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    m the smoke , had diverged , and scarcely filled the ground . We went on , however , and hoped that their own men . flying would break the enemy ' s line and drive them into the river . When I saw them form four deep , instead , I knew it was " all up , " and called out to the men to rally . At this moment a solitary squadron of the 8 th came up in good order . This saved the reiunaat of us ; for we rallied to them , and they , wheeling about , charged a line which the liossians had formed hi our rear . You never saw men behave so well as our men did . As we could not hold our ground , all our dead and badly wounded were left behind , and we know not who are dead or who axe prisoners . All this makes me

    miserable , even to Arnte ; but it is the naked truth . Our loss in men is not so great as that in horses ; for men whose horses were shot in the advance got back on foot . I hear from a man who dined with Lord Eaglan to-day , that they do us justice at head-quarters , and say that our attack was an unheard-of feat at arms , and that Lord Eaglan says that the moral effect has been wonderful .

    THE . AB-FAXB OF THE 26 TH . ( From ttie Corresponded of the Morning Chronicle . ') On Thursday , the 26 th , the Russians , elated by the easy success gained , over the Turks the preceding day , ventured upon an attack on the British , lines . Towards noon , three large columns of the enemy were perceived advancing along a ravine which runs to the extreme right of our position . The 2 nd , 1 st ( Guards alone ) , and light divisions instantly stood to arms , and awaited -until the enemy should declare his intentions . The appearance of the Russians was , in the first moment , considered a mere feint , having for object the withdrawal of our attention from the real point of their attack—Balaklava . The enemy , however , ascended the ravine , and , forming inline , advanced steadily on the encampment of the 2 nd British division .

    The enemy , whose strength must have esceeeded nine thousand infantry , with a numerous artillery , had no sooner entered within range of our guns , which , 18 in number , had taken up their position , than the word ;* ' Fire" was given , and a volley of shell tore open his Tanks , and checked his advance . The guns were reloaded , and a second discharge , no less severe in its execution , caused the enemy to wheel round and retire . "The Lancaster gun in Captain Peel ' s battery was enabled to pour showers of grape into the enemy ' s lines . A few rockets , dexterously discharged , transformed this retreat into a rout . The Russian ranks gradually reeled , and concluded in breaking . The breast of the hill was covered with fugitives , who were rapidly pursued by our skirmishers . Sir de Lacy Evans had , in the meanwhile , ordered his division ( the 2 nd ) to advance , and follow up the retreating enemy . This was done with

    the utmost zeal and delight on the part of officers and men . Kegiment after regiment started after the flying foe at a rattling pace , and the chase in itself was both novel and exhilivating . The officers endeavoured to preserve the dignity of a British charge , but , for once , in vain . Their " Steady , boys , " and " Keep in line , " were only half listened to , in the eagerneess to come up with the enemy , and settle scores Avith him for many t false and wearisome night alarm . A mass of brushwood soon interfered with the line movement , and the men then pursued , skirmishing . The Russians were overtaken at the crest of tho hill , and a heavy musketry fire was exchanged . The Russians continued their flight , and ontered Sebastopol . General OortschakorT commanded this movement , and was wounded in the hip . Abovo eighty prisoners were brought in by the skirmishers , including three officers .

    In the above smart aotion more than two hundred Russians woro discovered dead on the ground , with a largo quantity of muskets , sabres , and other trophies . Tho Russian columns were led on with great intrepidity by their mounted officers , who were seen to urge their mon forward . On approaching within range of our artillery , the Russians slanted their columns to the left in a serpentine manner , and , witnessing tho preparations mndo to receive them , they withdrew their field-pieces to tho roar . Had it not boon for tho dashing activity of our skirmisliora , tho enemy would hnve retired without engaging . This little triumph has greatly raised tho spirits of tho mon , who had not hud a brush since Alma , Tho artillery was beautifully served , and throw some shells witli wonderful precision .

    RUSSIAN ACCOUNT QV AI . MAThe Journal de St . Ptitersboury repudiates moat of the assertions niado by St . Arnaud in his account of the battle of . Alma . In tho first place it is contended that tho Russians numbered only 33 , 000 against nearly 70 , 000 allies . "' All the heights , ' says tho Mnrehnl , ' we capped with redoubts ami formidable butteries . ' In reality tlio whole was reduced to two simple t ' jitiuh'ments , ono of which was at our centre with 12 guiw of position , tho other on our ri ^ ht . tluuk wih 10 light Avid ltiuces .

    "' Prince lUon . sfhlkoll ' , ' mya the Morahul , 'lofthia carriage . 1 have token it ivilh his portfolio and oonro-Hpondeuco . I nhnll profit by tho valuable intolligonc *) I find in it . ' Tho following in ' tho truth . 1 ' rinco Monsoluk « fT loat no oarringfc , » or nny correspondence belonging to him . Every otjuipugu belonging iu homl-quart-cra buitl

    been previously taken to a place of safety . The only capture that could therefore have fallen into the enemy ' s hands was a clerk attached to head-quarters , who left Sebastopol oa the very day of the battle to rejoin the prince . This clerk was the bearer of a certain number of route papers in blank , and a few other papers of no great importance . Nothing has been known hitherto respecting his fate . The probability therefore is , that it is his capture that has occasioned the mistake . " The enemy's commanders professed to have lavished

    the most prompt attention on our wounded . We do not deny in any manner then humane feelings , nor their sincere wish to put them in practice . But it is publicly notorious that the enemy ' s army was without a sufficient number of surgeons . His own wounded would very naturally have the preference before our own . Hence , it is but too true , that several of our wounded who remained in the power of the enemy , rejoined our array during the course of the following day , of the day after that , and even of the fourth day after , without having had their wounds dressed .

    " Lastly , Marshal Saint Arnaud asserts , that it was the want of cavalry that prevented his pursuing ; us . Tlie truth is , that the enemy ' s cavalry did indeed try to attack us , and even to turn our right flani , but it was our hussars that forced it to retire . "

    LETTERS FROM SAILOKS . THE AGAMEMN 02 I . The following have been received during the week from the friends of the writers in Salisbury and neighbourhood , and have appeared in the Salisbury Journal :- ^— . "OnBoardH . M . ship Agamemnon , " Off Sebastopol , Black Sea , Oct . 18 th , 1854 . "I have but very little time just to inform you , that through God ' s mere }* , I am safe and quite well , having escaped unhurt after one of the most severe engagements pa record . Our loss is not so great as might be expected , but our ship is hi a very sad pickle , our rigging is all cut , and many other parts shot away , and greatly damaged ; we were engaged about four hours . Our old Admiral ran close under the enemy ' s guns , dropped two

    anchors , and at it we went . In a very short time a large fort nearest to us went up into the air with a most terrific crash ; the guns of our own ship , the other shipping and forts kept up a deafening roar of thunder , so that w& all , from the Admiral to the smallest boy in the ship , had our work while it lasted . I can assure you I was glad when we shipped our cables and hauled off . The place has not yet surrendered , but before to-rnorrow night I tope all the fighting in the Black Sea will be finished . I don't think we shall be able to go into action again yet , for yesterday ' s peppering will take us a good week to patch up a bit . As Iain writing this , the guns are blazing from other shipping and the forts . Before you receive this you will have a full account in the papers . " Oct . 23 rd , 185-i .

    " Out noble ship got severely damaged , our rigging was almost cut in pieces from the murderous fire of the enemy ' s forts . " We have been repairing and patching ever sin ? e the action . To give you some remote idea of what we did , I have just made inquiries , and lind that during the four or five hours we were engaged , we fired 2 , 653 rounds of ammunition on the astonished Russians , besides the other ships of ours and of the French ; but I must also tell you that you must remember that only one side of a ship can lire at a time , when anchored alongside a fort . " October 22 nd , 1854 . l

    'Wo coasetl firing , and the action closed at 10 6 p . m ., after silencing all but two guns at Fort Constantine , and disabling it to such an extent , by the breaches made , that it will bo entirely unserviceable . This movement was to occupy and draw part of the troops in Sebii 8 topol from that in which our troops were engaged , and by that means lessen their strength in that point , and by silencing these forts , to a certain extent , was ot great service to Lord Knglnn . We had 4 killed and 25 wounded ; other ships suffered more in consequence of being so fur off . Hud wo been ' 200 yards further off , our loss would have been fearful ; Geil in his infinite

    mercy ordained it otherwise . Our casualties were in going in ; the Albion and Arethuaa sullbred most . Tho total of casualties in tho English fleet was 1 C killed and 240 wounded , tho 1 'rcnch about the same . Several shots struck tho Agamemnon in going in : one lodged in her side , in our mess berth , a very gooil direction for our engine room , Hiul it « omo through , God only knows where the end would have been ; there was a Providence in it- After wo got iu and anchored it wus mostly conlinod to the , rigging and spars , which woro wry * much cut to pieces . Doing so close in they could not depress their Runs to bear on tho hull of tho t * hip from tho thickness of tho walls . "

    Kcsbiax Women . —A sailor on board tho Tribune writes : — " Dear parents , 1 will now toll you of n moo littlo cmi . io -wo had lust wools . Eight nhipa , four English and four French , wont down tho const to a nlnco called Ydtn , whoro wo hoard thoro woro i « . groat muuy guns , and that the pluoo was strongly forullctl ; but . wliou we got thoro thoro was not u gun to l > u noon ; wo we got , nil our boats out and wo nil lumleo uiklor wins ju .-a like Buldiurs , excepting tliat wu could not wiarch very Btraigut ,

    and there was no such thing as trying to keep us together well . When we were all landed we amounted to about one thousand strong . Our captain had charge of the party , which we called the flat-foot militia on account of our wearing no shoes . The order was given to march , and away vie went . The women on shore thought we were going to kill them , and when we came up to them they began screaming and kissing our feet , and kneeling down to us , but instead of us killing them we returned the compliment , by not exactly kissing their f « et , but our jolly tars took them round the neck and kissed their lips , so they soon found out that we did not intend to kill them 5 but if we had come across any soldiers they would stand a nasty chance of being kissed , I can tell you . So we got some government stores , and left the place , and returned to the fleet , and were much amused with our cruise . "

    INCIDENTS—OPINIONS . "Why the Firixg produced no Fike . —The fact is , Sebastopol is very safe from fire . All the principal buildings , and nearly all the second-rate houses are built of stone ; and to this cause must "be attributed the little success which has attended our efforts to fire any part of it . —Morning Herald Correspondent . The Scots Gkexs . —In the account , in the Times , of the 25 th , one incident is overlooked—r-a report of which is supplied by the Morning Chronicle . This charge was before the " great charge " : —" The unflinching courage and self-confidence exhibited by the brave 93 rd were beyond commendation ; bufc

    when did the Highland bonnets ever waver ? Repulsed by one British infantry regiment , the Russian cavalry reformed , and dashed forward against the Scots Greys , who were getting into saddle . The Greys went forward to meet the onset , but , owing to the tent ropes and other impediments of tile encampment , were unable to attain the speed desirable for a . clashing charge . Fortunately , the very sanie impediments caused the enemy to slacken pace , and the Greys had time to break into a kind of caaiter , and . to charge . The numbers opposed to the Scots Greys ¦ w ere in the proportion of six . to one ; and the enemy , opening their ranks before the gallant Greys , received them in their midst , and then closed in upon them , ! For several minutes the bearskins disappeared from

    sight s but at last the belligerent circle sprang asunder , similar to a bursting shell * and the red coats appeared driving before them , iii headlong flight , the routed enemy . The struggle had been a fearful one , and at first the Russians , encouraged by their formidable numerical superiority , fought furiously . Daunted , and at length routed by the heroic bravery of these 2 S 0 British sabres , the enemy galloped back in disorder towards the captured redoubts . The Greys were , of course , unable to pursue light cavalry ; but had our light horse taken the flying Russians in the flank , as was very feasible , not only , would tlie enemy have been cut off from the main body , and have been either captured or destroyed , but ' also the catastrophe which occurred later would have been avoided . "

    Who is Responsible ?—There are various opinions as to the light brigade affair . The Morning Chronicle correspondent -writes , representing the excitement of the day after : — " iNever was more wilful murder committed than iu ordering sin advance against such fearful odds and certain destruction . The popular voice has united in ascribing this great calamity to Captain Kohiu . If the latter was indeed to blame , he lias paid , poor fellow , the penalty of his impetuous courage , Like many another heroic officer , he fell on the field of battle , and 5 n him were buried the finest rider and ono of the noblest spirits in the British service . ' 3 iut what bafllea tlve understanding is , in what respect Captain Nolan , whose

    position was merely that of aido-de-ennip , should thus have proved tho unwitting instrument of the light brigade ' s destruction . Before entering into so fearful a contest tho Karl of JLucim would have naturally awaited written instructions from tho Conuuander-iu-Chief . Either he received these from Lord liaglan—in which case his lordship would risk losing his well-earned reputation for prudence and caution—or ho undertook tho responsibility of tho act himself . If , : isitis wiul , the noble earl wus influenced cither by the potnluuco or the enger spirit of Captain Nolan , he was to blame , for a commanding 1 officer is supposed to possess sullicient self-command and certain iliscrutionary powers . "

    Loud Cahvigax . —In the wt : U e on tlie 25 th , Lord Cardigan anil his horse were thrown heels over head over a gun , and ho narrowly avoided being speared , by the Cossacks , but he providentially escaped . It would appear that Lord Cardigan had already , iu tho campaign , got u character for rccklvssiK'ns . A soldier in the Sth Hussars , writing to Mr . II . Berkeley , M . l \ ( who has published the letter ) , says : — " Immediately after landing we saddled , and Lord Cardigan took us and the 17 th Lancers about fifteen miles up tho country . Such a mad-brained triok I should think was novw played before . "NVo BturU'd at tun o ' clock in tho morning ; at length wo stopped at u liusaiau village about illWen milca l ' rom

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    1086 THE LEADER . [ Saturda y ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 18, 1854, page 1086, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2065/page/6/