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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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" The various columns of the army had to cross several rivers in succession , in order to turn the Gulf of Sebas-» pol and enter the mountain country before they could trrive at BaLaklavn . " Menschikoff haa been driven to a distance-with , the wreck , of bis army . " Marseilles , Oct . 5 ( TSTight ) . " The Fury "brings news from Constantinople of the 57 th . Sebastopol is commanded by the allies . " The Kuasian naval division has made an "unsuccessul endeavour to push out with fourteen sail . " In the battle of the Alma , the Russians defended lie heights with 100 guns , yet the allies carried the uimnit
" The want of cavalry was much felt in the pursuit . " Up to the 24 th there has been no farther fighting a the Crimea . " The 23 rd Regiment lost all its officers but three , of vhom . Captain Bell was the senior . " Colonel Ainslie was kiZled in planting a standard on h e heights of Alma . " General Brown had a horse killed under him . " Sebastopol is invested . "
THE BATTLE OF ALMA . v " It appears from the accounts which have reached the french Government , that the battle was fought within v very short distance of the sea coast . The French army , : onsisting of either three , or four divisions , occupied the ight , and was consequently nearest the sea . ' The English , ccupied the centre , and the Turks the left , the French . xmy being nearest the sea , fully one-half of it -was proected by the fire from the steamers , so that the extreme ight arid centre of the French line did not suffer much . ? he French division -which suffered most was on the left f the Trench line , and next to the English . It was omvrtanded by General Thbmasson , who , as you are ware was desperately wounded , and who is said to have ince died of his wounds .
' The brunt of the battle fell upon our countrymen , rho have not only had the post of honour , but , it is jared , have been the -greatest sufferers . At the French . linistry of War it is stated that , from the information . rhichi has arrived , there is reason to believe that the > ss of the English far exceeded that of their army , 'he main charge must ha \ re been a tremendous one . It eemsthat , although the Russians were posted on the pposite side of a deep ravine , and on the top of a steep nd difficult bank , where they had deliberately ; raken up lieir position , and where they were protected ! by their rtillery , the whole of the English army and the left ivision of the army stormed this formidable position in ront and carried it . Every military man knows what . desperate affair such an attack is , and the little we r know of the storming of the heights of the Alma saves no doubt that it will be recorded in our amiala as no of the most glorious exploits of our brave countrynen . "
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" As no account has yot been received of the arrival it Marseilles of a steamer from Constantinople with the Letails of the battle of the heights of the Almn , the Duke f Newcastle thinks it right to make known that ho ears tlio account of the casualties on that occasion caulot lie published before Monday , at the earliest . " War Department , 8 i > . m ... Oct . 5 , 185-1 . "
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weighed anchor , and each , was busy " dodging about " the mass of transports to pick up its own particular charges- This was a work of time , of trouble , and of difficulty . Towing is at all times an unpleasant operation , but it is especially difficult to arrange the details and to get the towed vessels under way , when there is such a mass of shipping to thread as there was at present . When the vessels were found , aad the hawsers passed and secured , then came the next great difficulty —to get them into their assigned places in the several lines of the different divisions . There was some time lost before the lines were formed , and the signal "to sail" was given . With a gentle breeze off shore the flotilla started in nearly the order assigned to it r but some changes took place , which at this moment I am not in a position to state .. The lines , were about half a mile apart , and each line was four or five miles long , for
the towing power of the several steamers was so unequal that the weaker ones tailed off and . the stronger got ahead , in sj > ite of repeated orders to keep station . It was a vast armada . No pen could describe its effect upon the eye . Ere an hour had elapsed , it had extended itself over half the circumference of the horizon . Possibly no expedition so complete and so terrible in its means of destruction , with such enormous power in engines of war , and such capabilities of locomotion , was ever yet sent forth by any worldly power ; for the conyjunction of such a corps d ' elite—the whole disposable British array—with a fleet of such strength , and an artillery of unequalled range , severally provided , too , it is said , with missiles of unexampled force , has assuredly nx > parallel in history . Our speed was restricted to four miles and a half per hour , but with a favouring wind it was difficult to restrain the vessels to that speed , and the transports set no saiL
Tiie Fleet at Sea . —The fleet , in five irregular and . straggling lines , flanked by men-of-war and war steamers , advanced slowly , filling the atmosphere with innumerable columns of smoke ,, which gradually flattened into streaks and joined the clouds , adding to the sombre appearance of this Tvell-nanxed " Black" Sea . The land was lost to view very speedily beneath the coal clouds and the steam clouds of the fleet , and as we advanced , not an object was visible in the half of the great circle which lay before us , save the dark waves and the cold sky . Not a bird flew , no £ a fish leaped , not a sail dotted the horizon . Behind us all -was life and power
—vitality , force , and motion—a strange scene in this so-called Russian lake ! From time to time signals were made to keep the stragglers in order , and to whip up the laggards , hut the execution of the plan by no means equalled the accuracy with -which it had been set forth upon paper , and the deviations from the mathematical regularity of the programme wfere very natural . The effect was not marred by these trifling departures from strict rectilinearity , for the fleet seerned all the greater and the more imposing- as the eye rested on these huge black hulls weighing down upon the face of the waters , and the infinite diversity of rigging which covered the background with a giant network .
The Landing . —About nine o'clock one black ball was run up to the fore of the Agamemnon , and a gun was fired to enforce attention to the signal . This meant , " Divisions of boats to assemble round ships , for which they are told off " , to disembark infantry and artillery . " There was , as I have said , no enemy in sight , but long before the French had landed their first boats' cargo the figure of a mounted officer , followed by three Cossacks , had fallen within the scope of nuiny a glass . The Russian was within about 1100 yards of us , and through a good telescope we could watch his every action . He rodo slowly along "by the edge of the cliff , apparently noting the number and disposition of the fleet , and taking notes with great calmness in a memorandum book .
The expedition to the Crimea , fortunate in all > iher things , is fortunate iu having an historian ivorthy of the occasion . Tho special correspondent ) f tho Times hag alwtiya distinguished himself for lWe and graphic accounts of tho proceedings in the Black Sous tout his last lottera , containing tho nw-Mlivooftho sailing of tho oxpeclition and the dobarlcation , are , without question , unequalled in , periodical or newspaper literature . For atyle , spirit , and descriptive power , grasp of detail , and anecdote , notiung haa over been , produced like- it . Wo roprotluco a few extracts , only regretting that they arc a few : —i
Tub Fmcet wicicihb Axciton . —Sir Edmund Lyons in evidentl y an curly riHor . At hnif-pa « t four o ' clock on "' hurtidiiy morning , thvao gunn from tho Againonuion in quick . suocoHsion woke u [> tho Hloopoi-H of tho Hoot . Tho Blguulmon luuulo out through Uxo ha / , o of morning twilight tho joyful order fluttering in tho coloured bunting from tho nii / . en of tho mliuirnl , u l ' rupnro to weigh anchor j" and in a qunrtor of im hour tlio volume * of Biruiko rising from tlio utoainoTH , mingled with white fltroakaofstonm , showed tlwt not ; much time would be Ivat in obeying it . Ero seven o ' vlwk , tho steamers hud
He wore a dark green frockcoat , with a Httlo silver luca , a enp of tlio samo colour , a sash round his waist , and long leather boots . His horse , a fine bay charger , was a strange contrast to the shaggy rough littlo steeds of his followers . There they were , " the Cossacks , " at last !—stout compact-looking fellows , with sheep-skin caps , uncouth clothing of indiscriminate cut , high saddles , and little fiery ponies , which carried them with wonderful cane and strength . Each of these Cossacka carried a thick lance of somo fifteen feet in length nnd a heayyv-looking snbro . At times they took rapid t \ iniH by the edge of the cliff in front of us-r-now to tho loft , now to the rear , of their officer , and occasionally they dipped out of sight over the hill altogether . Then they
came back , flourishing their lances , and pointed to tho accumulating masses of tho French , on their right , nob more than half a mile- from thorn , on the shore , or Bcninpercd over the hill to report progress as to the liuoa of ltafrlinli boots advancing to the beach . Their officer behaved very well , lie remained for an hour within range of a Mini £ rifle , and when tho Highflyer ntoou in clone to tthoro , while ho was coolly making n sketch in hiri portfolio of our appearance , wo all expected they woro going to drop a Bh « H over hhnnolf and hi » littlo party . We were- glad our expectations woro not roaliHocl , if it wore only on tho chance of tho slietch being tolerably good , ho that tho O . nr might really boo what our nrrnnda was like .
first on the beach to tie left of the cliffs ; then came a company of the 2 d Battalion of the Rifle Bri gade commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Lawrence . A small boatfrom the Britannia , commanded by Lieutenant Vesev- had , however , preceded tho Fusiliers , and disembarked ^ some men on the beach , who went down into the hollo-w at the foot of the clLfiS . The Russian continued hi ^ sketching . Suddenly a Cossack crouched , down and , pointed with his lance to the ascent of the cliff . TJw , officer turned and looked in the direction . We looked ,, too , and lo ! a cocked hat rose above the horizon ther
A no figure , with a similar head-dress , came also , n { view . The first was Sir George Brown , on foot ; thai second w e made out to be Quartermasttsr-G < .-nGral Airey . The scene was exciting . It was evident the Russian and the Cossacks saw Sir George , but that he did not . see them . A picket of Fusiliers and Riflemen followed / the General at a considerable interval . The Russian , got on his horse , the Cossacks followed his example , an < J one of them cantered to the left to see that the French ; were uot cuttiug off their retreat , while the otheis stooped , down over their saddle-bows and rode stealthily ^ with lowered lances , towards the Englishmen ..
Sir George was in danger , but he did not know it * Neither did the Russians' see the picket advancing to ?» wards the brow of the hill . Sir George was busy ? scanning the country , and pointing out various spots to ^ tlie Quartermaster-General . Suddenly they turn , and slowly descend the hill—the gold sash disappears- —the cocked hat is eclipsed—Cossacks and officers dismount , and steal along by the side of their horses . They , , toot are hid from sight in a short tim « , and on the brow of the cliff appears a string of native carts . In about five , niinutes two or three tiny puffs of smoke ilse over the . cliff , and presently the faint cracks of a rifle are audible to the men in the nearest ships . In a few lniuutes more the Cossacks are visible , flying , like the wind on the road towards Sebastopol , an < d crossing close to tho left of the French lines of skirmishers .
VV hen we landed w « heard that Sir George Brown had a near escape of being taken prisoner . lie was the first to land , and pushed on without sending vedettes or * men in front , though he took the precaution , very for-r . tuuately , to bring up a few . soldiers with him . The Cossaeks , who had been dodging him , made a dash when they were within less than a hundred yards . The General had to-run , and was only saved from capture by the fire of the Fusiliers . The Cossacks bolted . The . first blood spilt in this campaign "Was that of a poor boy , an . arabjee , Avko was wounded in the foot by the volley which dislodged them . Meantime swarins : of boats were putting off from the various ships to carry the Kngluib troops to land .
Tim Bkacii . —By twelve o ' clock in the day , that barren and desolate teach , inhabited but a short time before only by the seagull and ¦ wildfowl , -was swarming with life . From one extremity to tho other bayonets glistened , and red coats and brass-mounted shakoa gleamed in solid masses . The air was filled with our English speech , and the hum of voices mingled with loud notes of command , cries of comrades to each other , tho familiar address of " Bill" to " Tom , " or of "^ l ' at" to " Sandy , " and an occasional shout of laughter . Yery amusing was it to watch tho loading and unloading of the boats . A gig or cutter , pulled by eight or twelve sailors , with a paddle-box boat , flat , or Turkish pinnace in tow ( tlio latter purchased for the service ) , would come up alongside a steamer or transport in which troopH were ready for disembarcation . The oilicera of ca ^ ch company
first descended , each man in full dress . Over hie shoulder waa slung his havrenrtck , containing what had buen , ere it underwent the process of cooking , 4 ^ 1 d . of salt mea t , and a bulky mass of biscuit of the same weight . This was bin ration for three days . JJeaidoa this each officer carried his greatcoat , rolled up and fastened in a hoop round his body , a woodon canteen to hold water , a mniUl ration of spirits , whatever change of under-clothing hecould maungo to stow nway , his forage cap , and , in most instances , a revolver . Each private carried his blanket and greatcoat strapped up into a kind ofluinpnucki inside which was a pair of bootH , a pair of socluf , ft shirt , and , at tho request of tho men Uiomselvoa , a forugo cup ; ho also carried his watw canteen uud . the piuno rationa as the officer , a , portion of thy men * cooking apparatus , nrclock and bayonot of oourrte , curtoM-ch bo }\ and 50 rounds of ball cartridges fur MiuiJ , 00 rounds for binootli-boro
ms . Tins Sailors' Cauio ov tuk Somukrs . —Ludicrously kind woro tho sailors to Holdiera who wwo Buppona < l to bo , HtiH wily on ttaoir aen ,-rlogu Ah each mam o / uno creeping clowu tho liuUlcr Juulc helped him along t » udcrly from rung to rung till ho waa wife- in th « boat , took hi . i ( iuslock and stowutl it away , roinuvod '' it I'liaj ) - Hack and . j » aok < ul it wuugly under tho mint , pnltud him on tho buojt , and told him " not to bo nfeoicl on U »« wnter ;" twvUxxA " tlw nolw , " in fact , iu n vory kind hikI tun dor
way , a « though Jio wt-ni a 1 / irtf" >« i < not wry wi / rm-nm » " iitrt , " who wart not to bo frkrliteiiod or ! ' •« ' ¦ rtl H '" " any ncoounl , « ml did it all m > qut « k \ y Umt tho largo imilillM-box lx . alH , cuntiiiuiiifr 1 O <> »>« " > - W ( ir < 1 »" \ ' luiiuiluH . Tluni tl » , Inticr mole tlu . | m < l . lh-lM . X m tow , leaving her , however , in Hmrtf . ' « 'f « ««~^ <> " «« " 1 | IIJ , » nn . l th « wiiuo att « - « ti « iiWiiMj . « l « n «» ^« ' // ; »« » ,,, (* oil Hhoro tlmt ™ "vliiml liitfHIlHff hliu l . H » UK ) b jjilt , the hallor . ( l . iilf « r wln . ll . V n . « lu-d la Iliu m . r ) htaudl . ig nifiit tlvwn tho l . luulv t" » " « » 1 » Ih « 1 o , for fear " he'd fall
Sir ( j koiuhs Buoa ^ tt and tub Cohsacks . —Monntiin © the Kngliah boats wvro nouring tho mIioto , not in tho order of tho progrnmmo , but hi irregular pjnni | in : n compiiny of a r Kiiu « nt of tlio Light Divinion , tho 7 th Fuuiliers , under Lieutunnnt-Celouui Yea , 1 think , lamlud
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The Mimatcrfor Wax haa made the following announcements : — " An extraordinary Gazette will bo published so soon s tli-e names of those who have fallen in action , or have eon wounded in the Crimea , shall have been received ; nd tho Royal Commission authorising the collection nd control of a " Patriotic Fund" for the relief of the widows nnd orphans of soldiers , sailors , and marines : illed or dying on active service in the present war , will Iso be pxiblidhed at the same time , if not previously iroiwulgated . " War Department , Oct . 3 , 180-1 . "
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October 7 , 1854 . ] THE LEADER . 939
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Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 7, 1854, page 939, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2059/page/3/
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