The Press. — London, England, 1855-10-06 00:00:00

OCTOBER 6, 1855. in the help and grace of the Almighty, the words of the Emperor Alexander 1., " Where right is, there is God also !" 1 am ever and invariably yours, ALEXANDER. PRINCE GORTSCHAKOFF'S ORDER OF THE DAY TO THE RUSSIAN ARMY. Prince Gortsckakolfs order of the day to his army, on the evacuation cf Sebastopol, appears in Le Nord. It is dated, "Head-quarters, Heights of Inkermann, in the vicinity of Sebastopol, August 20 (Sept. 12)." He recounts the length of the siege as a proof of the bravery of the Russian soldiers, and then describes the final bombardment and the sub sequent events Taking advantage of the superiority of their fire at short range, the enemy after the concentrated action of their artillery during thirty days—which cost our garrison from 500 to 1,0(X) men per day--commenced that terrible bom bardment (bombardment d'ettler) from their innumerable engines of war, and of a calibre hitherto unknown, which destroyed our defences, which had been repaired at night with great labour and at great loss, under the incessant fire of the enemy—the principal work, the Korniloff Re doubt, on the Malakoff-hill (the key of Sebastopol as a point dominating the whole town), having experienced considerable and irreparable damage. . _ _ To continue under these circumstances the defence of the south side would have been to expose our troops daily to useless butchery, and their preservation is to-day, more than ever, necessary to the Emperor of Russia. For these reasons, with sorrow in my heart, but with a full conviction, I resolved to evacuate Sebastopol, and take over the troops to the north side by the bridge constructed beforehand over the bay and by boats. Meantime the enemy, beholding, on the 27th of August (Bth of September), at 10.30, the half-ruined works before them and the Korniloff Redoubt, with its ditches filled up, resolved upon a desperate assault, first on Bastions No. 2, Korniloff, and No. 8 (Redan), and after about three hours noon Bastion No. 5, and the Belkin and Schwartz Redoubts. tat these six attacks, five were gloriously repulsed. Some of the points of attack, like that on Bastion No. 2, on which the enemy had succeeded in bringing guns by living bridges, having at various times been taken and retaken, remained finally ours. But the Korniloff Redoubt, more damaged than the others by the bombardment, was taken by the French, who brought more than 30,000 men against it, and could not be retaken after the great losses we had suffered at the commencement of this combat, for it would have been necessary to ascend in the midst of the ruins a very steep incline, and then cross a narrow bridge above a deep ditch of the rear face occupied by the French. 8 tch an undertaking might have prevented us achiev in? the proposed object, and would have cost us, with. oat the slightest doubt, incalculable losses. The attempt was the more needless, as for reasons already mentioned I had resolved to evacuate the place. Therefore, as the success of the enemy was confined to the sole capture of the Korniloff Redoubt, I ordered that no attack should be made on that redoubt, and to remain in front of it to oppose any continuation of the enemy's attack on the town itself, an order which was executed despite all the efforts of the French to get beyond the gorge of the redoubt. At dusk the troops were ordered to retire according to the arrangements previously made. The examples of bravery you gave during that day, valiant comrades, aroused such a feeling of esteem in the enemy, that, despite the knowledge they must have had of our retreat by the explosion of our mines, which our troops exploded one after the other as they gradually retreated, they not only did not pursue us in columns, but even ceased firing with their artillery, which they might have continued with impunity. Valiant comrades, it is painful, it is hard to leave Se bastopol in the enemy's hands. But remember the sacri fice we made upon the altar of our country in 1812. Moscow was surely as valuable as Sebastopol—we abandoned it after the immortal battle of Borodino. The defence of Sebastopol during 349 days is superior to Borodino, and when the enemy entered Moscow in that great year of 1812 they only found hears of stones and ashes. Likewise it is not Sebastopol which we have left to them, but the burning ruins of the town which we ourselves set fire to, hiving maintained the honour of the defence in such a manner that our great-grandchildren may recal the re m lubrance thereof with pride to all posterity. Sebastopol kept us chained to its walls ; with its fall we acquire freedom of movement, and a new war commences, a war in the open field, that most congenial to the Rus sian soldier. Let us prove to the Emperor, let us prove to Russia, that we are still imbued with the spirit which animated our ancestors in our memorable and patriotic struggle. Wherever the enemy may show himself we will present our breasts to him, and defend our native land as we defended it in 1812. Valiant warriors of the land and sea forces!—]n the name of the Emperor I thank you for the unexampled courage, firmness, and constancy you have displayed during the siege of Sebastopol. [Here follow the names of the officers who most distinguished themselves.] In thus expressing the gratitude your worthy com manders are entitled to who are still living, let us also honour, comrades, those who have fallen honourably for our faith and for our country on the ramparts of Se bastopol. Let us remember the immortal names of Nachimoff, Korniloff, and Istomine, and let us address prayers to the Most High that He will grant them peace, and eternalise their memory as an example to the future generations of the Russians, THE PRESS. The following are from Prince of the siege : diary Auo. 24 (Sept. s).—At 6 a.m. the enemy opened a very villent cannonade and bombardment against the first and second sections of our line of defence ; their batteries fired by salvoes. We replied from our works on the right flank of our line of defence by an equally well-sustained fire. The fire slackened about 2 p.m., and stopped towards evening. In the twenty-four hours, according to the observations taken from the telegraph, the enemy fired about 70,000 cannon-balls and 16,000 shells. This terrible fire caused great damage to our works, especially to the Schwartz Redoubt, to Bastion No. 5, and to the Belkine Battery. During the night, despite the well-sustained fire of the besiegers, the garrison of Sebastopol repaired as much as possible the damage (lone. A portion of the dismounted guns were replaced. The works of the besiegers did not advance ; they busied themselves repairing the damage done in their batteries. After describing the fire on the 6th and 7th of Sep tember, the diary stops at the Bth, with the observe lion that Prince Gortschakoff will send a special report of the events of that day. The diary adds, that on the 11th of September the following vessels were sunk by order of the Com mander-in-Chief :—The Vladimir, Crimea, Cherso nese, Bessarabia, Gromonossets, Elborous, Danube, Turk, and Grozny. Their guns were first taken out of them. The report concludes as follows : Auo. 31 (Sept. 12).—0n the Ist (Sept. 13), the enemy fired but little. They attempted to open fire with mortars placed at the landing•place called Grafskaia l'ristane. On the same day the advanced posts of oar left wing observed that two camps had been established in the valley of Baidar, near the village of the Cossacks, on the road from Ouzen baschik to Ourkousta, in which were six squadrons of cavalry and five battalions of infantry, with artillery. WirOFF4 4 4 I7 -47:1 1 **Mill. THE WAR IN ASIA. The safety of Kars, one of the principal bulwarks of the Turkish empire in Asia, has been seriously compromised throughout the long siege of the town by the neglect of the Turkish authorities to afford it relief, and at this moment there is room for serious apprehension that it has fallen into the power of the enemy. The latest despatches received this week, extending to September 27th, state that the Turkish garrison were reduced to the last extremity, and that they must inevitably surrender unless relieved in a few days. The Russian army concentrated in the neighbourhood, though it had not attempted any further assault, closely blockaded the town, and had devastated the surrounding country. Kars only possessed a month's provisions on the most reduced scale at the date of August 15, yet it was only on the 10th of September—after ten weeks' waste of time journeying constantly to and fro from Kamiesch to Constantinople—that Omer Pacha landed in Asia. His troops will require another fortnight to collect, and before they can be well got together it is more than probable that Kars will be lost. A correspon dent of the Daily News, writing from Erzeroum, under date of Sept- 13th, reports the arrival of Omer I'acha on the 10th : Omer Pacha, after stopping two days at Platana (distant about a league from Trebizond), where stress of weather compelled him to put in, arrived in our roads on the 10th. The generalissimo landed an hour after the arrival of the Ottoman steamer, the Chepper, , which brought him. and, accompanied by the Count de Metfray, his aide-de-camp, repaired to the governor's palace, where he received the visits of the Turkish authorities and the consuls. The next morning he left, after returning the visits of the consular body. According to the information I have been able to procure, Omer Pacha's troops will have collected at Batoum in ten or twelve days' time; we ven• ture to hope they will arrive in time to save Kars. A correspondent of the Morning Herald continues the narrative of events, by reporting the arrival of Omer Pacha at Batoum, and gives a deplorable description of the condition of the Turkish force at that place : Omer Pacha arrived at Batonm on the 12th inst., and was received with the greatest enthusiasm by the half starved garrison of that place. The same day the generalissimo visited the camp in all its details, and tears gushed from the eyes of the old warrior on observing the neglect and privations to which the troops had been sub mitted. The numerical strength of the corps d'ormer, which is represented as being 16,000 men of all arms, does not exceed at present 4,000 sabres, and even it is doubted if on a parade day more than half that number of men can come forward. _ The hospitals at Ilatonm and Tchuruksoo are crammed with sick, with no medical attendance whatever. On in quiring into this branch of the army, Omer Pacha was in formed that a short time ago the mushir in command sent to Trebizond for doctors. The steamer returned with six Armenian barbers, who, on landing, bled all the patients, and more than 2t)o casualties took place the day after their arrival. The barbers had subsequently fled, nobody knew where. The commissariat was in a still worse condition. Some days nothing hut a lump of butter was distributed to each soldier; at others, a handful of rice. The poor creatures who survived had been living on salad and water. As for pay, it was true that an English ateame with 60,0001. in gold had arrived, but it was quietly and noise lessly picketed by a few privileged individuals. 947 The writer even doubts the possibility 'of Omer Pacha commencing any active operations this year , thinking it probable that he will not be in a condi tion to march to Kars. From Kars itself the infor mation is scanty, but sufficient to show pretty clearly the imminent peril of the town. The Daily News correspondent, under date of Sept. 4, writes from Erzeroum Letters from Kars of the 24th and 25th of August give us nothing of interest except the news of the continuation of the blockade, and the thorough devastation of the bur rounding district by the Russian*. Yesterday we received a letter from Kars. Our friend, while denying the possibi- lity of a catastrophe, still makes some admissions which are not pleasant. The provisions of the army of defence could last no longer than the 15th of the present month. If up to this date no reinforcements and supplies could be obtained, the town would be obliged to surrender and submit to the conditions imposed by General Mouravieff. Such a catastrophe would have terrible consequences. The army in Kars, kept together until now by the influence and saroir faire of General Williams, when once compelled to surrender, would crumble into atoms. Each soldier would take the road to his own country. The Turkish Government, thus deprived of a nucleus for recruiting, would be obliged to go through all the difficulties of getting together and equipping a new army. Still worse would be the loss of the magnificent artillery which the Turks possess in Kars. The advices of the Morning Herald are to the same effect : We have news from Kars, Erzeroum, and Trebizond of very recent dates. A letter, dated Oth ult., from the first place, states that the Russians have not attempted any thing against the intrettched Turkish camp. Provisions were, however, running shorter every day, and if succour does not soon reach from Erzeroum the gallant and brave garrison will be forced to surrender the place to the enemy. We find it stated in letters from Constantinople that a " conspiracy " among the garrison had occurred, been discovered, and suppressed with energy by General Williams. Its object was to lire the powder magazines. During the explosion the Russians were to make the assault. A number of Turks were com promised. The head of the conspiracy, Aly Bey, a relative of ➢lushir Vasif Pacha, was bung in Kars on the 27th of August. An attempt had been made to organise a body of Bashi-Bazouks, but with ill success. With the ex ception of four hundred they had all deserted and plundered the neighbouring villages, Turkish or Armenian. The calculation of their value, remarks the Daily News correspondent, may be briefly summed up : Firstly, they put the country in deadly fear by their habits of plunder; secondly, they generated the cholera amongst themselves, and left it as an heritage to the town ; and lastly, they have consummated their iniquity by their desertion. The death of Colonel Calendrilli, the officer of engineers, was a severe loss to the garrison : Colonel Calendrilli, a Roman, who distinguished him self in the revolution in his own country, and who is well known for his talents, has just died of cholera. The forti fications here were erected under his direction. He was buried in the Armenian church. The military authorities gave orders that the corpse should be accompanied to the grave by bodies of troops, and military music. The event is peculiar, as nut only did European officers follow in pro cession, but a number of Turkish officials were present. This is the first time that a Christian has received military honours after death here, the first time that Turkish troops have marched beside the banner of the cross. Telegraphic despatches had been received at Con stantinople stating that a steamer had arrived at Bnlaklava, from Trebizonde, with news that the Russians attacked Kars with imposing forces, and twice attempted to carry the place by storm. They were repulsed with heavy loss. CoLoNEr. BELL, C. 8., of the Royals, lately returned from the Crimea, has been appointed inspecting field officer at Liverpool, vice Colonel Derinzy, who retires on half-pay, with the rank of major-general. LIEUTENANT F. JUNI:MOTE, of the 41st, was one of the first in the Redan. When on the parapet, waving his sword, two Russians fired at him, one hitting and breaking his sword, the other smashing his hand, which was unhappily found necessary to amputate. The young hero is a son of Colonel Kingacate, of the Royal North Gloucestershire • Militia. THE FOREIGN LEGION at Canterbury, Shorncliffe, and Dover, have received orders to prepare battalions of both German and Swiss Legions, in all 2,4(K men, to proceed to Portsmouth for immediate embarkatiov. Their destination in the first instance is understood to be Malta. THE DESERTIONS FROM HER MAJESTY'S FORCES.--- The returns for the past month show a marked in crease on those of that preceding, the total number of deserters being 082. TWO SOLDIERS OF THE 7TH DRAGOON Gnome lately committed a most extensive robbery by entering the apartments of Captain Middleton, of the same regiment, and carrying off the whole of his ♦aluable propert,b including the 6(421,y-embroidered uniforms,