The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-10-23 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

between the 10th Hussars and the Cossacks, near Kertch, I
have learned some more recent particulars of that rather
dashing affair. According to this latter information, the whole
facts appear to have been as follows :—The commander of the
French cavalry having planned a foraging expedition some
twenty-five or thirty miles in the country from Kertch, re-
quested the support of an English squadron ; and, having
procured a party of the 10th Hussars, started on his foray.
On reaching a point some twelve miles from Kertch, he begged
the English officer to remain there as a reserve, to keep open
his communication with the town, and proceeded on about the
same distance further into the country, till he found the need-
ful supplies. On the following morning, when preparing to
return, he found himself closed in on one of his flanks and
his rear by a vast crowd of Cossacks, and at once despatched
a message to the officer in command of the English detach-
ment, apprising him of his " fix," and stating that he would
attempt to extricate himself by a flank movement, but would
first send on the forage convoy with a strong escort, which he
requested our men to meet and conduct safely into Kertch.
The officer, on receiving this information, started with half
of his men to meet the coming convoy, but after riding on
for some dozen miles further, and meeting with no traces
of it, bivouacked for the night. In the morning he
found himself in a similar difficulty to that of the Frenchman,
hemmed in by a horde of Cossacks, and seeing no other chance
of escape, resolved on the desperate expedient of cutting his
way through the encircling host. The fight, as may be sup-
posed, was desperate enough, but, thanks to the desolating
onslaught of our men, resulted in their escape, with a loss of
fifteen—partly balanced by the slaughter of forty-five Cos-
sacks. How this exact reckoning of the latter's casualties
should have been ascertained I do not pretend to explain, but
merely give the figures as I myself have them. What hap-
pened to the convoy I know not."

In reference to the same affair, the correspondent of another
journal says :
There were already several days ago rumours of an affair
between the detachment of the 10th Hussars at Kertch, and
the Russians which, as they were rather vague, I did not
mention in my last letter. They are now a fact, the details
of which are, I learn, as follow :—The detachments of Chas-
seurs d'Afrique and of the 10th Hussars went out for a recon-
naissance, the former as first column, the second in support.
The Chasseurs d'Afrique, being as much as ten or twelve
miles a-head, fell in with a body of Russian cavalry number-
ing nigh 600 men, and, not being able to encounter them with
such odds, being only a troop of scarcely more than 100 men,
they sent back to the place where the Hussars were stationed
to get reinforcements. The commander of the latter, unwilling
to leave the position which was to insure a safe retreat unpro-
tected, left one troop there, and advanced with the other; but
as the distance was considerable, and it was essential not to
fatigue the horses, he could only arrive at nightfall at the ap-
pointed spot. The French Chasseurs, in the meantime, had
found means of retiring, and when the morning broke the
troop of Hussars found itself alone, and its retreat cut off by
the Russian cavalry, which, in following the French, had come
into the rear. So nothing remained but to break a way
through the enemy's squadrons, and this was done most gal-
lantly, with the loss of only sixteen men,—a new proof the
Russian cavalry has not the least chance, even with such great
odds in its favour, in encountering English calalry, whether
Dragoons or Hussars, light or heavy; but it is likewise a
slight memento of the often-experienced, one might say, stale
truth, that divided command is just as bad, if not worse, for
cavalry than for infantry, and that it does not answer better
in field than in siege operations.

OFFICIAL DESPATCHES.

CAPTURE OF FANAGORIA.
WAR DEPARTMENT, Oct. 18.

Lord Panmure has this day received a despatch, and its
enclosures, of which the following are copies, addressed to his
lordship by General Simpson :
SEBASTOPOL, Oct. 6.

My Lord,—Marshal Pelissier having signified to me his
wish that the cavalry force, under General D'Allonville, at
Eupatoria, should be reinforced by some English cavalry, I at
once acceded to his request, and have ordered the brigade of
light cavalry, under Brigadier-General Lord George Paget,
composed of the Carabineers, 4th and 13th Light Dragoons,
12th Lancers, and one troop of the Royal Horse Artillery,
under Captain Thomas, to be sent for this service. lam in
hopes that transports will be found to convey them early next
week.

I have the honour to transmit to your Lordship the copy of
a report I have received from Lieutenant-Colonel Ready, with
the details of an expedition undertaken against a fort and
buildings on the island of Taman. The object was entirely
carried out, and the troops have been enabled to supply them-
selves with a large amount of firewood and building materials.
Since I last had the honour of addressing you, I have seen
Lieutenant-General Vivian, and I am happy to inform your
Lordship that he quite approves of the decision I had formed
of uniting the Contingent at Kertch. Some few thousand
men have already arrived there, and every exertion is being
made to insure them their supplies of food and fuel for the
winter.

The corps of General de Salles have, during the past week,
pushed forward their advanced posts to the high ground on
the left bank of the Belbek, overlooking Foti Sala.
Their supports occupy a ridge from this place stretching
towards the south to Markul.
The main position of the army is on high, bold ground, ex-
tending from Aitodor to Markul, with the reserves posted
between the village of Urkusta and the bridge of Tinli.
The corps is further to be reinforced, with the view next
week of making a strong reconnaissance of the ground from
Foti Sala towards Wyenbash, on the left bank of the Katcha.
I have omitted to report that Lieutenant-General Markham
has been compelled by illness to return to England for a few
months. He sailed on the 29th ult.
I beg leave to enclose the lists of casualties.
JAMES SIMPSOI ,hGavenee'tracl"
N Commanding.
The Lord Pannvare,

( Enclosure 1.)
YENIKALE,Scpt. 27.

Sir,—l have the honour to acquaint you, for the information
of his Excellency General Simpson, that three companies of the
71st Regiment, under the command of Major Hunter, 71st
Regiment, embarked at Kertch on Monday last, the 24th inst.,
on board Her Majesty's ship Minna, at an early hour in the
morning, and proceeded, in company with Her Majesty's gun-
boats Lynx, Snake, Arrow, and Harpy, together with about
nine (9) French gunboats, conveying six companies of French
infantry, to the opposite coast, and arrived about 11 o'clock
a.m., opposite Taman, the line of gunboats extending a short
distance to the eastward of Fanagoria.
The landing commenced shortly afterwards to the eastward
of Fanagoria, covered by the fire from the gunboats. There
was no resistance offered, and the place had been evidently
but lately evacuated. A few mounted Cossacks and infantry
were the only people we had seen up to the time of landing,
and who were driven from Fanagoria and Taman by the well-
directed fire from the gunboats.
When the disembarcation was completed (which was
effected without accident) the force moved uponeSanagoria,
and took quiet possession of the fort and buildings, and
established itself there. A few stores were found still in the
place, but (with the exception of an hydraulic press and some
medicines) of no particular value, consisting principally of
hospital bedding and some clothing and accoutrements. There
were, however, upwards of 62 pieces of artillery (9 and 12-
pounders, apparently) and four mortars, all rendered un-
servicaeble.
As the force entered Fanagorla a strong party of Cossacks
appeared on the hill side, about one and a half or two miles
from the town, increased from time to time until their force
appeared to amount to about 600. The gunboats Lynx,
Arrow, and Snake immediately opened a fire upon them, as did
also some of the French boats. The practice from these boats
was most admirable, and the Cossacks immediately withdrew
beyond the crest of the hills, leaving only a few videttes on
the neighbouring ridges.
Early on the following morning the men were employed in
collecting wood for fuel and hutting, the night having passed
quietly, with one exception, the enemy having taken advan-
tage of the darkness to approach our lines, and opened fire
upon our sentries ; our troops were instantly on the alert,
and the Cossacks retired. One man—an English sailor—
serving at a field-piece in the works, was slightly wounded in
the heel.
The quantity of wood for fuel and for hutting is something
considerable, but the exact amount can scarcely be arrived at
yet, but I hope to have the whole embarked by Saturday.
I have, &c.,
C. READY, Lieutenant-Colonel
Commanding 71st Light Infantry.
Lieutenant-General Sir Richard Airey, K.C.8.,

Quartermaster-General. -
The total casualties are 1 rank and file killed ; 1 sergeant,
7 rank and file wounded.

DESPATCH FROM ADMIRAL BRUAT.

The Ztfoniteur (Thursday) publishes a letter from Admiral
Bruat, dated the 2nd of October, which announces that an
expedition against Taman and Fanagoria has completely
succeeded.

On the 24th of September, Commandant Bonet left Kertch
for Taman with ten gunboats, a despatch-boat, and a steamer.
On arriving off Fanagoria he threw some shells into the re-
doubt, and proceeded to disembark at about a mile from the
fort.
During this interval the Russians abandoned the place, and
the allies took possession of it, in the presence of a force of
cavalry of from 600 to 800 strong, which retired immediately
a few shells were thrown among them.
On the following day our troops were employed in destroying
all the houses in Fanagoria that could have been converted
into shelter for troops at Cape St. Paul. 66 cannon and four
mortars were found in the fort ; at Taman there were eleven
24-pounders buried in the sand.
By the 2nd of October the destruction of Taman and Fana-
goria was complete.
The expedition was about to return to Kertch.
Commandant Bonet warmly eulogises the active co-operation
of Captain Dall, with three gunboats.

THE CAVALRY AFFAIR NEAR EUPATORIA.
The Moniteur of Tuesday states that the Minister of War
has received the following report from Marshal Pelissier :
M. le le Marechal,—ln my despatch of the 29th of Septem-
ber I stated to your Excellency that I had sent General d'Al-
lonville to Eupatoria with three regiments of his division of
cavalry (the 4th Hussars, the 6th and 7th Dragoons, and a
battery of Horse Artillery) ; I then expressed the hope that
the able activity of this General, seconded with zeal by the
Muchir, Achmet Pasha, would succeed in dispersing the troops
the Russians have detained in the vicinity of Eupatoria, and
afterwards in threatening the chief line of the enemy's com-
munication between Simpheropol and Perekop.
A brilliant cavalry engagement took place on the 29th of
September at Koughill (five leagues north-east of Eupatoria),
in which the Russian cavalry under General Korf was com-
pletely defeated. This action inaugurates very auspiciously
the series of operations of which Eupatoria will now be the
pivot.
According to a previous arrangement between General
d'Allonville and Achmet Pasha, three columns quitted Eupa-
toria on the 29th, at three in the morning, to march against
the en
The first,•directed to the south-east, took up its position at
the extremity of the isthmus, towards Saki. It hadonly a
few squadrons of the enemy before it, which it easily drove
back with the. id of two guns, which supported the column
by their fire.
The second, commanded by Ahmet Pasha in person, passing
by Oraz, Atchin, and Teiech, advanced upon Diollchak, de-
stroying in its march all the stores of the enemy.
The third colunin,,at.the.:!ead of which was General d'Al-