The Press.
London, England, 1855-10-20 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

town collecting wood and fuel for embarkation. It
was expected that by the 3rd of October the destruc-
tion of Taman and Phanagoria would be completed,
when the troops would re-embark and the flotilla re-
turn to Ketch. A despatch from Admiral Brunt
had been received in Paris containing similar details
of the expedition, and praising highly the " active
and cordial co-operation of the English officers."
The Moniteur of Tuesday contained the following
despatch from General Pelissier, which gives the
details of the brilliant cavalry action of the 29th of
September last. It will be seen that it was a com-
bined movement against the Russian advanced posts,
and not a mere chance encounter in a fog, as repre-
sented by the Times correspondent of last week :

Head-quarters at Sebastopol, Oct. 1, 1855.
Monsieur le Marechal,—ln giving you an account, in
my despatch of the 29th September, of my sending General
d'Allonville to Eupatoria, with three regiments of his
division of cavalry, I expi eased the hope that the usefhl
activity of that general, cheerfully seconded by the Muchir,
Ahmet Pacha, would succeed in dispersing the troops that
Russia maintained around Eupatoria, and would afterwards
menace the grand line of the enemy's communication from
Simferopol to Perekop.
A brilliant affair of cavalry, which took place on the
29th September at Koughil (five leagues north-east of
Eupatoria), and in which the Rnssian cavalry of General
Korf was completely defeated by ours, has inaugurated
very happily that series of operations of which Eupatoria
is the pivot.
According to an arrangement between Abmet Muchir
Pacha and General d'Allonville, three columns left Eupa-
toria on the 29th, at three in the morning, in order to
march against the enemy.
The first column directed its course to the south-east,
in order to take up its position at the extremity of the
isthmus, towards Saki. It had only before it a few squa-
drons, which it easily held in check, with the aid of two
cannons, which supported it with their fire.
The second column, commanded by the Muchir in
person, passing by Oraz, Atchin, and Teiech, advanced
upon Djollchak, destroying in its course all the provisions
of the enemy.
The third column, at the head of which General
d'Allonville placed himself, consisted of twelve squadrons
of his division, of the battery Armand (horse artillery),
with 200 irregular horse, and six Egyptian battalions.
It traversed one of the arms of the Lake Sasik, and
marched by Chiban upon Djollchak, the common rendez-
vous, where the two last columns were reunited about ten
in the morning.
These two last columns had driven before them some
Russian squadrons, who successively fell back upon their
reserves. While General d'Allonville rested and provi-
sioned his horses he observed the movements of the enemy,
who, with eighteen squadrons, several sotnias of Cossacks,
and artillery, were endeavouring to turn his right by ad-
vancing between him and the lake.
General d'Allonville, whom the Muchir supported in
the rear by two regiments of Turkish cavalry and the six
Egyptian battalions, advanced immediately on the point of
the lake, in order to surround the enemy himself. The
promptitude of this movement allowed the Hussars, led by
General Wallin-Esterhazy, to fall on the enemy with their
naked swords, while General Champeron, with the Bth and
7th Dragoons, engaged the Russian Uhlans, and forced
them to a precipitate retreat, daring which they were
harassed for more than two leagues.
The enemy no longer maintaining himself on any point,
and flying in all directions, General d'Allonville recalled his
squadrons, and collected, before retiring, all that remained
on the field of battle.

We captured three cannons and three howitzers, twelve
waggons and one forge; and took 189 prisoners (one
oftker, Lieutenant Poreopwitch of the 18th IJhlans), and
250 horses.

The enemy left on the field fifty killed, among them
being Colonel Andreonaki, a cavalry officer of much merit.
Our losses were comparatively very trifling—viz., six
killed, and twenty-nine wounded. MM. Prigade, aide-de-
camp of General Walsin, and Sibert de Cornillon, an
officer of the same general, were among the latter.
This brilliant affair does great honour to the regiments
engaged in it; also to Generals Walain and Champeron,
and to General d'Allonvllle, who has much to congratulate
himself on the assistance of Ahmet Muchir Pacha, and of
the Ottoman corps that he commanded.

Accept, eec.;
The Marshal Commanding-in• Chief,
PELTSSIER.
The report of Prince Gortschakoff upon this affair
has also appeared in a supplement to the Invalide
Rune of the 9th inst. It attributes the loss of the
guns to the bad arrangements of the Lieutenant,-
General commanding:—

On the 29th of September, at break of day, the enemy,
consisting of a considerable force of infantry, cavalry,
and artillery, went from Eupatoria in the direction of
Tegesch.
Our detachments of observation were thus disposed:—
Lieutenant-General de Korff, with a regiment of Lancers
of her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess Catherine
Mikhailovna, and the light battery of horse artillery, No.
19, at Tup Mamai and Orta Mamai, and Major• General
Terpelevaky, with the regiment of Lancers of the Arch
duke Leopold, at Tegesch.
In accordance with the instructions which had been
issued for the case of an attack by the enemy in superior
force, these two detachments were to fall back, the first on
Karagonrt, and the second on Box Oglou. Major• General
Terpelevaky executed this order ; but Lieutenant• General
de Korff, before arriving at Karagourt, having lost sight of
the enemy, who wax marching m vomit of Major-General
LA

SATURDAY,

Terpelevsky, halted between Kouroulon-Keneghez, and
Koughill, made his men dismount in order to raise the
guns from their fore-carriages, and did not dispose his
advanced posts in convenient order, and at the requisite
distance from his position. The result was, that a great
part of the enemy's cavalry, numbering from two to three
thousand men, making a rapid movement to the right,
appeared suddenly on the right flank and the rear of
Lieutenant-General de Korff, who, after that, had no time
to draw up for battle or prepare for a combat. The regi-
ment of Lancers were compelled to disperse, and to fall
back upon Karagourt, fighting with the enemy. Six pieces
of the Horse Artillery opened fire on the appearance of
the enemy; but they had lost the opportune moment kr
attack, and they were surrounded and captured. Two
other pieces which were not loaded were replaced on their
carriages, and carried off at a gallop.
Our loss consists of 150 Lancers, one subaltern officer,
and the six pieces, with a part of their attendants.

MOVEMENTS OF THE ALLIES IN THE CRIMEA.

The French still continue to push forward towards
Baktchi-Serai. In their advance from Baidar to
Albat they appear at one time to have been in i
critical position, from which the address of Pelissitr
saved them :

I mentioned, a few posts ago, that two French divisions
and the whole of the Sardinian cavalry had pushed on
beyond Balder, with the view of turning the lines of the
Belbeck, and securing a position beyond Mangnp•Kaleh,
to operate on the rear of the enemy, whilst another force
took them in the flank front Eupatoria. From the en.
trance of the pass beyond liaidar to the near neighbour-
hood of the Mangup-Kaleh Fort, which commands the
eastern mouth of the Aitodar pass, they met with no
numerous body of the enemy; but on reaching the fort,
and reconnoitring, they found several strong columns
camped along the slopes of the adjacent heights, and, to
avoid a collision with these, made a slight detour to the
eastward Thence on to the river their line of march was
unobstructed, and they crossed at a point a little above
Albat, where they now are. They reached this village,
however, during the night, and, when the heavy fog cleared
away at dawn, discovered that they had almost entered the
lines of a very strong encampment of the enemy. The
situation was critical; but, with admirable generalship,
the French chief made a show of moving forward his
advanced columns, as if for attack, and the Russians, sup-
posing that they only saw the leading division of a much
stronger force, packed up whatever light baggage could
be seized on the moment, and beat a rapid retreat. Had
they discovered the comparative weakness of our allies,
the latter might have fared in a way which would have in
some degree squarred accounts for the affair at the
Tractir-bridge; but by the masterly feint of the French
general this mishap was happily averted, and their posi-
tion secured—Daily News Cur., sth.
Still, the difficulties of any successful advance
against so strong central a position as the Russians
hold are numerous, and not the least is the chance'
of their making a dash across the harbour at any
favorable opportunity, and establishing themselves
once more in the town :

The chief difficulty arises from our being obliged to
guard the ruins of Sebastopol, in order to prevent the
Russians from establishing themselves there once more.
We have thus to occupy a long line and to divide our army,
which gives the advantage to the Russians of operating in
a central position, and of falling with their whole force
upon one or other point of our line of operations. To
obviate this we must either destroy what is destructible on
the south side, and retire behind the lines of liamiesch and
Balaklava, which would free at once the greatest part of
the army for field operations, or make the south
our bases of operations, forcing the plateau from
Baktchi•Serai down the north plateau of Sebastopol, leaving
only a flying corps, principally of cavalry, to harass the
communications of the Rnssians ; or else, as a third alter.
native, only take up positions this year which may serve as
bases of operations for the next. —Times Cor., 6th.

A private but military correspondent of the Daily
News is of opinion that the Russian position is too
strong to be forced from the front:—
Since then we have seen the Times, and most of us
could not help smiling at the editor laying down the law'
about our taking the field. If good people in England
could only find a road for us round to the north side, we
should gladly avail ourselves of it; but the hills on the
other side of the Tscbernaya are like the cliffs at Dover,
and we could not very well manage to climb them, guns,
commissariat transport corps, and all. Yesterday evening,
after church, I rode to the Sardinian observatory, and had
a look through the telescope, which is first rate. 1 had no
idea the opposite hills were so steep. I could see the
Russians distinctly at their guns, and about their huts, or
rather caves. A thousand men could keep an army of
fifty thousand at bay for any length of time, for the road
up would only admit of eight or ten men going abreast.
There is not any passage through the range but by foot-
paths ; but the hills are like the (Amite of Western Indic,
in having tablelands or plateau. There is no way to
operate upon the Russians but from Eupatoria, and as
the Russians have more than 100,000 men in position
it would require a proportionate force to set against
them.—Oct. 4th.
THE STATE OF THE RUSSIAN ARMY.

From the miserable appearance of the deserters
who frequently deliver themselves up to our out-
posts, the Russians do not seem to be well off for
clothing or provisions :
The pickets bring in some foot-sore, ragged, emaciated;
sickly-looking deserter, who tells a sad tale of want and
suffering. Is he a Dolon or not? That is the question.
The deserters who come in to the Sardinians are sent to

1$ V,1855.

our head:ifttaitiiii; thiise w'ho suirender i`o the- I`nrAtii are
brought to the French Quartier-Gineral. The last two
who arrived at General Sinipson's were a Pole and a
Russian, and bdth were in Ruch a condition as to excite
the liveliest compatsion amongst our soldiers. Their
cloths were in rags, and the fragments of their boots
scarcely clung to their feet. They came from the army
near Balder, and they stated that the whole of the men
were in the same state ; that all they had to eat was bread
or biscuit and barley, and that they get no meat, and had
only occasional issues of quarter rations of vodka, or
spirits. Their officers told the troops that the allies were
Starving, and had no forage for their homes ; and these two
men were observed to laugh and throw up their hands in
supriae as they passed the great piles of provisions accu•
mulated at our depot on the Col. They said they were
laughing at the lies which had been told to them.—Timer
C or., sth.
- -

A correspondent from Varna writes—

The Russian army is divided into three corps. The
corps on the northern plateau of Sebastopol and in the
remaining forts is composed of a reserve division of the
sailors' detachment and the Greek volunteers, with the
Tchernomorish Cossacks (infantry). The second corps,
nnder General Osten•Sacken, which forms the centre, is
near Mackenzie's Farm. The third, under General
Liprundi, has its head•quarters at Kerman. The reserves
are at Duvankoi, under the special command of Prince
Gortschaltuff. In consequence of want of water, General
Wrangel in the south has been compelled to withdraw
twenty-five miles in land.