The Press.
London, England, 1855-06-09 00:00:00

SIEGE CHRONICLE.

Letters from the camp to the 26th ult. have ar-
rived. The chief intelligence they convey relates to
the departure of the expedition to the Sea of Azoff,
the rapid success of which has already been an
nounced by telegraph. The Herald correspondent
writes.—

MAY 19.—After posting my letter ending with this date,
the weather came in very but ; the thermometer stood 02
in the shade. In &parade of the light division upwards of
a hundred fell out, overcome by the (.ppresslve heat.
Many of our men are, however, beginning to wear a kind of
linen dress, made very light, which is served out to them :
this is an immense boon, and will no doubt be of very great
service in keeping the men healthy.
MAY 20.—To•day was not near so hot as yesterday, a
refreshing breeze playing around, keeping the tents,
Ste., somewhat cooler than usual. Very little firing
was going on. About noon a party of about forty
Russians were seen to emerge from the Malakoff or
Round Tower Battery, and by the aid of a glass were seen
to gather something; what this was we could not tell.
Conjectures were rife, some affirming it was only salad
they were gathering ; others, that it was old Minis balls,
which we had fired at them, and this seemed the most
plausible. By some this was thought to be evidence of
their being in want of ammunition. Our men managed
to pick off one of their number during the short time they
were out.

MAY 21.—Very little firing going on. A grand diviner
party is entertained at head-quarters this evening, at which
the Sardinian hand attend and play a variety of beautiful
music. Ureat preparations are being made, but in a very
quiet manner, to embark another expedition, but where
it is for no one knows. It is said to be Kertch, and though
this is only a rumour, it is still a very probable one.
Horse., artillery, stores, &c., are now on board of transports,
and all ready. Admirals Lyons and Stewart have been to
Lord Ilaglan's and had a long interview to arrange the plan
of operations, &C.
MAY 22.—The weather continues fine, and to-day
promises to be very warm. I regret to have to stale that
during the last few days there have been several cases of
cholera, which have terminated fatally; fever also is upon
the stir, but not to any very alarming extent. With day-
light this morning the embarkation of troops commenced ;
the smaller ships of war are at anchor in the bay, and
steam-tugs take the men out into the bay to them. The
brave Highlanders are now nearly all on board. The
French are busy in like manner at Kamieach Bay, and to-
morrow all are expected to meet, when they will sail away

Miranda, Vesuvius, curlew, Svcsllow, Stromboli, Ardent,
Medina, Wrangler, Viper, lynx, Recruit, Arrow, Ruske, Boogie,
sad five Vreueb steam vessels,

SATURDAY,

and act, in conjunction. Great confidence is expressed that
something will now. be accomplished ; lill seem in high
glee ; the light step and cheerful smile of the gallant High-
lander, as he steps upon the plank, well betoken the gay
spirit and light heart with which he enters upon his duty.
Up to the moment of the mail leaving all has progressed
s atisfactorily, and with great promptitude.
Mar. 2,3.—The intense interest and anxiety with which
we were all waiting news of the Kertch expedition has been
considerably diverted by a desperate attempt which our
allies made last night to capture one of the enemy's ad-
vanced trenches, and which, after gaining possession of,
they were, after a long and most bloody encounter, com-
pelled to evacuate.
It was close on dawn when a message was sent to the French
general, informing him that nearly half the column had
fallen in the attempt to hold the place ; that it was a mere
useless waste of life, as by daylight it would be utter ly unten-
able. The answer was returned, that they were to gather
their dead and wounded, and retire This they accordingly
did at about four in the morning, after having maintained
the sanguinary and unequal contest for more than six
hours, and lost, it is said, the awful number of 1,300 men,
killed, wounded, and missing.
The Russian loss must also have been most severe, but,
from the fact of their men fighting entirely under cover,
it is not supposed to he as heavy as that of the French.
The latter failed, not from want of courage or discipline,
but simply from their mistaking the route and attacking
the trench at a wrong point, where the work if carried was
untenable. No less than thirty-one of their officers are
said mbe killed or wounded. It is said that if it costs
10,030 men, the place must be taken, and that another
attempt will be made this evening.
MAT 24.—As was anticipated, the French made another
attack iitkin the advanced trench last night, which was
completely successful.
This time the plan was better arranged—under the im-
mediate care of General Pe!isaier himself. Three columns
each 3,000 strong—were chosen for the assault, and
started just as dusk was commencing. In spite of all the
vigilance of the enemy, the right and left columns closed
with the covering trenches before they were discovered
and instantly attacked them. For a moment the Russians
seemed bent on an obstinate resistance, but the attack
evidently took them by surprise, and after a short struggle
both trenches were captured, the enemy flying in all direc-
tions. Numbers of them were shot and bayoneted on the
spot. Almost at the same time the centre column attacked
the cross trench ; but here, the enemy being prepared and
in greater force, a desperate contest took place, and it was
not until after about twenty minutes' bard fighting that the
French were enabled to get possession of it. As its de-
fenders retired they were completely decimated by the cross
fire to which they were exposed from the French in the
covering trenches.
The instant that possession was obtained, half the troops
were set to work to remove the gabions and breastwork
from one side of the trench to the other, so as to shelter
the assailants from the fire of the batteries, while the re-
mainder, formed into two strong columns, advanced to
attack the Russian soldiers who had been driven from the
position, and who were halted at a short distance in the
rear, evidently waiting for reinforcements to attempt a re-
capture. As our allies came on, the enemy deployed and
received them with a smart file-fire, to which the French
never returned a shot until within pistol range, when
they too deployed, and, firing one heavy volley, charged
with the bayonet. The Russians fell into confusion, threw
away their arms, and fled. The French followed them
closely, and bayoneted the fugitives by dozens. No quar-
ter was asked or given. In this manner our allies pur-
sued them for nearly half a mile, till both Russians and
French arrived at a deep trench and breastwork on the
left of the Hedan, beneath the Garden Battery. Into this
the flying enemy scrambled, and the French after them.
A strong force of Russians seemed to hold this trench,
but they appeared perfectly panic stricken by the flight of
their comrades, and, after discharging their muskets in a
irregular fusillade, led with the rest, leaving the French in
undisturbed possession of the second trench. At this point
the commander of the French columns wisely called a halt.
A hasty examination was made of the trench, and one of
the soldiers, who had advanced further than the rest up
the parallel on the right, reported that there was a new
battery there. The whole force instantly advanced in that
direction, and found that in a large obtuse angle of the
breastwork a new battery had been formed, and was totally
abandoned. It mounted some eight or ten heavy long guns,
four mortars, and a number of cohorns. Not a moment was
lost in turning the discovery to account. Half the force
was instantly formed out in columns, with pickets to give
notice of the approach of the enemy, who was now
momentarily expected, and keep them, if possible, in check
till the destruction of the battery was completed. The rent
of the troops, piling their arms, commenced the work of
destruction. The long guns were instantly spiked, ovel •
turned, the trunnions of the guns knocked off, and the
spokes of the carriage-wheels chopped to pieces. Sortie
which were ships' guns had their small wooden wheels
split up, and the carriages thrown over the breastwork.
The timber tramways of the guns were levered up and
carried away. The mortars were spiked, their beds over-
turned, and the trunnions of two knocked off. The cohorns
were captured and sent away immediately. But this was
by no means all the mischief effected. Not more than
one hundred men were employed about the guns—the rent
( upwards of two thousand) were engaged in destroying the
earthwork. All the gabions were dragged out, pulled M
pieces, and their earth and stones scattered about. The
sandbags were pulled down and cut in two, and altogether
the whole parapet of the battery was levelled with the
earth. While this was going on all the Russian batteries
had opened, rind were in full play, theugh principally upon
the advanced trenches, which had been captured early gn
the evening. In their denwAition of the battery the French
were herdly diatwfbed by a single shpt. ;barge 4141 es of

JUNE 9, 1855.

Russian infantry were, however, collecting near the Roden
and Garden works, evidently for the purpose of attacking
the French. Their skirmishers constantly advanced, and
exchanged shots with the French Guards, but while una-
ware of their strength the enemy seemed by no means de-
sirous for a closer contest. The French, who had now
accomplished all they wanted, and far more than they ex•
pected to accomplish when they started, took advantage of
the indecision of the enemy to retreat, anti this they did
with such rapidity and skill as to reach the captured
trench from which they had sallied forth without the lass
of a man. The Russian fire upon the advanced trench was
then terrific, and continued so for more than an hour, but
the French had sheltered themselves with their breastwork,
so that it did but little damage, and eventually the enemy
discontinued it altogether.
No attempt was made to recapture the trenches, which
still remain in the hands of our allies. In the whole affair
about four hundred French were killed and wounded ; the
total loss of the Russians is supposed to be from one thou-
sand to fifteen hundred killed and wounded, the greeter
part of whom were killed, as no quarter was given. Nearly
two hundred Russian bodies remain in the neighbourhood
of the captured trenches.
The French are deservedly proud of the capture and de-
struction of the battery. It is decidedly one of the most
brilliant affairs of the siege.

To-day is the anniversary of the birthday of her most
gracious Majesty, and all the troops draw double allowance
of porter in commemoration of the happy event. There
was also a grand review of the English troops over the
heights near Kadakoi. All the regiments of the divisions
not ou duty were there, with the whole of the English
cavalry, and presented a most imposing appearance. The
condition and admirable spirit of the men seem beyond all
praise.
Mar 25.—T0-day the English and French cavalry, with
20,00() French infantry, 10 000 Sardinian, and 10,000
Turks, moved across the plains of Balaklava towards the
Woronzow road. The Russian pickets on the hills of
course fell back before this overwhelming force, which
immediately proceeded to occupy the hills beyond the
Woronzow, in advance of the old 'Turkish redoubts.
In the afternoon a force was detached towards Tchour-
goum, and took up their position on the heights command-
ing the village, while part advanced upon the bridge
which crosses the Tschernaya at this place. Near the
village a capture was made of about 000 head of fine
cattle, with some 800 or 400 sheep. On the other side of
the Tscbernaya the Russians showed some 4,000 or 5,000
strong, and fired repeatedly from a distant redoubt. But,
in spite of this appearance of opposition, the bridge was
crossed, and the country reconnoitred on the other side,
where appearances of redoubts and strong intrenched
works were distinctly visible hi the road leading up the
heights towards Mackenzie's Farm.
Towards the close of the day the enemy opened a new
battery on the other side of the Techernays. It seems to
contain six guns, and is situated literally on the face of a
steep cliff, about a mile to the left of Tchourgoum. How
the enemy ever got their guns there is a marvel to our
engineers.
MAY 26.—There was a good deal of firing during the
night, and some heavy skirmishing went on between the
French and Russians from the advanced trenches recently
captured. I have not yet heard the result.
Our siege•works make progress ; but so slowly that it
amounts to next to nothing. The enemy make trenches
faster than we do, and hinder us at every step. As yet,
there seems no prospect of our soon reopening fire.
During last night the Russians fired repeatedly front
the batteries about Tchourgoum, and in the same
neighbourhood large working parties were continually
engaged. No alteration has taken place in the position
of the allies on the Woronzow read; but it is rumoured
that the enemy are concentrating troops in that direction.
The weather continues fine, but very dry and hot.
Fevers of all kinds are very prevalent, and cause a heavy
mortality. Miss Nightingale, who is up here, has had a
most narrow escape from the fatal low Crimean fever. I
am very glad to say she is now recovering, and will leave
here as soon as her strength permits. Cholera is spreading
fast, and is now all over the camp, from Balaklava to
Kamiesch

The following appears in the letter of the Times
correspondent :
MAY 2Q—The expeditionary force nneer the command
of Sir George Brown will consist of the flank companies of
the Guards (six hundred men ), the 71st, 42nd, and 93rd
Highland regiments, a batallion of Royal Marines, two
batteries of artillery, an efficient staff of con missariat
officers, and a portion of the land transport corps. The
4th Royal Irish Dragoons and the 10th Hussars have re-
ceived orders to embark to-day, and it is probable that
Major Brandling's (the I troop) of Royal Horse Artillery
will accompany them. The French force will consist of
10,000 men and sixteen guns ; a Turkish corps, 3,(X)0
strong, will also embark with the expedition, and a number
of spades, pickaxes, and trenching tools are to be furnished
to them, so that it is evident they are to he employed in
throwing up works to cover themselves. The embarkation
of horses and artillery is at presezt going on in Bulaklava
harbour. It is expected that simultaneously with this move-
ment there will he a demonstration on the plain of Bala-
klava, and it is not unlikely that our cavalry will occupy
the ground near the Tschernaya, in conjunction with a
strong corps encamped near the Woronzow road. That
position will of course he only temporarily occupied, and
the troops will speedily be pushed forward, to feel their
way toward the north side of the Tocliernaya and the heights
south of the Belbeck.
Sir George Brown has gone down to Kamiesch to embark
on hoard the admiral's flag-ship. Dr. Alexander, Depnty-
Inspector-General of Hospitals, who boa been selected as
principal medical officer of the division, goes on boartl the
13ahiams4 tort* with Captain Vonspoby, of the stpif pf

THE PRESS.

Sir George Brown. Dr. Painter, second in medical charge
of the expedition, takes a passage in the Orient, which has
been fitted up as a hospitul•ship. Captain Dick (7tith
Regiment), captain of brigade of the land transport corps,
takes charge of five hundred horses for the use of the ex
pedition, and Mr. Drake has the control of the commissa•
riat department, which is largely provided with officers.
The English contingent will number about 6,000 men.

CONDITION OF SEBASTOPOL.
An interesting letter from an officer of the Sebas-
topol garrison is published by the Military Zeitung
of Vienna. The letter is dated May 13, and contains
the following details :

In spite of all the efforts which the enemy have made,
our bulwarks stand as fast as ever. Long before the bom-
bardment began the journals of the West informed us that
our walls and forts were speedily to be put to a new proof.
This made us redouble our precautions, and we bore
firmly the truly murderous fire (hollische) which threatened
all with destruction. Nevertheless thousands were de-
voted to death, and it made one shudder to see the Moms
(the steamboat) pass every two hours during the bombard-
'want from the south to the north with so many wounded
that she could scarcely stun them. While standing in
Bastion No. 4—the bastion which suffered must of all—l
forgot the danger to which I was exposed in admiration of
the cool and stoical conduct of our sailors. They fell and
expired without a cry, though racked by the most fearful
agonies. The southern side of our town has suffered moat
severely, and is scarcely to be recognised; five hundred
houses have been totally destroyed, and grass is growing
on their ruins ; the beautiful theatre no longer exists.
Though the upper districts of the town are not so much
damaged, yet there is not a single house to be seen which
does not bear manifest traces of the bombardment. The
streets are everywhere ploughed up by shot, and the pave.
ment is totally destroyed ; while at every corner stand
whole pjramids of the enemy's cannon balls and exploded
shells, which were daily collected before the opening of
the fire. In many streets five or six such pyramids are to be
seen, each of them from eight to ten feet high. Never-
theless business is continued, and booths are opened for
the sale of goods. Frices, however, are enormously raised,
and sugar costs one silver rouble (25.) per lb. The supply
of meat is more than abundant, but bread ie exceedingly
scarce. The streets are filled with people, and ciowds
of children run to and fro, assisting at the construction of
barricades and pelting each other with balls of clay. Our
life in Sebastopol is agreeable to us, for use is a second
nature. The greatest activity prevails in the harbour of
Ekaterin, where cannon balls, powder, fascines, sacks, and
provisions are landed in astounding quantities, as they arc
forwarded from the northern forts. In a word, neither the
thunder of the enemy's cannon nor the siege of Sebastopol
is suffered to disturb us any longer ; we mourn over our
adversaries, who are shedding their blood without result
before our brazen walls. We read many absurd state-
ments about the eondition of the besieged ; but the ab-
surdest of all is, undoubtedly, the news that we suffer
from want of supplies, and that hundreds and hundreds
of us are daily cut off by death—of all which no trace is
to be seen.

541

THE BALTIC FLEET.
(From a Correspondent.)
MAY 2:l.—The Firefly has returned from the Aland
Islands, and reports no change, as far as military
operations are concerned, iu Bomarsund and its
neighbourhood. It appears from Captain Otter's
report that the unfortunate inhabitants who were in
a measure compelled by our people last year to sell
sufficient parts of the produce of their farms—such
as sheep, fowls, potatoes, &c.—have been, in the
case of English money being found in their pos-
session, most severely and unjustly punished. Fifteen
men have been sent to Siberia, and all against whom
there appeared any proof otherwise chastised. This
is indeed a barbarous action, the more so as the
islands were, to all intents and purposes, English
property during last autumn, and the people had no
choice as to whether they should sell their goods or
no. If they refused, we should doubtless (as our
good friends the French did) have helped ourselves,
and regulated a tariff as to the payment to be made,
Vulture sailed yesterday with the mails, and Driver
has gone to Copenhagen to bring up some colliers.
MAY 24.—Her most gracious Majesty's birthday,
which was kept up with all due respect, the ships of
the fleet being dressed with flags, and royal salutes
fired at twelve o'clock. A thick fog all day, excepting
for about an hour It noon, when the sun shone
brightly on the Queen of England's loyal subjects
doing honour to her birthday within sight of the
guns of her enemy. We are waiting for clear
weather to start. I forgot to mention yesterday that
a court martial was held on hoard the Ermouth, to
try a lieutenant of the Elwynhis named Balfour for
unofficer and ungentleman like conduct in having
struck a brother officer of the same ship, and made
use of improper language. The court sentenced
Lieutenant Balfour to be dismissed the service, which
is considered a very harsh sentence, as the prisoner
offered every apology previous to the trial, and, it
appears, lost all command of himself, through his
temper, during the affair for which he was tried.
MAY 25.—We have been waiting all day to-day to
make a start, but the fog has been so dense we could
not manage to get away from the anchorage. Princess
Alice arrived to-day from Faro, bringing news that
although two of the Duke of Wellington's men died
from smallpox the rest are doing very well, some of
them who a week since were unable to move being
on their legs. Arrogant has nearly one-third of her
men laid up with a sort of modified smallpox. She
has lost n. ne at all, and her sick are doing famously
under the auspices of her doctor (Gallagher), who
has charge of the hospital, and is indefatigable in his
attention and kindness to all those who come under
his care. Amphion has arrived to-day from Aland
Islands, and, instead of, as last year, being loaded
from those islands with the good things of this life,
she is too glad to partake of the scanty allowance of
fresh meat, milk, eggs, &c., that we get here.
MAY -26.—This melting being fine the whole
squadron, excepting Ajax and Lightning, weighed
and, forming line of battle, steamed up the Gulf of
Finland at a slow pace, to economise fuel as much as
possible. Blenheim met us outside, and fell into her
place in the line. The Royal Adelaide (merchant
steamer) arrived this morning from Elsinore, with
eighty bullocks on board, and other provisions, such
as biscuits, ire., for the fleet. There have been some
Russian gun-boats seen close the shore near Bevel,
but they soon got under cover of their batteries
when our steamers made a move towards them.
MAY 27.—Great excitement was caused this after-
noon by the look-out sbiki ahead (derphion) making
the signal, " Fourteen of the enemy's ships in bight."
Every preparation was made, and all the unaccount-
able symptom; of delight at the prospect of bard
knocks were shown by the officers and crews of the
ships, when after a few minutes, the haze clearing
off, we found that the enemy consisted of about
twenty coasting vessels, ladened with wood, and who,
not expecting us to make our appearance so soon,
were making the most of their time. When they saw
us, the poor wretches were frightened to death :
some of them even deserted their vessels in their
boats, leaving probably their all in our hands. Our
look-out steamers were sent away to capture a goad
many of them ; and where an owner can be found
the wood will be paid for. We are now anchored
about fifteen miles from Croustade, nearly in t.o
centre of the gulf, but are expecting to move further
up towards that place very soon. Our cruisers
report that the country is alive with soldiers ready to
give us a warm reception at any point where our
foraging panties may
try to land. The smallpox has
nearly disappeared.
Irlay 28.—The mails have arrived to day, and a
steamer will leave with letters for Logiand tins
OfirfPo9n i so, atlivt4