The Press.
London, England, 1855-06-23 00:00:00

JUNE 23, 1855.

revived him, and, finding himself along among his dead
comrades, he, with an almost superhuman effort, managed
to get the boat to sea, until he was picked up. In the
same boat were four of his dead messmates. This
deliberate massacre, for no attempt was made to take them
prisoners, and both friends and enemies were killed in.
discriminately, will never be forgotten, should we have an
opportunity of taking vengeance for the murders. Neither
men nor officers were armed, though some muskets were
In Vl') boat.

The Russians have published their own version of
the story, in which an attempt is made to justify the
atrocity, and the satisfactory intelligence conveyed
that the three officers and several seamen belonging
t) the boat still survive. The following is the account
as published in the Journal of St. Petersburg of the
13th .

The Commander of the Forces in Finland, Adjutant-
General von Berg, reports a very successful skirmish
which took place not far from Hango Udd, between our
volunteers of the second battalion of the King of Prussia
Grenadier Regiment and a part of the crew of the English
frigate Cossack. The affair took place as follows :—On
June sth, at noon, the frigate Cossack appeared in the
roads off Hango Udd, and sent off a boat, which came
ashore in the vicinity of the telegraph, and landed a small
party under the command of some officers there. Ensign
Sswertschkoff, of the King of Prussia Grenadier Regiment,
to whom this portion of the coast is intrusted, having been
early informed of this enterprise of the enemy, concentrated
some men of his detachment behind a building opposite
the landing•place, anti another portion, under the sub-
officer, Peter Pawloff, lie detached along the beach to cut
off the retreat of the English. The enemy, attacked on a
sudden, defended himself but feebly, and laid down his
arms. The success of this affair must be ascribed to the
coolness and the foresight of Ensign Sswertschkoff.
The loss of the enemy amounts to five killed ; there
were taken prisoners, one officer, one surgeon, one marine
(garde marin), and eight sailors, of which latter four were
wounded.

In addition to the above our troops made spoil of the
flag of the boat, seven muskets, and seven cutlasses. The
boat itself, with one cannon on board, was sunk.
_ .

_ .
On the following morning the English frigate came in
close to Hango Udd, and fired at the buildings for about
an hour and a half, but without doing them any great
harm.

CAPTURE OF THE MAMELON AND QUARRIES.
The official despatches relating the incidents of
the attack on the Russian positions at the Mamelon
and the Quarries, which had been already announced
by telegraph, were received at the War-office on
Thursday. Lord Raglan writes :
June 9.
I have the great satisfaction of informing your lordship
that the assault which was made upon the Quarries in front
of the Redan, from our advanced parallel in the right
attack, on the evening of the 7th instant, was attended with
perfect success, and that the brave men who achieved this
advantage, with a gallantry and determination that does
them infinite honour, maintained themselves on the ground
they had acquired, notwithstanding that during the night,
and in the morning of yesterday, the enemy made re-
peated attempts to drive them out, each attempt ending in
failure, although supported by large bodies of troops, and
by heavy discharges of musketry, and every species of offen-
sive missile.
The French on our right had shortly before moved out
of their trenches and attacked the Ouvrages Blanes and the
Mamelon. These tney carried without the smallest check,
and their leading column rushed forward and approached
the Malakoff Tower ; but this it had not been in contem-
plation to assail, and the troops were brought back and
finally established in the enemy's works, from which the
latter did not succeed in expelling them, though the fire of
musketry and cannon which was brought to bear upon
them was tremendous.
I never saw anything more spirited and rapid than the
advance of our allies.
I am happy to say that the best feeling prevails between
the two armies, and each is proud of and confident in the
gallantry and high military qualities of the other.
I apprised your lordship, by telegraph on the Bth, that
our batteries reopened that afternoon. The fire was kept
up with the greatest energy until the day closed, when it
was confined to a vertical fire ; but the next morning the
guns resumed the work of destruction, and the effect was
such that is was determined by GeneraiPelissier and myself
that the time had arrived for pushing our operations for-
ward. Accordingly, soon after six o'clock on the evening
of the 7th, the signal was given for the assault of the works
I have enumerated, and the result was most triumphant.
The troops employed in storming the Quarries were
composed of detachments from the light and 2nd divisions,
and at night they were supported by the 62nd Regiment.
The command of these troops was intrusted to Colonel
Shirley, of the 88th, who was acting as general officer of the
trenches ; and he was assisted in the arrangements and
guided as to the points of attack and distribution of the
troops by Lieut.• Colonel Tylden, of the Royal Engineers,
the directing engineer officer of the right attack.
Although nothing could be more spirited than the attack
of the Quarries, or more creditable to every officer and man
engaged in the operation, yet I cannot refrain from drawing
your lordship's especial attention to the energy and deter-
mination which they all displayed in maintaining and estab-
lishing themselves after their 'first success in them. They
were repeatedly attacked during the night, and again soon
after daylight on the Ath, and it was in resisting these re•
peated efforts on the part of the enemy theta great portion
of the heavy loss the army has to deplore was sustained.
The mode in which Colonel Shirley conducted this very
arduous service, and carried out his orders, entitles him to
my highest commendation. I have great pleasure in men.

THE PRESS.

tioning the following officers, who are stated to have dis-
tinguished themselves on the occasion, viz.. Lieut.-Colonel
Campbell, of the 90th, who commanded the storming party;
Major Mills, Royal Fusiliers; Major Villiers, 47th; Major
Armstrong, 49th, who are all severely wounded ;
Colonel Maxwell, of the 88th ; Major Bayley, of the same
regiment, who was unfortnuately killed ; Lieut.-Colonel
Grant, 49th; Major Simpson, of the 34th; Lieut.-Colnnel
Johnstone, of the 33rd; Major Herbert, of the 23rd ; Capt.
Lowry, of the 47th; Captain Turner, of the 7th ; Captain
Lowndes of the 47th ; Captain Nason, of the 49th ; Capt.
Le Marchant, of the 49th, who was wounded; Captain
Wolseley, 90th; and Lieutenants Chatfield and Eustace,
of the 49th; and Palmer, Irby, and Waddilove, of the 47th ;
and Captain Hunter, of the 47th ; and Lance-Corporal
Quinn, of the 47th ; who took a Russian officer prisoner in
the most gallant manner.
I also feel it my duty to solicit your lordship's notice to
the eminent services of Lieutenant-Colonel Tylden, of the
Royal Engineers; he has been indefatigable in the dis-
charge of his peculiar duties from the commencement of
the siege, and he has always been at hand to aid in the
repulse of the enemy when they have assaulted our
trenches. He eulogises the conduct of Captain Browne,
of the Royal Engineers, Lieutenant Elphinstone, of the
same corps, Lieutenant Anderson, Stith Foot (Acting
Engineer), who is wounded ; and he laments the death of
Lieutenant Lowry, R.E., who conducted the storming
party, and was afterwards killed by a cannon shot.
Notwithstanding the frequency of the endeavours of the
Russians to regain possession of the Quarries, and the in-
terruptions to the work to which these attacks gave rise,
Lieutenant-Colonel Tylden was enabled to effect the lodg-
ment and to establish the communication with the
advanced parallel, and this redounds greatly to his credit
and that of the oii cera and men employed as the working
party: and I cannot omit this opportunity to express my
approbation of the conduct of the Sappers throughout the
operations. The exertions of the Royal Artillery, under
Brigadier-General Dacres, and those of the Naval Brigade,
under Captain Lushington, R.N., in serving the guns,
cannot be too warmly commended. The accuracy of their
fire is the theme of universal admiration ; and the con-
stancy with which they applied themselves to their arduous
duties under all circumstances, however dangerous, cannot
be too strongly placed upon record.
It is deeply to be lamented that this success should
have entailed so heavy a loss as is shown in the accom-
panying returns, which however are still incomplete ;
but I have the assurance of the principal medical
officer that many of the wounds are slight, and that by
far the greater portion of the sufferers are progressing
most favorably.
I have just learned that the enemy have abandoned a
work in the rear of the Ouvrages Blanes which they con-
structed at the commencement of the month of May. The
French took possession of it on the 7th, but did not retain
it. In the other works they captured sixty-two pieces
of artillery, and they have fourteen officers and about 400
men prisoners.

We have a few prisoners, and amongst them a captain
of infantry, who was wounded, and taken by Corporal
Quinn, of the 47th Regiment.
RkOLAN.
The following graphic description of the affair is
given in the letter of the Times correspondent :

The fire on our side, which had continued since day-
break (of the 7th) quietly and soberly, took a sudden
access of fury about three o'clock, and was kept up from
that hour to the critical moment with great activity. The
affair itself came off but little after the anticipated time.
Between five and six Lord Raglan and his staff took up a
conspicuous position on the edge of the hill, below the
lime-kiln, where it commands very plainly our four•gun
battery, and looks straight into the teeth of the Redan. A
flagstaff was erected with threatening ostentation shortly
before lie c-lime down, and a little angle of rude wall was
RS hastily thrown up as a breastwork. The man with the
fireworks was in attendance, but there was a pause yet for
a while. Sir Cohn Campbell was observed to plant him-
self on the next summit still nearer to the enemy, " com-
monly called," to use legal phrase, the Green Hill. His
appearance drew some fire, and the shells dropped and
flashed close by, but without d'sconcerting his purpose of
having a thorough good look-out place. It was about half-
past six when the head of the French attacking column
came into view from these two spots, as it climbed its
arduous road to the Mamelon. A rocket instantly went
off as the signal of our diversion, and as instantly the
small force of our men detached for the post of honour
made a rush at the Quarries. Atter one slight check they
drove out the Russians, and turning round the gabions
commenced making themselves snug; but the interest
was so entirely concentrated upon the more exciting scene,
full in view upon the right, that they had to wait a good
while before attention was directed to their conflict. The
French went up the steep to the Mamelon in most beauti-
ful style and in loose order, and every straining eye was
upon their movements, which the declining daylight did
not throw out into bold relief. Still their figures, like
light shal3ws flitting across the dun barrier of earthworks,
were seen to mount np unfailingly—were seen running,
clin3bling, scrambling like skirmishers up the slopes on to
the body of the work amid a plunging fire from the guns,
which, owing to their loose formation, did them as yet
little damage. As an officer, who saw Bosquet wave them
on, said at the moment, " They went in like a clever pack
of hounds." In a moment some of these dim wraiths
shown out clear against the sky. The Zouavea were upon
the parapet firing down into the place from above ; the
next moment a flag was up as rallying point and defiance,
and was seen to sway hither and thither, now up, now down,
as the tide of battle raged round it ; and now, like a swarm,
they were in the heart of the Mamelon, and a fierce
hand to-hand encounter here with the musket, then
with the bayonet, was evident. It was seven minutes

and a-half from the

587

of the enterprise.

Theu there came a rush through the angle where the.; had
entered, and there was a momentary zonfusion outside.
Groups, some idle, some busy, some wounded, were col-
lected on the hither side, standing in shelter, and now and
then to the far corner a shell flew from the English battery
facing it. But hardly had the meed of support become
manifest, and a gun or two again flashed from the embra-
sure against them, then there was another run in, another
sharp bayonet fight inside, and this time the Russians
went out spiking their guns. Twice the Russians made
head against the current, for they had a large masa of
troops in reserve, covered by the guns of the Round Tower.
Twice they were forced back by the onsweeping flood of
French, who fought as if they had eyes upon them to
sketch the swift event in detail. For ten minutes or so
the quick flash and roll of small arms had declared that
the uncertain fight waxed and waned inside the inclosure.
Then, the back door, if one may use a humble metaphor,
was burst open. The noise of the conflict went away down
the descent on the side towards the town, and the arena
grew larger. It was apparent that the Russians had been
reinforced by the space over which the battle spread.
When the higher ground again became the seat of action,
then there came the second rush of the French back upon
their supports, for the former one was a mere reflux or
eddy of the stream. When rocket after rocket went up
ominously from the French general's position, and seemed
to emphasise by their repetition some very plain command,
we began to get nervous. It was growing darker and
darker, too, so that with our glasses we could with diffi-
culty distinguish the actual state of affairs. There was
even a dispute for some time as to whether our allies were
going in or out of the work, and the staff themselves were
by no means clear as to what was going on. At last,
through the twilight, we discerned that the French were
pouring in. After the interval of doubt, our ears
could gather that the swell and babble of the fight
was one more rolling down the inner face of the
hill, and that the Russians were conclusively beaten.
" They are well into it this time," says one to another,
handing over the glass. The musket flashes were no more
to be seen within it. There was no more lightning of tl,e
heavy guns hymn the embrasures. A shapeless hump ur n
a hill, the Mamelon, was an extinct volcano, until such turn
as it should please us to call it again into action. Then, at
last, the more hidden struggle of our own men in the hollt w
on the left came uppermost. " How are our fellows gettit g
on ? " says one. "Oh ! take my word for it they're ell
right," says another. And they were right, so far as the
occupation and retention of the quarries were concerned,
but had nevertheless to fight all night and repel six suc-
cessive attacks of the Russians, who displayed the must
singular pertinacity and recklessness of life. As it grew
dark our advanced battery under the Green Hill made
very pretty practice and pretty spectacle by flipping shells
over our tnen's heads at the Russians. From the mis.
shapen outline of the pits a fringe of fire kept blazing and
sparkling in a waving sort of curve, just like a ring of gas
illumination on a windy night ; the attempt to retake
them out of hand was desperately pushed, the Russians
pouring in a most terrific discharge of musketry, which
caused us no small loss, and as it came up the gorge, ex-
tending with the fresh wind, sounded in the distance like
water gulped simultaneously from a thousand bottles.
Meanwhile the fall of the Mamelon and the pursuit of the
flying foe did not by any means bring the combat to an
end on the side of our allies. The Zouaves, emboldened
by their success, and enraged by their losses, earth d
their prowess a step too far, and dreamt of getting
into the Round Tower by a coup de main. A new crop
of battle grew up over all the intervening hollow be-
tween it and the Mamelon, and the ripple of musket-
shots splashed and leaped all over the broad hillside.
The combatants were not enough for victory there too,
but they were enough for a sanguinary and prolonged
contest, a contest to the eye far more violent than that
which preceded it. The tower itself, or rather the inglo-
rious stump of what was the Round Tower, took and
gave shot and shell and musketry with the most savage
ardour and rapidity. The fire of its musketry was like one
sheet of flame rolling backwards and forwards with a
dancing movement, and dwarfed as it was by the distance,
and seen by us in profile, could scarcely be compared to
anything. small or large, except the notes of a piano flashed
into fire throughout some rapid tune. Our gunners ob-
serving the duration and aim of the skirmish, redoubled
their exertions, and flung their shells into the Round
Tower with admirable precision, doing immense mischief
to the defenders. It was dark now, and every one of them
came out against the heavens as it note or swooped.
From Gordon's Battery and the second parallel they
streamed and plunged into the enceinte up to which the
Zouaves had won their way unsupported, heralded every
now and then by the prompt and decisive ring of a round.
shot. The Russian defence, rather than their defences,
crumbled away before the tremendous fire, but on the
other hand, the attack not being fed, as it was not de-
signed, began to languish, and died gradually away. It
was a drawn battle so far; but there may be another story
to-morrow.

Twelve p.m.

The French are putting the new front of their position in
a state of defence, and employinii an immense number of
hands. Our men are still in their warm berth under the
Redan, repelling the attacks of the Russians. There NIA
but one embrasure left in a comfortable state in the ltedan
at the end of the evening, and the quarries are too close
under it for heavy guns to be brought to bear.
To-morrow, with a new point d'appni on each side, we
shall have to choose between fighting, as of old, for per-
mission to keep what we have got, and taking on one side
the Malakoff, on the other the Redan. From what ap-
pears to the bystander, it requires only a little more
belief in our prowess, and a little mote preparation, to
have reduced both one and the other konight. Bat I
'peek without book.