The Express. — London, England, 1855-09-26 00:00:00

• sorrow trenches by rata sleet, and honeycombed late small pits by exploded shell ; I doubt if there be half a foot of square space within the whole enclo sure on which one or ether of these missiles has not fallen. The huge pits occasioned by the exploded mines complies the wrecked appearance of the spot. and give it in the last degree an aspect of ruin and desolation. Although four days had elapsed &es the closing contest I stumbled on no less than five dead Russians in different parts of the redoubt why they had bees passed over in the general burial I am usable to expliin. Passing down from the rear of the Reda% the path, which lies along what was ones a handsome wall of chiselled stone--now knocked into a line of shattered masonry, leads to the first of the great series of go vernment buildings which terminate down on the her boar, at the point at present covered with the nine of Fort Paul. Concealed as they are from view from our trenches by the Roden bill, I was one of essay who, till within the past five days, were utterly igas rant of the extent of the mischief which had bbeMs done to these buildings by oar fire. Shattered and riddled at all points, they seem the very type of architectural rein. Only a degree better is the sedition of the next range of building , ' Weed;; the terrible effects of shot and skill everywhere meet the eye, in shattered eslemme. levelled aide-walls. and fallen roofs. Eves in this tyres* of desolation, however. • "emit resales to suggest bow fine--almost rand —meet have been the structures thee ruthlessly destroyed. The general character of these piles of buildings resembled in ems degree that of the quadrangle of the Admiralty and other adjacent eases is Somerest-house. As the distance from the Hades heiresses, the injury done to the buildings lissome less in proportion, though, down to the very last of the series opposite to where stood Fort Paul, the damage la emoderable. Crossing one of the in tervening esplanades, I rode through a wide gap made in the wall separating it from the buildings of the dockyard, and entered the road leading down to the series of basins and locks, of which, with the workshops, this great establiab most is com posed. Its low situation appears to have saved this extensive naval quarter from much of the injury which has fallen so destructively everywhere else, as only here and there are the marks of a shot or shell to be seen. The masonry of these splendid basins equalled, if not surpassed, both in finish and solidity, anything to be seen either in Portsmouth or Wool wich. In one of the largest ol the locks lay the still smoking remains of a large war steamer, with the machinery, paddles, and other solid iron fittings "tanning all complete, though, of course, much is by the fire. Outside all these, and on the = d of the channel which opens into the creek stood the charred remains of the huge shore, at which I had so often eased from Catkoart's said the ' Picket-house Hills. Then came ruins of boat sunken boats, of all sizes, from a eaptaiiN gig In a fifty-ton lighter ; and farther out in the creek still, the mast-heads of a sunken brig. The road then passes down the stone "go flanked on one ride by the waters of the meek en the other by a continuous pile of lofty two storied buildings. used apparently for all three purposes et emblie offices, naval stores, and hospitals. Hers I found a party of the Land Transport Corps engaged in the loathsome duty of removing some four hun dred Russian dead, some of whom had been found laid outside along the quay, and the remainder ' within the buildings. Of these last, a large num ber had been discovered in a vault under the build leg, piled up in rows, one on top of the other, and, judging from their state, they most have been dead at least nine or ten days. The officer in cos ' mend of the party described the condition of these bodies as loathsome in the extreme. Of those found laid out on the ground floor of the building, two still breathed when they were first discovered, and a man who had acci dentally strolled into the place, a day sootier than " the authorities." affirmed that be had counted twelve of them alive. Besides these, in another vault, some twenty or thirty,bodies were found coffined, some with the coffin-lids firmly screwed down, and others with them lying by the side of the dead : these were doubtless officers. The transport corps men were piling up the last load of corpses as I rode up, and certainly the sight and the smell were offen sive to the last degree. From this point, some hun dreds of yards do en the quay, the bloodstained and noisome rags of three who had been already borne away, still remained; bat they were to be forthwith paid up and burned. From the discovery of the longer dead, it is inferred that the wounded during the three clays of the bombardment were carried hither, and here left to die; as every sign appeared of their wounds having received no attention whet ever. Towards the extremity of the quay is a new, half finished building of cut stone, of similar architee turd character to the line of edifices along the front of which I had already passed. Even it, far removed se it is from the scene of action above, bore not a few tram" of cannon shot; many a handsomely chiselled cornice and well-fitted joining having been shattered and displaced by a stray long ranger. Nearly opposite this point, on the other side of the creek and within some hundred yards of the rear of Fort Nicholas, the French had mounted a mortar, and were then throwing shells at a working party employed in the construction of a fort on the north side. They made very pretty prac tice; sending nearly every other shell within, or close upon, the new parapet, sod inflicting evident detriment on those at work. The Russians replied with a few round shot, but without effect ; and when I turned (root viewing the pile of broken stones and mortar, which is all that remains to teH where stood the once handsome structure of Fort Paul, our allies were still pounding away. Besides blowing up the Fort, the Russians had likewise burned several rows of small buildings in this neighbourhood, and the fallen-in roofs rat these were still smouldering as I rode along. Through the openings between these, as • well as from the top of the ruins of Fort Paul. I had an unbroken view of the harbour, from its mouth at Fact Constantine to its termination at the embou chure of the 'fchernaya. Close under Fort Paul, is about twenty feet of water, lay the re mains of the burned ship whose destruction I reported some ten days ago : out further, about the middle of the harbour, appeared the mast-heads of the last sunk liners, and away beyond, under the L opposite shore, was the burnt wreck of the long fancied Wladimir steamer, which, with the other steamers and remaining vessels, had been burned a few days before—the day after I last wrote. This final sacrifice of the last remains of their once proud Black Sea fleet was occasioned by our having, on Tuesday last, brought down a couple of guns from our advanced batteries to a point near the harbour, which commanded these few remaining vessels; one ruiners put four shot into the hull of one of the steamers, which were replied to by a few shells, when, seeing that further defence wee useless, the enemy consummated the Bestrew Lion of their vessels by burning or sink's, everything that remained, except a few insignifiesst • barges, which are not worth a shot. Not less wreck fel and desolate, in its own way, is the present anent of this once crowded and navy-laden harbour than the most ruined quarter of the town itself. View the satire scene from whatever point you may, it seems as if a deetroving curse had fallen upon and bleared the whole. Three% nothing is to be seen in the shape of buildings on the north side, beyond the forts on the shore sad some wooden huts scattered over the face of the slops, there is an extensive gathering of tents, and signs of great activity all over the enemy's new settlement. The width of the • harbour is so inconsiderable, that all their movements can be IRMO readily with the naked eye. I returnel to our lines by the quarter behind the Malakhoff, and through that redoubt itself. With a few exception., all the houses in this locality are mach inferior to those in the main body of the town behind Fort Nicholas; being mostly of only on. stow ; and many of them built of unburnt bricks. streets here, too, partake more largely of the charsolir of those of an Eastern towns many of them simply a couple of parallel dead walls, brebu blie S 'stomas by doors or low gateways lending likqoa courtyards inside, round one or two side" if inks I fossil similar galleries running to these whisk ones Deets with in Asiatic towns. Inside, howeveir,llliW___ go troops of the universal divaps to be seen in OM Toone o r an Asiatic dwelling; but, externally, OM streets, with the exception of being wider, 011 1 11 )1 have word for amiss cif Er crone, Diartekir,or, And. loch. Although ruin had swept like a storm over 'this quarter, too, the consummating touch of French • angers had Bien wanting to parka the desolation- 1 and it had not been withheld; benches, doors, win. doles, and every internal article of furniture worth carriage to their camp, had been borne away, and what would not have repaid this trouble was all smashed to pieces. Little enekoures of Bowers and ornamental trees fronted many of the houses; but even these had not escaped the gratuitous wrecking which had been everywhere perpetrated; up torn nee bushes, roots of dead tulips, camellias, daisies, and the like, met the eye and toot at every point along the street on which this little floral souk had abutted ; as it sheer love of ruin had been as strong an impelling motive with the de stroyers as their unsparing itch for plun'er itself. I may here mention that all this quarter of the town, as well as the great body of it on the opposite side of the Creek, is at present formally in the occupation of our allies, the only portion of the place which is in oar hands being the government buildings and dock yard which I have already noticed. This small moiety of the city lies behind our right attack, the reason I suppose, why we are allowed to hold even it. In this as in a thousand other things connected with the whole affair, English interests are most unblush ingly overridden by those of the French, who, in fact, seem by their effrontery and unclocoeided air of ownership, rather to tolerate our presence in the place than to recognise an equal right to a share in it and what it nouns. I would again disclaim any un generous feeling towards our allies; but really, in view of t h eir general bearing show the fall o' Bens• topol, one's British " mocks; " is often disposed to rise and show itself. Their sentries are posted over quite three-fourths of the entire town, and into these quarters admission is for bidden us, unless armed with a pas. Irom the French commander. Altogether, amity in fact and amity in print, are here shown to be distinctions with a dlr. fennel. Talk as credulous apostles of French and English unity may, the British Lion and Gallic Eagle will cherish antipathies, and occasionally show them, to the end of the chapter : the traditional feelings of more than three centuries are not so easily exile gobbed, bat will retain a smoulderiog vitality under all the surface of factitious harmony which mere podded mintiogencies may create foe the time. L esostruction and general appearance the Ma , lobbed differs little from its neighbour the Manis tee; the same massive parapet of earthwork, ga , Mons, and sandbags, with similar underground sir ' dabs to those in the Redan, but without the formid able rear defences to be seen within that redoubt, so • that the outer line of battery once gained, the mastery of the interior became merely an Utile of musketry and the bayonet. As in the case of the Redan, so here again nearly every inch of ground o behind the breast work was out by our own and the I French fire. The embrasures still remain closed, as on the morning of the Bth, and will, of conies, I never be re-opened in the same direction. As in all the other batteries belonging to the enemy which! have visited, there has appeared no scarcity of aomenition—round shot, shell, grape, canister, and I *Very other missile known to artillerists everywhere 'blooded. I noticed that at the moment of the very many of their mortars had been I lli s a rreite t and wanting only the application of a match to send their deadly contents into our own or the French lines. Before passing from this ' subject of the enemy's field delouses. how ever, I may jut mention that in the • Roden, and, I believe, some of the other batteries, large magazines full of Russian pow der still remain, the daily explogion of which, strange to say, we await—passing in crowds over these hid den mines the while. The quantity of the powder is alleged as a bar to its removal; but, if so, why our authorities do not take measures to blow it up Won la restle, instead of permitting it to tak. its own time under the smouldering gabions and other woodwork on the surface of the ground, puzzles my civilian understanding. A sentry, for example, will 000lly warn you not to come near him, as he is over a magazine, t' which may at any minute blow up." In the body of the town, also, it is suspected that unexploded mines yet exist ; but of this there can be no certain knowledge. Apropos of explosions, I may mention a marvellous escape of paymaster of the Rifles a few days ago within the town: he was riding quietly along when a shell thrown from the north side of the harbour struck the ground immediately under his horse's body, and exploding at the moment killed the animal without seriously lowing his rider. Were an incident of this kind mentioned in • work of flciun, one would be more disposed to place it to the account of the author's imagination and ignorance of what shells are than to believe in its possibility. The fact, however, occurred as I have stated it, and is oon sidered one of the narrowest shaves known in the whole course of the siege. The French trade in the proceeds of their plunder continues to flourish, higher prices for everything being demandkd as days roll on. In the centre of a small knot of commercial Zonaves, outside the French bazaar on the Woronsuff-road, I noticed, a few days ego, no less distinguished a purchaser than the Duke of Newcastle, who was bargaining for some Russian trophies with a closeness that would have done credit to the economic instinct of Lord Aberdeen. The Gauls chaffed his rue with a freedom which showed how little they suspected that their customer was no less a personage than the British tiniest mintier. de la 'sperm fre quently displaying their sympathy with the duke's linguiteic difficulties by assuring Dim that he was a bond Ingle*: ooterithstanding. The Marquis of Sligo is also at present in the camp, on a visit to his bro ther, C iptain Lord Richard Browne, of the 7th Fusi lier" Daring the late attack, and for some time pre ceding it, Colonel Powell Thomas, of the Contingent, was present as a volunteer with the 44th Regiment — the only one of the force to which he belongs who has as yet, I believe, taken a part in any of our ope rations. By next post I hope to be able to give you some information as to what is likely to be our next move —if any is to take place before spring. In the mean time there is nothing tangible even afloat on the hisses of camp rumour; and I need, therefore, boned se personal surmises. Another visit to the French part of the town, as yet uodescribed, will also furnish me with some materials of interest for the same mail. (FROM OUR OWN CORRKSPONDENT ) CAMP ABOVE SEBASTOPOL, Sere. 11. The very serious and exalting events which have 411111111,1 during the last three days have followed in ' seek rapid succession that even yet their import and probable results have not been fully disenseed or estimated. The attack on the Malakhoff and Roden, the fleadonment subsequently of the south side by the many, the destruction of the city and suburbs by firm reselling the policy pursued formerly at Moscow, the staling of the remainder of the fleet, are such stirring incidents, that for a time, on the scene of action, amid the disturbances of constantly fresh ru mmies and reports, reflection is almost Milled. The management of the attack on the Medan is much dis cussed ; and neither the generalship exhibited, nor the sondem of some of the troops, escape without censure. If the Malakhoff were the key to the whole position as engineers stated, and the Russians seem to have considered. wee the attack on the Redan Galled for; and, if called for, were our own works suffi ciently advanced, and the reduction of the place suffi ciently effected, to warrant its being then undertaken P These are questions of a wider range. Has the burn- Log of the city, considering what must have been its ruined and polluted state, been of much harm to us ; and, by blowing up the forts, have the Russians done more than save u. the trouble of doing the same thing ourselves P What is to follow now ? Are the troops to shift their position, to take the field and march against the enemy, or will winter and dearth of food do the work for us ? What influence will the destruction of Sebastopol, its fleet and its have on the great question of the submimise Update the demands of the Allies P For inhume= ea these latter important subjects we shall min* look for the result of deliberations at home. I sabloin a diary of some of the leading events: fin. B.—The bombardment has continued all nf i rbt, the chief infeasity of the fire continuing to THE EXPRESS. WEDNESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 26, 1655.1 Ibe 01 the left. An active discharge of shells and rockets has been kept up against the positions of the Malaise and Reda. This morning there is a cold high wind, and clouds of dust, creating for a time dean fogs, or sweeping past n rapid whirls, are enveloping the camps. It is h i complete storm of sand and wind, which it is difficult to move against, for the dint is forced into the eyes and pene trates every pore of the skin. Before 7 a.m. the men of the Light and Second Di ' • na com menced assembling before their camps, previous to moving forward to the trenches to make the assault against the Redao. They were provided with two days' Booked rations, and an extra quantity of ammunition. First, the covering and storming parties assembled sad moved down to the trenches; then the supporting columns, the working parties, and, lastly, the reserves, went in succession to the various parallels of the right attack. In spite of the gloomy aspect of the weather, and the trying wind and dust, the men appeared steady and determined. Streams of French were also pouring down in quick succession from all directions toward the works con nected with the Mamelon Vert,behind which a vast re serve of troops wasoollectei. A park of field artillery was brought behind the Victoria Redoubt. Large bodies were also pieced in reserve in the Careening Bay and Karabelneta Ravines. In the latter, also, were the English Highland Division, who were brought is from Kamera for the occasion, and the Division of Guards. These divisions were exteodtd into the long covered way, connected with the old advanced work, and communicating with the corresponding French approach. General Simpson and staff passed toward the right attack about half-past nine o'clock, and about au hour afterwards General Palmier moved 0111 his station in front of the Victoria Redoubt. roux.—At 12 o'clock precisely, the French troops showed themselves above the foremost approach, clam to the almittis of the Malakhoff. The ditch wee passed in admirable order, and with wonderful rapidity. The men were seen mounting the parapet, sad appeared to enter the bastion at its left face, almost without any opposition. Other columns followed is i gala secoessioo. On a high piece of earthwork, within the bastion, nearer to its r ght, two Russian officers were partiedarly conspicuous, appealed, trying to cheer on their men. A minute or two seareely elapsed when they turned and disappeared, and immediately afterwards a body of French ap peased in their place. About eight minutes only bad elapsed since the first entrance of our A lies into the work; the French standard was already firing near the salient angle, pleated there by the 27th gi went of the Line; and now the Union Jack waved within the Malakhoff, being displayed as the signal for the attack against the Ryden. Another Union Jack was also shown in the Branoion Redoubt. The i signal was at once responded to. One hundred men of the second battalion of the Rine Brigade under Captain W. Fyers, an experienced Lacer, moved from the left of the foremost approach, and, rapidly form ing in extended order, pushed forward. The ladder parties and troops, told off for the duty of storming, quickly followed. These consisted of men from the 97th and 90th Regiments, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. Henry Handoock and' Major Welsford 97th Regiment, and Captain ' Grove of the 90th Regiment. N. sooner had they appeared than a tremendous fire of grape and musketry was opened against them from all the flanking batteries, especially those on the proper right of the Redan. They quickly reached the ditch and put down the ladders, but it was evident that some difficulty had occurred. Some of the commanding officers bad fallen, and there was a want of proper comptictness and concert. The men, however, turned the ladders and mounted the pa rapet. Then a heavy musketry fire followed, but there was no advance within the work. The sup ports, consisting of soldiers of the 19th, 41st, 55th, and 88th Regiments, were moved up, and though they added to the numbers, did not seem to be able to effect the desired progress. Officers were seen standing on the parapet, waving their swords as if to encourage their men to descend into the work. Occasionally men moved on, but it was apparently only two or three together; there was no general advance. A violent struggle was going on. The fire if musketry, both from within the work and from oar men, was incessant. Numbers were falling back into the ditch, others were pushing forward into their places, and thus it continued for upwards of two hours, when it became evident that the effart to sal complish the object was unavailing, sad the troops were ordered to retire. Brigadier-General Shirley, who bad left a sick bed to take the cowman& of his brigade of the Light Division, Colonel Hasid- ' cock, Colonel Maxwell, 88th Regiment, Colonel Unite , and Major Warden, 19 Regiment, Colonel Patna*, 30th Regiment, Major Welsford, and other field offi cers, had been killed, or placed here de combat from wounds; and the men of diff rent regiments were se mixed up is the contest, that it was difficult to attempt any regular formares or systematic move ment of the men. They therefore found their way back to the trenches as they beet could, leaving a great number of dead and wounded about the ditch and parapet of the Redao, and strewing the meadow like piece of ground between it and the nearest ap proaches. It was on every account a painful sight more especially as it was too apparent that a very heavy loss had been sustained in the minibus killed and wounded. Oar Allies, in the meantime, had established themselves in the Malakhoff. and had rapidly brought in a number of brass field-pieers. which they now turned upon the enemy. It appeared to a spectator as if the French had taken the Russians by surprise at the Malakhoff, and that they, finding that posi tion was lost, had united all their efforts, and brought up all their reserves, to defend the Redan. As was subsequently proved, it was fortunate that our men did not get into the work. The Russians had a force immediately behind it, estimated at 30.000 men, into whose hands our troops would have fallen as let° a trap, sad had they contrived to remain within it, they would have been in all probability blown up by the springing of a mine beneath them. At a late hour of the evening, about eleven o'clock, 'he Redan was found to be evacuated by the Russians. They had been seen going over to the north side over the bridge in immense bodies during the afternoon, hut it was supposed that these were only the reserves which had been brought across on the occasion of the attack, and were now being sent back again to be out of the way of the shelling and fire of the bombard ment. 80034 of the Highlanders went into the.work, and finding it altogether abandoned, providentially left it immediately for their former position. They had ao sooner done so, than a mine was sprang, and a tremendous explosion followed. The enemy had very probably perceived their en bunoe, for which they had been waiting, and then caused the explosion. Our Allies were not so forte sate on the right. The 11th Regiment of the Line and other troops, who had assaulted the Little Redan, were establishing themselves there for the night. Jest about the time when the explosion occurred in the Redaa opposite to our works, another mine was sprung in the Little Redan. It produced a frightful effect, horlieg a great number of French into the air, and scorching or otherwise injuring many more. It is said that as many u three hundred suffered by this explosion. The providence of the French ene mies prevented a similar catastrophe at the Malsk hot They had examined for mines and galleries. and bed some across a large pipe charged with gun powder. This they had carefully cut asunder, and they had separated each end from communication with the other. It was subsequently proved to be • simnel of communioation between the mine in the Little Redan and one in the Malakhoff; had it not been that the continuity of this tube had been de stroyed, an explosion in the Malakhoff would have taken place almost simultaneously with that in the Little Redao, and numbers must have perished. The French have been bringing Russian prisoners ell the afternoon into camp. The storm of dust and wind gradually subsided in the course of the after noon, and the night became comparatively calm and clear. sloes are onewitleg het time to time. As fresh fires spring up, the jet bradz thick columns of smoke which rise from them prove that hay and tar, or some other inflammable articles. have been heaped together to insure the combustion of the inner parts of the build ings intended to be destroyed. Search is being made near the Reden for any wounded who may be lying in its neighbourhood, and parties are employed to collecting the dead for , burial. The loss of the Russians has been very great. Our loss is not yet known with aoeuracy, but it is said to amount to one hundred and fifty officers, sea about 2.300 men, killed and wounded. The loss Is the Light Division was very severe, 83 officers being killed wounded or missing, and 1,350 men killed or wounded. The regimental hospitals, and the Gess. ral Hospital behind the Fourth Division, were filled. Every patieat was in bed, and had his wounds dressed, and nearly all the chief surgical operations were performed by 9 o'clock the same evening. The labours of the surgeons were greatly increased by the diminished numbers of medical officers in the Crimea; the established strength being considerably more than a hundred below its proper number from victories caused by absence or promotion not having been filled op. One assistant-surgeon went with each regiment into the trenches. The wounded Russians left in the Malakboff and Little Man of whom there were considerable numbers, have been taken care of in the French ambulances. The Medan is a most extraordinary work. Like the Hainschatka redoubt on the Mamelon Vert, it consists of an intricate *raise of trenches and tra verses, and bombproof places of retreat. Along one part is a series of vaults or underground barracks, in which, so deep and protected are the excavations, the occupants must have been perfectly secure under the heaviest fire of shell that could be poured upon it from our batteries. Indeed, the state they bad been left in proved how contentedly the men had been in the habit of employing themselves; for shoemakers' and tailors' tools and implements were found in abundance within them. In one some dolls and playthings were found, as if a child had been taken into it. 1.30 r.ii.—An unusually loud explosion has attracted many persons to the hills to front. A mine had been fired beneath Fort Paul, and its destruction tho roughly effected. So well had the explosive mate rials been laid, and so great was their force, that not even one wall remains where the lofty and solid structure formerly existed. It is reduced to a heap of stones. The principal town west of the South Harbour is all on fire. From time to time explosions occur, and after each the fire seems to acquire greater force at some point in the general conflagration. The bridge lately constructed to the north side is destroyed; portions of it can be seen near the steamers at the opposite shore. The bridge of boats across the south side, joining the town and Karabelneia suburb, is also broken up. This suburb has been greatly in jured by the bombs which have been discharged over the Malakhoff, and by the effect of rockets; but them are only one or two houses now on fire in it. The long white build ings have escaped the flames. The French and Sardinians are going down in great numbers, and a continual stream is returning, bringing up every imaginable article that can be found in private houses or public buildings. Furniture, clothes, pottery, metal vessel., paintings, arms, stores of canvas, evi dently intended for issue to the Russian trove, are being brought up into camp. The French soldiers bring canvas bags filled with promiscuous articles, seemingly collected at random, into the camps of the English regiments, arid obtain almost fabulous prices for some things from the officers, who are anxious to send mementos to their friends of the fall of Sebas topol. A cordon of British cavalry videttes is sta tioned across both the French and our own positions to stop any English persons, military or civil, from going towards the town. 9 r ic—Two mines, heavier than usual, bars just exploded—a bright sudden illumination of the sky and the broad aloud, of smoke, succeeded by several similar but less vivid flashes, having preceded the deep report and rumbling echoes. The town is enve loped in a bright white veil, in the midst of which some twenty or twenty-five brilliant centres of flame mike themselves visible. These brighten up, waver, , and. from time to time almnat diearpear bi hind dense columns of smoke. Lithe distance, the arches in the reverse of Fort Nicholas are plainly seen, lighted up , by flame within the building. On the right, behind the Malakhoff, there are three or four fires ; and fee l away on the left, among the works behind ,the outer line of fortifications, are also a few lighted soots,' where sheds or karat's, are burning. No roar free the flame, no ',lining or cracking noises of timber I burning, can be heard at the distance of the first parl railed; the flames start out, and served, and the vast, column and canopy of smoke and vapour mount up in perfect silence as if it were some pictured effect produced at a (Emetic exhibition. The batteries , are all silent, and the effect to one who has been see -1 iog their flashes and bearing their reports for many months pest is very placentae. The perfect silence is I almost peinfuL The whole assumes the character of a delusion. or a drum, so wide is it to the imagine tion from the ordinary reality. As the huge moan ' tain of smoke rises above the fire, it is wafted gently , inwards by a breeze from the west, and after this curve has been carried upwards for some distance, it ap-1 peer. to reach a stratum of air when it is left to expand according to its own gravity. The lights on these clouds are constantly brightening or fading, varying with the increase, or the reverse, in inten sity of the fires, among the streets awl buildings in the town below. The ground behind the batteries, for as the crests of the bills above, is strongly Watranated. Above and all around the sky is gene ' rally clouded, and were it not for the wide-spread glare, the night would be very dark. Ths French are still returning, singly or in parties of two sr three in each, as they have been nearly the whole day, laden with spoil of every imaginable kind. Sometimes they are Government stores for troops, some times articles from a private house, church, or a theatre; furniture, and property of every kind, that can be expected to be found in a large city, , are continually pouring into the French camp through the medium of these foragers. As several battalions of French were going down towards the Malakboff position this afternoon , shortly before sun - set, a &maws who wastreturning carried a polished chair on one shoulder, and with the other hand held open a handsome blue silk small parasol. With , mock modesty he covered his face with the parasol from the gaze of the troops as they passed by. 'Shouts of laughter and sallies of wit were poured forth as section after section of the infantry columns went along, but the Zoetee preserved the dignity of the character he had adopted,and pretended neither to hear or observe the remarks addressed to him. There is a wonderful change obviously apparent in the demeanour and spirits of the French troops. Lately their conversation has always turned upon the nightly harass and loss in the trench duties, and recollections of the miseries endured in their tents during last winter. Now there is not only the flush of success on their cheeks, the elation of victory exhibited in their gay elastic movements, but there is also the cheerful satisfaction expressed in their countenances, that, for the present, lit least, the trench labours are at an end. This lest idea seems uppermost in the minds of all, and it takes away nearly all the dread of the coming winter. The following General Or'er has been published. It may be noticed that it is no longer dated from Head-quarters, before Sebastopol :" GICIRAL MITZI MIDIS. /lead contorts, Sebastopol, Sept. 9. The Commander of the Fontes congratulates the army en the malt of the attack of yesterday. The brilliant assault and occupation of the Idalakhnff *sr gallant Allies, obliged the enemy to abandon the work. they have so long held with such bravery and determine- Res. The Commander of tie Forces retrains his thank, to the tosses' MUM, and officers and men of the Second sad Light Divisions. who advanced aid attacked with such gal lantry the works of the ft- dan. H. regret., from the Ur midable nature of the Sinking defence., that their devo tion did not meet with that immediate neon' which it se well merited. ffisoondolee end deeply ryteosthises with the many heave offieers, non commissioned (Awn, sad mew, who an now suffering from the wounds they received is the coarse of their noble ezertions yesterday. He deeply deplores the death dee many gallant officers and men who have fallen in the final struggle of this long and memorable siege. Their lees will be severely felt, and their sasses keg remembered is this army, and by the British nation. Garr. 9.—Daylight has unfolded an extraordinary event. The Russians have sunk their remainieg Spo of-battle ships, and everything wears the appearance that they are about to abandon the south side of Sebastopol. In the town there are seven or eight deer, end several explosions bay* occurred. 8 sat —Although there is no wind, the fires are rapidly extending. A dense mass of smoke is rising over the town, and forms a cloud, which is spreading QUI' our camps and moving to the eastward. Explo- Gegen' Mace= avails himself of this opportusity to 1 congratulate and convey his warmest thanks to the g eneral givers, officers, and soldiers of the several divisions, to the Royal Boatmen and Artillery, for their cheerio' endurance of almost unparalleled hardships and sufferings, and for the 00E1:shin, courage end determination which on so many trying oeeestosirtbey have ',Weed. It le with equal satisfaction that the Commander of the Forces thanks the officers and men of the Naval Brigade for the long and uniform course of vela ibis servioe ren- dered by them from the commencement ,f the siege. By order (Signed) W. Biaimiu). enter of Staff. - _ SEPT. 10.—A sunny, bright, clear morning. On walking along the heights above the position of our works the perfect stillness of the atmosphere and batteries seems almost insupportable. In society it is not so much noticed. The burning . sod destruction of the town continue. The Karabelnata suburb te now free from flame. 'Several wounded officers and soldiers, who were sup ' posed to have been killed, have been found today in houses converted into .hospitals in this part of the town. Capt. Herbert Vaughan, of the 90th Regiment, was thus found ; he was brought up to camp badly wounded. The Russians had also left between two and three thousand of their own wounded soldiers in a large hospital not tar trona Fort Paul. When disco vered, they had had no food since the abandonment of the town on the evening of the Bth inst. A very considerable movement has been observed among the troops on the north side. Large bodies have been observed to move to the eastward, and this has led to a suspicion that the enemy is about to abandon the north side of Sebutopol as well as the south side, and to fall back upon Simphe ropol. It seems hardly credible that they would thus give up their great citadel and the chain of forts pro ceeding from Fort Constantine. The defences of this stronghold have been greatly added to even lately, and vast stores of forage and provisions have been collected there. It is not improbable that the Russians had intended to arm the new works from the south side, for large parks of artillery have been found in the arsenal new and untouched. Part of the canvas town on the uorth side caught fire this morning, but the flames were soon extinguished. Large military stores have been discovered in vaults beneath the large barrack building. They skis fly candler, as far as is yet known, of clothing and asoontrements. The quantity of furniture brought up by the French soldiers, and the miscellaneous &exacter of the articles, is surprising; there can seareely be a house or store that is not now exhausted of Its contents. The following stringent regulations have been published in the English orders bearing this subject: GENERAL ORDIaa. Reediquarters, Saintopol, Sept. 10. The police of the interior of the town of Sebastopol has been undertaken by the French authorities, for the present. All persons whatever, except bodes of troops on duty, and officers on duty , reviled with rapers from the English or French head quarters. are positively forbidden to enter the town. Regimental picqueta are not to be sent to the town with in's authority from brad (Leonora. Military posts are established near the town, with orders to apprehend all stragglers, and send them to the Provost Menhirs guard, which is posted in front of the Fourth Division. No persons, military or civil, except those on duty, are to be permitted to enter the trendies without passes from head quarters. SEPT. 11.—Towards last evening the wind rose, end about 2 a.m. a very heavy storm of rain, accom panied with lightning and thunder passed across the camp. MARSHAL PELISSIER'S DESPATCH. HEAD QUARTERS AT SEBASTOPOL, Sam 11. M. le Mareohal—l shall have the honour to send you by the next courier a detailed report on the attack which has placed Sebastopol in our power. To-day I can only give you a rapid sketch of the prin cipal achievement of this great event of the war. Since the 16th of August, the day of the battle of the Tchernays, and notwithstanding repeated warn ings of a new and more formidable attack by the enemy against the positions which we occupy on this river, every preparation ASS made to deliver a decisive assault against Sebastopol itself. The artil lery of the right attack commenced on the 17th of August a well-sustained fire against the Malakhoff, the Little Redan, the neighbouring defences, and the roads, in order to permit our engineers to establish defences close to the place, from which the troops might be able instantly to throw themselves upon the enceinte. Our engineers besides prepared materials for escalade, and on the sth of Sept. all our batteries of the left opened a very violent fire against the town. The English on their side kept up a hot cannonade against the Great Roden and its redoubt, which they were to attack. All being ready, I resolved, in concert with Gene ral Simpson, to give the assault on the Bth of Sept., at the hour of noon. General M'Mahon'a Division was to carry the works of the Malakhoff ; General Dalac's Division was to attack the Little Redan ; and in the centre the Division of General Ls Motterouge was to march against the curtain connecting these two extreme pinta. Besides these troops, I had given to General Briquet General Mellinet's division of the Guards, to sapport the first three divisions. Thus far for the right. In the centre the English were to attack the Great Reda°, escalading it at its salient. On the left the Ist Corps, to which General de la Marmon had wished to join a Sardinian brigade, having at its head General Levaillant's division, was to penetrate into the interior of the town by the Cen tral Bastion, and afterwards turn the Flagstaff Bastion in order to establish a lodgment there like wise. General de Sallee had instructions not to pursue his attack farther than circumstances might render it advisable. Further, the fleets of Admirals Lyons and Enna were to operates powerful diversion by firing against the Quarantine, the Roadstead, and the we front of the fortress ; but the state of the sea, agitated bye vio lent north-west wind, was such that neither the line of-battle ships nor the frigates were able to quit their anchorage. The English and French mortar boats, however, were able to go into action. Their fire was of remarkable excellence, and they rendered us great assistance. At noon exactly the divisions of Generals M'Mahon, La Motterouge,and 1) ulac, electrified by their chiefs, sprang to the Malakhoff, the Curtain, and the Little Redan of the Careenage. After unexampled diffi culties, and a most exciting foot-to-foot com bat, General M'Mahoo's division succeeded in effecting a lodgment in the anterior part of the Malakhoff. The enemy showered down a storm of projectiles of ell kinds upon one brave troo ps. The Redan of the Careenage, especially bet tered by the mason en croix and the steamers, it was necessary to evacuate after its occupation ; but the division of General La Motterouge made its ground good on one part of the curtain, and that of General M•Mahon gained ground in the Malakhoff, where General Bosquet sent continually the reserves which I sent forward to him. The other attacks were subordinated to that of the Malakhoff, that being the capital point of the defences of the whole place. Standing in the Brancion Redoubt (on the Mame , Ion). I considered that the Malakhoff was safely in our power, and I gave the signal which had been agreed upon with General Simpson. r The English immediately advanced bravely against the salient of the Great Redan. They were able to r effect a lodgment in it, and struggled a considerable time to maintain their position, but, crushed by the Russian reserves, which advanced incessantly, and by • violent fire of artillery, they were forced to ratan into their parallel. At the same moment General de Sallee had direet s i an attack against the Central Bastion. The Levaiumi Division had begun to establish itself in it, as we nt in the Right Lunette; a tremendous fire of g ri p e " succeeded by the arrival of Russian reinforcements.; considerable in number, that our troop!, already d a d, mated by the fire of the enemy, and whose chiefs hei been disabled, were compelled to fall back on ly place whence they had sallied. Convinced that the taking of the Malakhoff well! be decisive of num.'s, I prevented the renewal of sip attacks on o•her points, which, by compelling 14 hostile army to remain on all its points, had * la d y attained their main object. I then directed my,* attention to the retaining pcesession of the MaleklA which General WMahon had been 'mei*, I enabled completely to obtain. Besides, a grest set critical moment was impending. General Bosquet had just been struck by the beeg, ins of a shell, and his command I gave to Gushy Dula*. A powder magazine near the Malakhor ez . ploded at this moment, from which contingte, anticipated the most serious results. The Russian., hoping to profit by this Asa* immediately advanced in dense masses, and, dhp i d in three columns, simultaneously attacked them% the left, and the right of the Malekhoff. But swashh of defence bad already been taken in the intericed the fortress ; for which purpose General Mila n opposed to the enemy bodies of undaunted troop ; whom nothing could intimidate; and after the h o g desperate efforts the Russians were compelled is make a precipitate retreat. From that moment th discomfited enemy appears to have renounced all ids of farther attack. The Malakhoff was ours, and h effort of the enemy could wrest it from us. It eh half past four o'clock. Measures were immediately taken for enabling■ to repulse the enemy, in case he should altos against us a nocturnal attack. But we were soot released from our uncertainty. As soon as it Wes night, fires burst forth on every side, mines es. ploded, magazines of gunpowder exploded is de , air. The sight of Sebastopol in flames, via I the whole army contemplated , was one of the most awe inspiring and sinister pictures the history of wars can have presented. Theses' was making a complete evacuation ; it was aid during the night by means of a bridge coos:mai between the two shores of the roadstead, and cover of the successive explosions that prevented.' Irons approaching and harassing him. On the mar ing of the 9th the whole southern Bide of the tows was freed, and in our power. I have no need of enhancing in the eyes of pet Excellency the importance of so great a sum* Neither will it be necessary for me to speak of this brave army, whose warlike virtues and devotion us so thoroughly appreciated by our Emperor ; and I shall have, great as the number is, to name to yes those who have distinguished themselves among a many valiant soldiers. I cannot yet do so, but I shill fulfil this duty in one of my next despatches. Deign to accept, Monsieur le Mareolial, the a• pression of my respectful devotion.—The General is Chief, PELISSIEB. GENERAL NIEL'S DESPATCH. SEBASTOPOL, SEPIA. Monsieur le Marechal,—The place of flolee topol was stormed on the Bth of Septa ber. That assault has rendered us mutes of the Malakboff work, the occupation of which render, the defence of the suburb almost Mime able, and enables us to cut off the co:emulations of the town with the north part of the rosdelead. After rallying several times, and resuming the effete sinwithaeourage towhiohweare boaud toelehemags, seeing that his uttermost efforts remained fruities t he began in the evening to evacuate the town; daring the night he set it on fire, and he employd his powder in destroying with his own hands the defensive works and the great establishments which Russia had been accumulating for so many rani& this fortress. He has sunk all his ships, frigates, std other sailing vessels, preserving only the oteseers; lastly, he broke up and pulled atter him the bridp of boats by which be communicated with the fats d the north side, abandoning to us in this way the taws, suburb, and everything else on the south side of the roadstead. The defence was energetic ; on several points our attacks were repulsed ; but the chief attack, that which ensured our success, was not doubtful for as instant. The Ist division of the let corps, coo mended at present by General *Mahon, carried at the first onset the Malakhoff work, and thee maintained itself heroically, understanding that it held in its hands the keys of the piece. lam going to give you an account of the disa. tions that bad been taken for diminishing as muck se possible the numerous difficulties attending this tef rible assault, made, not on a piece invested, ens limited garrison, but on a vast tottress, defended by an army equally n..merous, perhaps, as that which attacked it. In the attacks directed against the town our ap preaches had been carried to within forty maned the Central Bastion and thirty metres of the Fir staff Bastion. At the attacks of the Karabalsais suburb the English, impeded by the difficulties of the round and by the fire of the enemy's artillery, be" only been able to advance their approaches to abed 200 metres from the salient of the Great Redan. Before the front of the Malakhoff we had arrived to within 25 metres of the enceinte which surrounds the tower, and had carried our approaches to the same distance of the Little Redan of the Careens's- This important result was due to the incontestable super The iority of our artillery over that of the may. generals-in-chief of the allied armies had made the following arrangements: The general attack of the place was fixed for the Bth September at noon. On the WWI of the sth the artillery of the attatt . against the town and that of the Etiglak attacks, who until then had husbanded their SA were to resume it with great energy. Such a cannonade was ne ver heard. We bid mounted in our two attacks more than 500 canoes The English had about 200, and the Russians more thaw we. The fire of the enemy damaged ost trenches, but did us little har m. Ours, notwith standing the great extent of the place, converged on it, and must have caused immense loss to the Russian army. During the last days which preceded the assault our infantry fatigue parties were pie* pally employed in enlarging the mt,st advanceditbol d'arrnes and the defiles, and in carrying to the go the means of ere/rail the ditches. The aim of all our efforts was the capture of the work constructed behind the Malakhoff Teem This work (called the K ornil ' ff Redoubt by the Russians), which is an immense redmith a kind of citadel of earth , occupies a mame l o n wadi commands all the interior of the Karabelnais sabots takes the Redan attacked by the English de rater* and is only 1,200 metres from the south port, which the Russians had constructed a bridge of raft" oow their only communication between the abaft and the town. The Mals khoff Fort is 350 MVO by 150 metres in dimensions. The pa rapet . be/ more than 6 metres of re li e f above the sal, dis MP