The Press.
London, England, 1855-08-04 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

ridge that joins them is itself higher than the land around•
It is along this ridge that the French sap extends in a zig-
zag to within 170 yards of the hill which the Russians
hold. As the incline is somewhat steep, the French working
parties are already out of the reach of the Russian guns,
which cannot be sufficiently depressed to be used against
them. They, therefore, can work on without danger,
except from the riflemen, who hold every spot of vantage,
and use their best endeavours to pick off every enemy who

shows a part of his cap within their range; but, as wthese
can be replied to by French marksmen while the guns of
the Mamelon are hourly thundering against the Russian
stronghold, the advantage is clearly on the side of the
French.
FRENCH ACCOUNT OF THE SIEGE.
The follow►ng official resume of the recent encoun-
ters between the French troops in the advanced
trenches and the Russian forces is given in a
despatch from General Pelissier to the Minister of
War, and was published in Tuesday's Moniteur:—
Juty
17.—For a considerable period the besieged
refrained from sorties, merely reconnoitring our works of
approach with small bodies of men. In the night of the
14th and 15th they attempted a vigorous stroke against
the left of our works, advanced in front of the Malakoff,
and, as you have already been informed by telegraph,
failed.
We had crowned the quarries situated between the
Brancion Redoubt (Mamelon) and the Malakoff Tower
with a stro►►g gabionnade, and had thus formed a con-
tinuous line, the right of which is guarded on the side of
the Careenage Ravine by a strong place darmes, while the
left is well defended by good ambuscades near the Kara-
belnia Ravine. A flying ambuscade, occupied only by
some sharpshooters lodged in pits, had been formed at the
extreme left, in order to d►aw off the tire of the enemy.
This line, of which the central part of defence is the
Brancion Redoubt, was occupied on the right by Lieut.-
Colonel Granchette, of the 49th of the Line, with three

battalions of his regiment, having the 4th Chasseurs a Pied
as a reserve.
Lieut.-Colonel de Chabron, of the 86th, commanded the
left, composed of a battalion of his regiment and the 91st
of the Line. Forty sharpshooters, who occupied the am-
buscade on the left, received as a support 900 picked men
of the Olst Regiment, under the orders of Commandant
Teiller. The first battalion of the 100th, placed iu the
parallel, was to set according as it might be wanted on the
right or the left. Finally, the Karabelnia Ravine was
strongly occupied in front by a battalion from each of the
two regiments of the Grenadiers of the Imperial Guard and
by a working party of 200 belonging to the 100th of the
Line.
The commencement of the night, which was cloudy, and
in the absence of the moon dark, was marked by no par-
ticular incident, but towards one in the morning a con-
siderable sortie against the English lines was made with-
out result. Half an hour afterwards a Russian column of
five or six battalions advanced from the bottom of the
Karabelnia Ravine and debauched on our left. Our
sharpshooters of the flying gabionnade fell back according
to the orders previously given for such a case, and gave the
alarm. They had scarcely done so when the Russians
male the attack with loud hurrahs, opening a close and
well-sustained musketry fire. They were received in good
time by a fire equally energetic, and were unable with all
their exertions to get at our works. For half an hour they
renewed the attempt, always without success, and at last,
crushed by our fusillade and the well-directed tire of our
batteries, they thought fit to retreat. They carried off
their killed and wounded, but abandoned before our
gabionnade, muskets, articles of equipment, and five of
their killed, among whom was one officer.
Ihe enemy's loss must have been large. Ours happily
is small, for in twenty-four hours' service, the combat in-
cluded, the Motterrouge division had lost but twenty killed
and ninety-four wounded. These results are due to the
good arrangements of Brigadier General Uhrich, who
commanded in the trenches, and to the vigour of Lieut.-
Colonel de Chabron and Commandant Teiller, both of
them excellent officers.
I have, at the last moment, received from General Boa-
quet, the news of a new sortie which the Russians made
last night. The enemy having attempted in vain to stay
our approaches before the Malakoff on the left have en-
deavoured to drive us hack on the right; they were re-
pulsed, in the most brilliant manner, by General Canto-
bert's division, on service in the Victoria attack, as well as
by a part of the service battalions of the Guard.
As evening set in General Viney, who commanded in
the trenches, thought he perceived some movements of the
enemy towards the Malakoff. In fact, the Russians had
prepared two sorties, one a false attack against our left, the
other the true attack on our right. Towards midnight the
Russians advanced with loud hurrahs. The efforts on our
left were soon discontinued, but the sorties on our right,
made from the Little Redan, were of importance; the
enemy charged our ambuscades three several times.
These ambuscades were occupied by a company of Grena-
diers of the 20th of the Line, to which had been added
some Zouaves of the Guard On the first attack the troops,
aided by the Travailleurs of the 52nd of the Line and some
Sappers, valiantly resisted without giving ground, and
drove the Russians beak into the place under the fire of
their musketry and a shower of shot from field-pieces be-
longing to the Battery No. 30.
Expecting a new attack, General Viney had disposed his
reserves, sustained by a detachment of Zouaves of the
Guard, sent by General Espinasae. This attack was not
long delayed ; the Russians arrived, but were received so
vigorously that they had to fall back, leaving several of
their men on the ground
A third time the enemy returned to the charge, with nn
more success, and at last definitively gave up to us this small
but precious battle-field. Commandant Cardonne, Captain
Dufau, Lieutenant Chazotte, and Captain Segretain, dis-
played the most brilliant valour.

731

As on a former occasion, those of our batteries which
had a good view of the ground contributed grratly to our
success by the sureness and rapidity of their fire. The
artillery of the English batteries near us failed not, as
always, to render efficient assistance by its well•directed
and vigorous fire, sending a great number of projectiles
into the Malakoff.

In proportion as the enemy wive way, the artillery of
the place and that of the batteries on the other side of the
roadstead was brought into play, and at the close of the
combat its tire was very intense. Notwithstanding this
fierce cannonade and a compact fire of musketry, our
losses are not considerable, while the enemy must have
several hundred men hors de combat. In twenty-four
hours we lost twenty-three killed and seventy•seven
wounded ; among the latter, I regret to say, are Colonel
Adam, of the 27th (ball in left shoulder), and Commandant
Boissonnet (ball above the knee).
. _

In these two combats all have done their duty.
Nothing remarkable has taken place on other points of
our attack. The efforts of the enemy do not interrupt our
works, except during the actual combat ; we resume them
immediately after, and they are pushed forward with ac-
tivity and perseverance. Ptxtestia.

THE DEATH OF ADMIRAL NACHIMOFF.

The Invalids Rune gives the following account of
the death of Admiral Naehimoff

On June 29 Russia experienced an irreparable loss.
The hero of Sinope, one of the brave defenders of Sebas-
topol, the honour and pride of the Russian fleet and army,
Admiral Nachimoff, then received a wound, to which, on
the following day, amidst the general regret of hie coinpa-
nions in arms and all Russia, he fell a victim.
The witnesses give the following details as to the manner
of his death. The deceased admiral would never consent
to wear the soldier's eapote, but always kept on the coat
and epaulettes of a general, and in this dress he would
show himself on the most advanced fortifications, in order
to observe the movements of the besiegers.
On June '29, at eight o'clock, p.m., the admiral appeared
upon the Korniloff bastion, and, in spite of the entreaties
of all around him, he leaned over the parapet to look at
the enemy's works. A ball struck the ground at his feet.
Thesuite accompanying him renewed their entreaties, but
he calmly remained at his post, saying, " They aim very
well." Some moments afterwards a ball struck him on
the temple; the admiral fell senseless, and remained so
until his death the following day.
Sleep in peace, worthy rival of Lazary, of Korniloff, and
of Istomine ! The mariners of the Black Sea and the gar-
rison of Sebastopol will not forget thy valiant example.
Our children and our grandchildren will defend thy tomb
as thou haat defended their cradle

THE BALTIC FLEET.

The Baltic iespatch;sreiortTice occurrence of
some minor but creditably-performed enterprises un-
dertaken by the smaller vessels of the fleet against
different points of the Russian coast. The following
official announcement of the principal affair of this
kind which has recently come off appears in the
Gazette:—

Duke of Wellington, Nargen, July 23.
I have the satisfaction of transmitting a copy of a re-
port which I have received from Captain Yelverton,
detailing the c.rcumstances under which, with the Coseock,
Mogicienne, and Ruby in company, he has again availed
himself of an opportunity to attack, with good effect, a
position occupied by troops of the enemy, assembled in
considerable force, for the defence of Frederickshain ; and
I have much pleasure in submitting to lordships this
additional proof of the zeal and try of the officers
and men under his orders, and of their good conduct,
especially of Mr. H. G. Hale, mate, and the crew of the
Ruby gun-boat.

It. S. DUNDAA.

(Inclosure.)
Arrogant, off the Crops Islands, July 22.
I have the honour to inform you that on leaving the
fleet, T proceeded off the Island of Hogland, where I was
joined by the Cossack, Magicienne, and Ruby gun•bo►t.
Information having reached me that the enemy had sent
3,000 troops to Frederickeham. and were making every
possible exertion to put the place in a state of defence, I
lost no time in getting there.
arrived on the afternoon of the 20th, and would have
attacked them that evening, but that the Ruby got on
shore in examining the intricate channel leading to the
town, and it was too late to take the ships in by the time
she was off.
Early the following morning T succeeded in getting the
ships up to the town, and at 9.40 we opened fire. After
an engagement of one hour, the enemy ceased fire, and
abandoned their guns, some of which were dismounted.
If I judge by the number of men we saw them carrying
away on stretchers, they must base suffered severely.
I am happy to say the injury on our side has been
trifling, though our hull bears evidence of the precision
with which they fired, but generally speaking their shot
fell short.
I regret to say that one man belonging to the Ruby was
dangerously wounded by a round shot-
I must not allow this opportunity to pass without men-
tioning Mr. Hale, mate, commanding the Ruby gun-boat,
who, together with his gallant crew, deserve the highest
praise for the way in which they worked and fought their
long gun, so close to this, that I had an opportunity of ob-
serving the precision of their fire.
One portion of a suburb caught fire and was destroyed,
but I am happy to say the town remained uninjured, owing
to the strict observance of an order I gave to fire on the
fort only.

11. R. YELVILITON, Ciptikl.
Iu a letter dated Xargen, July 24, and publitilted
in the Morning Herald, we find the latest accounts of