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    October 14, 1854.] THE LEADER. 965

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    Interesting Episodes In The March, Durin...

    that day may stand beside those of ancient or modern times . The Hon . Captain Monck , of the 7 th , was pierced by a ball , -which he felt was his death wound , but 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 . N ^ ar 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 .,- 12 , 000 men of the garrison of Sebastopol , were with -the army . " We could have held it , " says the captured Russian 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 siege guns will soon account for them . French Zouaves and others were busy engraving their names and regiments with their knives on this tower . Prince Napoleon had pitched his tent near this spot . I hare omitted to mention that on the approach of the Allies , masons were busy on the tower , -which was then surrounded with scaffolding-. Thi 3 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 mess tables , formed of flat stones . The whole ground was 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 . 1 passed one , that of a poor Russian 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 wounded , 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 Minib Rifle . —The immense superiority of the Miiiie" 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 were slightly wounded , but none of the Russians were so . The Mini

    The Dead on this Pikld . —The attitudes of some of the dead wore awful . One man might bo seen resting on one knee , with tho . arms extended in the form of taking aim , the brow compressed , tho lips clinched—the very expression of firing at an enemy stamped on tlio face and fixed thcro by death ; n ball had . struck this man in the nock . Physiologists or anatomists must settle tho rest . Another was lying on his back -with the same expression , and his nrms raised in a similar attitude , tho Minie" muskot still grasped in his hands undischarged . Anothor lay in a perfect arch , his head resting on one part of tho ground and his feet on tlio other , but tho back raised high above it . Many men without legs or arms -wore trying to crawl down to tlio waterside . Soino of tho dead lay with a calm , placid emue on tho face , as though thoy were in somo delicious droam .

    Tub Russian Sold inks . —Tho Russian regiments engaged against us , judging from tho numbora on tho onps ? 9 ? i t U ^? naL ° f tllc ( Uiul imd wounclod , were tho 11 th , 12 thLietlii , 17 th , 18 th , Slat , 82 nd , 88 rd , and Homo of fimr I W Gu < Wd < Th 0 RuflBiftn roferi » ™» t conaisU of eTo i ™ UOBVnd Wch lmU ( lli ° » " >« y b « said to bo man T * , 1 " \ ° ldicrs woro ««< W stout , strong Znia £ ^ «\ of the regimenta , 82 nd and Ifltl , for cxwTth h ™ " ertthorh ° l < n « t > JwndBomoly mounted hole far ti' h ? vlns a hmm conc on tllc »« P . with a fcolo for the reception of a tuft , feather , or piumo others

    wore simply a white lmen foraging cap . They were all dressed 3 n long drab coats with brass buttons , bearing the number of the regiment . These coats fitted loosely , were gathered in at the back b y 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 the top to admit of their be 5 ng comfortably tacked down ; the boots were 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 g-eneral 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 fcread Avith onions and oil ; the powder is "

    reserve" ration ; and if they march they maybe for days without food , and remain hungry till they can get fresh loaves a : nd more " bread stuff . " It 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 Koraris in their knapsacks— most probably recruits from the Kasan Tartars . Many of the officers had portraits of wives 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 Pkisoneks . —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 moustache is left , and the hair is cropped as close to . the head as possible . The latter ia 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 w 6 ro merely a lace shoulderstrap , instead of

    the cloth one of the privates . Most of them spoke Fiench , and the entreaties of the wounded to bo taken along with us as the officers moved up the hill were touching in the extreme . TJhe poor fellows had a notion that oui- men would murder them if thq 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 s » y they were badly handled , and had no general to direct them . Menschikoff lost liis 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 were utterly deficient in Man and dash .

    Tub Russian Gkkkkals taken Pkisoneks . —The two superior officers captured are Generals TchetchanofF and Gonikoff . They were dressed as simple privates , and were so treated until their rank was nmdo known by their fellow-prisoners . Thoy state the lUissiun force engaged as 86 , 000 men , but thoy add that they considered tlint number quite sufficient to defend the position against tho allied armies for five months . One of them is now on board tho Agamemnon . He is very sulky , und says ho thought ho " was to have fought against men , not against devils dressed in rod . " The other general was found underneath a soldier ' s coat , with his son , both wounded , on tho 21 st , He says he wns glad to bo wounded by ono of the Quoen's Guards addi

    , ng that ho should not have liked to bo wounded "by any of thoso people in petticoats" ( Highlanders ) . I ho following is the way in which thoy were captured : — One of them was captured after tho bnttlo under rather Hingular circumstances . Ho had heard tho firing , and , perfootly confident that tho notion lnunt have resulted in our rcpulso , ciimo with a single attendant to tho heights to congratulate , ua h « believed , Prince Monfichikoff upon Inn victory . To bin intonao Hurpriao ho waa made prlHonor , and brought in by Sergeant Trotter , of the Coldstroam Guards , who was on duty at ono of tho outposts . Tho other wna enptnrod in tlio redoubt . Ho wna Hlrotched on tho ground bosldo bin fallen horse , apparently dead . An artilleryman , who had taken « violunt fancy to liia coat , was about to diveat tlio 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 come 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 .

    The Autillkry . —The Royal Artillery lost four officers ; one of them ( Captain Dew ) had the upper hulf of his head cut off by a ball . The artillery behai'ed 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 sfiort 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 French Artillery . —The French Artillery seems to have greatly distinguished itself . A . French officer writes : — " The battery of Commandant de la Boussionere was exceedingly fine , when , towards the end , we aided the English by taking the Russians in ilank . It fired with marvellous aim , extinguished the Russian batteries , and permitted the English to dash forward . Tho battery of Toussaint charged and opened fire on the telegraph , within 400 metres of the Russian infantry , which fled 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 is henceforward placed at a very high rank . He fought with 12 pieces against 32 guns of the Russians , which could not hold against them . 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 , and General Bosquet had the greatest difficulty to make them remain in the position assigned to them . They only lost 230 men killed and 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 were tying ar / ound the breastwork killed and wounded ; four captains , a major , and the colonel of this regiment were lying dead together—a ghastly sight ! Those o f 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 tho 23 rd found himself alone in the enemy ' s battery , and actually bayoneted three men before assistance came to him . Ho was at once promoted to be sergeant , which we hope ia only a step to further advancement .

    Tub Light Division—Tub Guards and Highlanders . — After the capture of the redoubt tho Light Division followed up tho hill , pouring in volley after volley after the retreating Russians . At this moment a compact column descended one of th « hills . This waa mistaken for a French division , and tho firing on the part of tho British ceased- When within musket range , this supposed French column deployed in line , and , before the error could bo discovered , poured a fearful volley into the British ranks . Our loss hero waa frightful—the 28 rd Regiment was nearly annihilated , and six officers fell on tlio spot . The 7 th Fusiliers were equally

    unfortunate . Tho Light Division waa forced to give way , and the redoubt foil into the hands of the Russians once more . Tho Russians pursued , and it was at thi « point that the great charge of tho Guards and the Highland lirigado was made . Tho Jliglilniulerw , says an c . yowitnoss , behaved with distinguished courage . Their appearance , it is said , was ho imposing tlmt they Huc . ni to have boon taken for cavalry , and a largo square was formed to rcsint thorn . All our men had M 3 nie" rilks , and tho Russians , in column , opposed to our Guards in line , wore mowed down by our volleys } COO out of 1000 in one battalion fell .

    The f > r > Tii and tub Bayonet . —Ono correspondent states , that tho OStli actually crosne < l bayonets "vVit . Ii tho KuHsian-B , but at ono point it would appear as though neither mu « kot nor bayonet did thoir work quick enough . Tho blood of tho iiritifth M'ns up ; they dubbed tliolr muskets and brained the enemy . Tho Muacovkou tU : d in disorder . Tho ofllucrH who worn taken jirlHonorrt fiM they could not utiiml tho tremendous oiifl / uiglit of our pooplc ; thoy nlways know wo w « r « excellent uoldiui'M , but lincl no idoa wo wore hucIi "devils . "

    A Sekorant of this Guaiids .- A colour-ficrgcimt of tho GunrdH , writing an account of Ian n . IventurcH hhvh : " My dear nir , — You cannot inmginn tho liorrorn und carnage . I had tho colour * , an « l my ollicor nnd comrades ( right and left ) wounded , but your ' mnnll m ; rvn » it . ' novor touch ™! . Miiwod <>"" 24 ll > . whot by pollti-ly bowinir , which knocked oft" tho cap of tho Horgcant in tho rear of mo . " Sergeant Davis in , in fact , a flno , stnl-

    October 14, 1854.] The Leader. 965

    October 14 , 1854 . ] THE LEADER . 965

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 14, 1854, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_14101854/page/5/