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than to keep up a dropping fire on the Malakhoff and Little
Redan, the former of which did not answer with a single gun.
Soon after sunset, however, nearly every mortar along the
whole line of attack was brought into play, and till nearly 9
the thunder of their discharges rolled through the air in
almost unbroken peals ; the sky was literally alive with shells,
vomited forth from their fiery beds at every angle from fifteen
degrees up to seventy-five, whilst showers of the still grander
and more terrific rockets darted across the darkness like
avenging comets. As illustrating the briskness of the fire
about this time, I may mention that within four minutes I
counted as many as thirty-one shells falling inside the Malak-
hoff alone, whilst an almost equally warm practice was being
kept up on its formidable neighbour the Redan. About half-
past nine o'clock another fire broke out behind the Round
Tower, which, though inferior in extent and brilliance to that
of the previous night, threw up volumes of smoke and frame
that cast a flood of lurid light over a great part of the harbour,
the arsenal, and the Redan, and our own and the French ad-
vanced trenches. After burning for about an hour, however,
it rapidly died out, having been, in all probability, one of the
buildings on the slope of the hill leading down from the rear
of the Malakhoff to the harbour. During the hour for which
this had lasted one of the three-deckers, which had been drawn
up during the previous night with their broadsides to the
Round Tower, threw several shells into the trenches near the
Mamelon, as well as into our own advanced mortar batteries
on its flank, but as the French replied with some discharges of
rockets, this fire from the shipping was not long continued.
THE MORNING OF THE ASSAULT.

The same writer continues his narrative on the morning of
the assault :

9. a.m.—As was to be expected, the assault is to be made
in the course of this afternoon. Since early dawn this
morning, a terrific fire along the whole line, left and right,
has been kept up on the enemy's works from every gun and
mortar that could be brought to bear on any part of them. In
addition to the Russian batteries on the proper right of the
town, the Redan and its mischievous six-gun neighbour have
replied vigorously, as have also a couple of batteries from the
north side. Only one gun has played from the Malakhoff,
and for its rare shots fully fifty for one have been returned.
All through the night the allies kept up a murderous cannon-
ade, and at this moment, while I write, the combined dis-
charges resemble one long unbroken peal of thunder. This is
to be continued till the signal for the assault is given, when
the enemy will have barely time to greet the advancing
columns with one discharge of grape. This time the arrange-
ment is, that our attack on the Redan shall not be made till
the Malakhoff is actually occupied by the French—then, and
not till then, our stormers shall dash on to the Redan, the
French supporting them by a simultaneous rush upon the
small flanking battery which worked us so much mischief on
the 18th of June. Our assaulting force is to be composed of
the whole of the Second Division, and the second brigade of
the Light Division, with the first brigade as a reserve. As a
punishment for its recent conduct in the trenches, the 97th
has been told off to lead. General Markham, of the Second
Division, commands the whole. Such, briefly, is to be the
order of this final attack, and the strength of our own force
is to be employed in it. With the lesson of the fatal 18th
fresh in all minds, we have little of the unduly sanguine con-
fidence of success which then animated everybody ; but with
our advances pushed so much nearer the points to be
attacked, and with arrangements free from the complications
which bore such disastrous fruit then, the general disap-
pointment will still be great if before sunset to-day the Tri-
color and Union Jack do not float in triumph over the
Malakhoff and Redan. This accomplished, the south side of
Sebastopol is our own.

THE CAPTURE OF
SEBASTOPOL.

OFFICIAL DESPATCH FROM GEN. SIMPSON.
A London Gazette Extraordinary, published on Satur-
day, gives the following despatch containing General Simp-
son's account of the taking of Sebastopol :
WAR DEPARTMENT, Sept. 22nd.
Major the Hon. Leicester Curzon arrived this morning with
a despatch from General Simpson to Lord Panmure, of which
the following is a copy : _

BEFORE SEBASTOPOL, Sept. 9th.
I had the honour to apprize your Lordship, in my despatch
of the 4th instant, that the engineers and artillery officers of
the Allied armies had laid before General Pelissier and myself
a report, recommending that the assault should be given on
the Bth instant, after a heavy fire had been kept up for three
days. This arrangement was agreed to, and I have to con-
gratulate your Lordship on the glorious result of the attack
of yesterday, which has ended in the possession of the town,
dockyards, and public buildings, and the destruction of the
last ships of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea. Three
steamers alone remain, and the capture or sinking of these
must speedily follow. It was arranged that at twelve o'clock
in the day the French columns of assault were to leave their
trenches, and take possession of the Malakhoff and adjacent
works. After their success had been assured, and they were
fairly established, the Redan was to be assaulted by the Eng-
lish. The Bastion Central, and Quarantine Forts on the left,
were simultaneously to be attacked by the French.
At the hour appointed our Allies quitted their trenches,
entered and carried the apparently impregnable defences of
the Malakhoff, with that impetuous valour which character-
izes the French attack, and, having once obtained possession,
they were never dislodged. The tricolour planted on the
parapet was the signal for our troops to advance. The
arrangements for the attack I entrusted to Lieut.-General
Sir Wm. Codrington, who carried out the details in concert
with Lieut.-General Markham. I determined that the 2d and
Light Divisions should have the honour of the assault, from
the circumstance of their having defended the batteries and
approaches against the Redan for so many months, and from
the intimate knowledge they -possessed of the ground.
The _firP_ Af.pianspstiltient tv-r-Ine ttedan, I deemed that the
columns of assault should be directed against that part, as
being less exposed to the heavy fire by which this work is
protected.
It was arranged between Sir William Codrington and
Lieutenant-General Markham that the assaulting column of
1,000 men should be formed by equal numbers of these two
divisions ; the Light Division to lead, and that of the Second
to follow. They left the trenches at the preconcerted signal,
and moved across the ground, preceded by a covering party of
260 men, and a ladder party of 320. On arriving at the crest
of the ditch, the ladders were placed, and the men imme-
diately stormed the parapet of the Redan, and penetrated into
the salient angle. A most determined and bloody combat was
here maintained for nearly an hour, and although supported
to the utmost, and though the greatest bravery was displayed,
it was found impossible to maintain the position.
Your lordship will perceive by the long and sad list of the
casualties, with what gallantry and self-devotion the officers
so nobly placed themselves at the head of their men during
this sanguinary conflict.
I feel myself unable to express, in adequate terms, the
sense I entertain of the conduct and gallantry exhibited by
the troops, though their devotion was not rewarded.by the suc-
cess which they so well merited. To no one are my thanks
more justly due than to Colonel Wyndham, who gallantly
headed his column of attack, and was fortunate in entering
and remaining with the troops during the contest. The
trenches were, subsequently to this attack, so crowded with
troops, that I was unable to organize a second assault, which
I intended to make with the Highlanders under Lieut.-Gen.
Sir Cohn Campbell, who had hitherto formed the reserve, to
be supported by the third division, under Major-General Sir
William Eyre. I therefore sent for these officers, and arranged
with them to renew the attack the following morning. The
Highland Brigade occupied the advanced trenches during the
night. About eleven o'clock the enemy commenced exploding
their magazines; and Sir Colin Campbell, having ordered a
small party to advance cautiously to examine the Redans,
found the works abandoned. He did not, however, deem it
necessary to occupy it until daylight. The evacuation of the
town by the enemy wasmade manifest duringthe night, and great
fires appeared in every part, accompanied by large explosions,
under the cover of which the enemy succeeded in withdrawing
their troops to the north side by means of the raft bridge re-
cently constructed, and which they afterwards disconnected
and conveyed to the other side. Their men-of-war were all
sunk during the night. The boisterous weather rendered it
altogether impossible for the admirals to fulfil their intentions
of bringing the broadsides of the Allied fleets to bear upon
the Quarantine Batteries. An excellent effect was produced
by the animated and well-directed fire of their mortar vessels,
those of her Majesty being under the direction of Captain
Wilcox, of the Odin, and Captain Digby, of the Royal Marine
Artillery.
It now becomes my pleasing duty, my lord, to place on
record the high sense I entertain of the conduct of this army,
since I have had the honour to command it. The hardships
and privations endured by many of the regiments, during a
long winter campaign, are too well known for me to comment
upon. They were borne, both by officers and men, with a
patience and unmurmuring endurance worthy of the highest
praise, and which gained them the deserved applause and
sympathy of their country.
The naval brigade, under the command of Captain the Hon.
Henry Keppel, aided by Captain Moorsom, and many gallant
officers and seamen who have served the guns from the com-
mencement of the siege, merits my warmest thanks.
The prompt, hearty, and efficacious co-operation of her
Majesty's navy, commanded by Rear-Admiral Sir Edmund
Lyons, and ably seconded by Sir Houston Stewart, has contri-
buted most materially to the success of our undertaking; and
here, perhaps, I may be permitted to say that, if it had pleased
God if the successful result of this memorable siege should have
been reported by my ever-to-be-lamented predecessor in this
command, I am sure it would have been one of his most pleas-
ing duties to express the deep sense which I know he enter-
tained of the invaluable assistance and counsel he received on
all occasions from Sir Edmund Lyons. When, at times, affairs
looked gloomy and success doubtful, he was at hand to cheer
and encourage; and every assistance that could tend to ad-
vance the operations was given with the hearty goodwill which
characterises the British sailor.
Nothing has contributed more to the present undertaking
than the cordial co-operation which has so happily existed
from the first between the two services.
I cannot sufficiently express my approbation of the conduct
of the Royal Engineers under Lieut.-General Sir Harry
Jones, who has conducted the siege operations from the
beginning of this year. For some time back he has been
suffering on a bed of sickness, but the eventful hour of the
assault would not permit him to be absent. He was con-
veyed on a litter into the trenches, to witness the com-
pletion of his arduous undertaking.
My warmest thanks-are due to the officers and soldiers of
the Royal Artillery, under the command of Major-General
Sir R. Dacres, who, during the arduous operations of this
protracted siege, have so mainly contributed to its ultimate
success.
I must further beg to record my thanks for the cordial co-
operation and assistance I have received in carrying out the
details of the serviee from the chief of the staff—the adjutant
and quartermaster generals, and general staff, as well as
generals commanding divisions and brigades of this army.
I must reserve to myself, for the subject of a further dis-
patch, bringing before your lordship the particular mention of
officers of the various branches of this army, whom I shall beg
to recommend to your favourable notice.
I entrust this despatch to the care of Brevet-Major the Hon.
Leicester Curzon, who has been assistant military secretary to
my noble predecessor and myself since the commencement of
this war, and who will be able to give your lordship more mi-
nute details than the limits of a dispatch will allow.—l
have, &c., JAMES SIMPSON.
The Lord Panmure,