the heaviest articles , such as fir * trees for ships ' masts , are convoyed by land earring * to Kntsclmlinkaia on the Don , and thence by water-to Taganrog . Hy this route , troops , stores , awd all the appliances of war , can be moved at almost every season of tho year . Tho enormous amount of traffic on tho Volg / i , even in tho winter , may bo estimated from tho fact mentioned by Pallns , that , in tho year ho passed through Soropta on liis way to Astrakhan ( 17 U 3 ) , ho found that no less than 16 , 900 om « -hor 6 O slcdgos had arrived there in tho previous autumn , heforo tho river was frozen flrmly enough to allow thorn at onco to proceed onwards without risk . I entertain littlo doubt that during tho-past winter this means of transit has been made use of for military purpose * , and that , as noon as tho winter ico in the Lower JJon hu « diauppourcd , men and material will bo flouted down that river , transhipped < ft 1 ngnnrofr , into voshoIw of ft more . substantial diameter , and landed on Homo part of tho oaaUirn coast of tho peninsula , unless mo-ttii . s can bo adopted by tho AIHch for obtaining the command of the -Sou of A / . of by thu first or Bccond week in Miiy . " The writer , however , admits that , owing to tho whallownoHS of tho straits , it would bo a very diflionlt matter to send a flotilla into the » ca in question .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), April 14, 1855, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_14041855/page/3/