The Press. — London, England, 1855-11-10 00:00:00

NOVEMBER 10,1855. THE WAR. THE despatches which have been received this week from all sources tend rather to point out that nothing of much importance will be further attempted this year in the Crimea. Preparations for establishing the troops in comfortable winter quarters were making in all parts of the allied camp. At Eupa toria alone were signs of activity apparent, but it is probable that those reconnaissances in force were more meant to harass the Russians than to force them to any general engagement; while in the Dnieper, so satisfied were the allied generals with their easy conquest of Kinburn, that the English contingent was about to re-embark on its return to head quarters. The Russians, on their side, were making great exertions to strengthen their position in the Crimea, and to put Kherson and Nicolaieff in a respectable state of defence. The addreses of the Emperor to the Marine Brigade of Nicolaieff, and of Prince Gortschakoff to the Crimean army, speak only of determined defence. From Asia intelligence has been received up to the 13th ult. that Omer Pacha meditated a winter campaign, and that the advanced guard of his army had ahead) left en route to Kutais. Kars still held out, and there was every belief that it would be enabled to successfully sustain the close blockade of the Russians. OFFICIAL DESPATCHES. DESPATCHES FROM GENERAL SIMPSON. Lord Panmure has during the week received the fol lowing despatches from General Sir James Simpson, G.C.B. Sebastopol, Oct. 23. I have the honour to transmit the copy of a letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Ready, of the 4th October, and its in closure, giving an account of the proceedings of a detach ment of the force which was sent to Taman for the purpose of collecting firewood and building materials. The service was satisfactorily performed. Unfortu nately three soldiers of the 71st lost their lives in conse quence of their having strayed beyond the limits prescribed to them. I transmit the nominal return of the non-commis sioned officers and men of the 10th Hussars who were taken prisoners, on the 21st September, in the affair with the Cossacks, reported by me in my letter of the 29th September. I have reason to believe that the greater portion of the Turkish Contingent are now assembled at Kertch. No further intelligence has been received from Kinburn. The health of the army continues very good. A few cases of cholera have occurred during the past week, but it is confined entirely to the new corners. JAMES SIMPSON, General Commanding. PS.—Since I commenced writing this despatch I have received the accompanying report from Brigadier- - the Hon. A. Spencer. (Enclosure 1.) J. S. LLient.-Colonel Ready's letter merely stated the results of the expedition, and inclosed the report of the (Ace' in command.l (Inclosure 2.) Kertch, October 4. I have the honour to report the return to Kertch of the French and English troops under my command, from our joint expedition to Taman. It is with much pleasure that I recur to the assistance rendered by one to the other, but I have to regret the loss of three soldiers of the French Marine, and three soldiers of the 71st Highland Light Infantry; each party having strayed beyond the limits prescribed to them, was surprised by the. Cossacks. The bodies of the three French and the body of Corporal McDougal alone were found murdered, each having received several wounds from ball and lance. The other two men of the 71st Regiment are still missing. Having proceeded in quest of the missing men with both the French Chassenrs and the. Hussars under my com• mend, I was still unable to obtain any clue as to eir fate. During our stay in Phanagoria the Cossacks frequently made attacks on our lines by night, having wounded one naval officer, French, and one naval officer, English ; also one private, 71st Regiment, who was slightly wounded in the band. One Cossack alone, who succeeded in ap• proaching within four yards of my advanced sentry, was killed ; but, owing to the darkness of the night, it was impossible to discern any object which was lower than our own 1 •vel. The assistance rendered by the naval officers who ac companied the expedition could not have been exceeded, particularly by Lieutenants Ainslie and Fitzroy; and the despatch with which Mr. Williams invariably returned with the Minna, after landing her supply of wood at Yeni kale, was the cdmiration of all. The value of this boat on such an expedition is very great. The gun-boats being suddenly recalled for some other active service, a large quantity of valuable wood was burnt. The buildings at Taman and the large storehouses in Phanagoria are coiapletely destroyed by fire and gunpow der, and I cannot conceive the possibility of any body of troops receiving shelter in that neighbourhood. There being several squadrons of Cossacks constantly around us on the different heights, I did not consider it prudent to make any movement towards the hills, con• THE PRESS. sidering the destruction of the fort and town, also the col lection of wood, as being the objects of the expedition. IL TF. HUN ER, Major, 71st Highland Light Infantry. Sebastopol, Oct. 27. I have the honour to transmit a copy of a letter I have received from Brigadier• General the Hon. A. Spencer, in- forming me of the return of the force under his command to Kinburn, after having made a short reconnaissance. As it has been decided that the French will garrison the fort, the English troops will return here, and I expect them about the 3rd of November. I have to report the arrival, on the 28th instant, of a detachment of prisoners to the number of 132 from Odessa, where the greatest part of them arrived on the 24th of September. Among them is Lieut. James, of the Royal Engineers, who was taken on the night of the 2nd of July ; he has been kept at Riazan, and reports having been very well treated by the Russians. The prisoners have been kept at Voronetz, on the Don, and when they left there were only two remaining, who were sick, and fifty-one deserters. I transmit the nominal list of the men. The force from Eupatoria, under the command of General d'Allonville, made a reconnaissance on the 23nd instant. They fell in with a large force of the enemy, and offered them battle. The Russians, however, retreated before them after an exchange of a few rounds with the horse artillery. I beg to inclose a copy of the report of Brigadier-General Lord George Paget, in command of the English cavalry at that place. I have the honour to report the departure of all the Turkish force that was here for Asia, with the exception of some artillery, which has been transferred to the Con tingent. The weather continues magnificent, and the health of the troops all that can be desired. JAMES SIMPSON, General Commanding. (Inclosure I.) Kinbturn, Oct. 4. - - - - I have the honour to report, for the information of the Commander•in-Chief, that the troops under my command returned yesterday evening from the reconnaissance they made in company with the French army. The force left Kinburn on the 20th instant, bivouacked that night and the following at the village of Patowffka (eight miles), proceeded thence to the village of Scha datlka, which the allies burnt. A good many farms, all deserted, and a great quantity of hay, were also destroyed. On our return yesterday ilbout2so of the enemy's cavalry menaced our rear. The troops are very healthy. At a conference held to-day it was determined that the fort of Kinburn is to be occupied for the winter by French troops, and it is expected that the English troops will em• bark for the Crimea on the Ist of November. A. SPENCER, Brigadier• General. [lnclosure 2 contains the list of prisoners exchanged from Odessa.] (Incloguro S.) Eupatoria, Oct. 25. 1 have the honoar to report that the allied troops stationed here, under the command of General of Division d'Allonville, marched from Eupatoria on Monday morning, the 22nd inst. The force advanced in two columns, the one taking a northerly direction, and skirting towards the east of the lake Susik Guiloie, until it arrived at the village of Kara• gurt ; the other proceeding by the strip of land between that lake and the sea to the town of Sak. The light cavalry brigade and troop of horse artillery under my command formed part of the first-mentioned column, which waa commanded by General d'Allonville himself. ...... We marched at daybreak, and arrived at Rarngurt (eighteen miles) about four p.m., when we bivouacked for the night, and which, before leaving, we destroyed. When we had advanced within about three miles of this village we came in presence of a force of about twenty squadrons of Russian cavalry, who retired before us, after some shots from the French horse artillery, which told with some effect. On the morning of the 9.fird we proceeded, at daybreak, in a southerly direction, pluming close to the village of Temesch, where we came in sight of a body of Russian cavalry, considerably superior in numbers to that we had seen the evening before, a strong force of guns, and, I be lieve, some battalions of infantry. This body also retired before us, at a considerable dis• tance, while we continued our advance to the village of Tuzla, on a rising ground to the left of which village General d'Allonville took up a position and offered battle, Captain Thomas's troop of horse artillery firing several rounds with precision, which were answered by the enemy without effect _ _ . After waiting here for two boars, and seeing that the enemy were effecting a farther retreat, General d'Allonville formed a junction with the column under Mushir Achmet Pacha, at the town of Sak, where we bivouacked, destroying the town and considerable Russian cantonments. On the '24th inst. (yesterday) we returned to Eupatolia by the sea-coast road. On the first day's march the French cavalry were in front—the English cavalry in support—the Turkish cavalry on our left flank. On the second day the cavalry under my command were in advance—supported by the French cavalry—the Turkish cavalry on our left flank. I have great satisfaction in stating that General d'Allon rifle expressed to me his approval of the manner in which the cavalry I have the honour to command manoeuvred in the field, as, likewise, of the good practice of our horse artillery; and I may perhaps be permitted to express my acknowledgments of the courtesy evinoed towards me 1065 • and the troops under my command by the general during the time we were in the field, and sines we landed at Eupa toria. I beg to inclose a return of casualties, caused by exhaus tion, from the want of water, of which there was a very great scarcity everywhere. Captain Hamilton, Royal Navy, has requested me to in form you that the French brig of war Alotteite and her Majesty's ship Diamond co-operated with the troops on this occasion ; but that he, finding a sailing vessel unhandy en this service, p' aced the guns and men of the Diesvelni on board the steam•transport Oneida, from which he tired on the flanks, and on some advanced pickets of the enemy. GEORGE Brigadier• General Commanding Light Cavalry Brigade at Eupatoria. RUSSIAN DESPATCHES FROM NICOLAIEFF. The following telegraphic despatches have been daily despatched from Nicolaieff to St. Petersburg, and continue the narrative of events from the date of our received letters : Oct. 28, quarter to 11 p.m. During the last four and twenty hours, no change has occurred in the position of the enemy, unless it he a slight increase in the number of his steamers, grin-boats, and floating batteries in the Otchakoff roads. The movements observed yesterday between the three points of anchorage, have continued to-day. The enemy has burnt all the houses upon Kinbnrn Spit these had been evacuated by the inhabitants, and the latter on leaving carriei off their cattle, and all that they pos.. ()eased. No other movements had occurred upon land. Yesterday Lieut.-General Zadonaky made a reconnais• sance beyond the village of Vassilievka, and pushed forward almost to the enemy's outposts. Oct. 27, half-past 9 p.m. In the course of last night the enemy's vessels which had advanced into the embouchure of the Dnieper, returned and joined the fleet, moored in the Bay of Otchakeff. This is the only movement to be noticed. The patrols sent from Lieut.-General Zadonsky's a vanced guard, twenty vereta beyond the village of Roust/- vela, upon the Kinburn Spit, have nowhere enconntereo' the enemy. It has been remarked, however, from Otchad koff that the troupe which had disembarked are fortifying themselves in Kinburn. All goes well at Nicolaieff. Oct. 2R, quarter to 10 p.m. Up to nightfal yesterday the enemy posted near Kin. burn was engaged in re-embarking his field-guns and horses upon his transport vessels, and this morning at daybreak these vessels were still in the roach►. According to certain signs, they are preparing to take to sea. A thick fog, which rose at eight o'clock this morning and continued until dark, has prevented us from making new observations, but before the fog rose we disoovered that his steamers, gun-boats, &c., anchored at the mouth of the Bug, and also his vessels of the fleet off Kinburn Spit, were considerably diminished in numbers. Only tire steamers and four gun-boats remained; these, added to the rest of the fleet, raises the total to 84 vessels. Oct. 29, 40 minutes past 9 p.m. The number of the enemy's vessels moored near the Spit of Kinburn is still diminishing; to•day there are not more than sixty left. The ships that were stationed near Otchakoff, and a little higher up, have moved nearer to the shore at Kiuburn, and continue to take on board troops. A ship of the lint and two transports—the latter having completed the embarkation of men—have weighed anchor and put to sea. The number of tents on the Spit of Kinburn is also less than before. _ There are two steamers and live gun-boats off Cape Stanislaff, in the embouchure of the 13ng. The main body of the fleet has not changed its position. DESPATCHES FROM PRINCE GORTICHANOTI. The InvaUde Rune of Oct. 90 contains the follow. ing despatch from Prince Gortschakoff, being the Russian version of the reconnaissance made by Gen. d'Allonville on the 27th ult.:— Oct. 28, 8 o'clock p.m. Yesterday the enemy again made a strong demonstration in the environs of Eupatoria. He had about thirty squad rons of cavalry and six battalions of infantry. Having passed through Saki he advanced as far as Tcheb hotari, but was there stopped by our advanced guard, and having exchanged some shots with us, he retired as even ing approached to Saki, where he passed the night. This morning the enemy renewed the attack, a portion of his troops advancing upon Temeseb; but as soon as one division of lancers, supported by the reserve of dragoons, began to menace Iris left flank, he retired a second time to Saki, at noon. As to the rest, all goes on well. Oct. 29, 9 p.m. The enemy's force kept its position at the village of Saki during the past night, but at eight this morning it has again moved to Eupatoria. Our outposts have taken their former positions. Nothing remarkable has occurred on any other point. THE HINBURN EXPEDITION. The capture of Kinburn appears for the time to have satisfied the allied admirals. Up to the 26th, according to the letters received, nothing further appeared to be then contemplated. The " possession of Kinbuni," writes the Times correspondent on the 20th, " is enough forus, and secures all the objects we have in view." The squadron under Sir Houston Stewart inside the Spit had been engaged in one or two sounding expeditions up the Bug, and bad pro ceeded some miles up the river before they yen