The Press.
London, England, 1854-12-16 00:00:00

SATURDAY,

tions, as well as the majority of our works, remain sus-
pended. The enemy is stationary from the same causes,
and from others which I have before mentioned. In spite
of these trials, the spirit of the army is excellent, and
we keep firm and ready to recommence our operations
as soon as the weather and the state of the roads will
allow.

A despatch from Admiral Hamelin, dated Novem-
ber 28, announces that he has landed fifty•five
additional guns, chiefly from the Henri IV., with
500 marines to serve them. Three thousand French
troops landed on the 26th.

CHRONICLE OF THE SIEGE.
The correspondence of the daily journals supplies
details of the progress of siege operations to the
23rd ult. The following extracts relate the most
interesting particulars :
Nov. 21.—Last night we had a smart little skir-
mishing affair, in which some of the enemy's hilt.-
mien were driven into Sebastopol with loss. For
some days past between 300 and 400 sharpshooters
had been posted under cover of the loose stones
which lie about the ground between our Green-
mound Battery and the Redan Wall. Though the
battery was some 300 yards distant, such a watchful
eye was kept upon it, that hardly a man could
show but at the risk of getting a bullet through his
brains. As we now seldom fire from our trenches,
it, was not of great consequence, but from the way
in which the enemy reinforced the riflemen to-
wards nightfall, an attack upon the Greed-mound.
Battery was anti6pated. Accordingly, last night it.
was determined to dislodge these skirmishers, and.
two parties from the Ist brigade of Rifles and 08th
Regiment, making together a little over 400 men,
were told off for this purpose. They remained in
the Geeen-mound Battery till after one o'clock, when
all being quiet, and the night sufficiently dark and
rainy, the party started, cautiously creeping along
among the broken ground and loose stones, intend.
ing to take the enemy by surprise. The wind and.
rain, both of which now every night are extremely
violent, favoured our design, so that we were
enabled to approach the enemy's hiding place
within fifty yards without being discovered. At
that distance, unfortunately, one of our fellows made
a slight stumble. The noise was slight, but it was
sufficient. Instantly eight or ten Russian sentries.
started up, almost among our men, and, firing their
pieces to alarm, ran in. Of course concealment was
now useless, and the attacking party, with a loud
cheer, dashed after the sentries. As they came up
to the place where the enemy were posted among
the stones, they received a tremendous volley from
ab')ut 500 rifles. Had the shots been properly
aimed not a man of ours would have returned, bu'.
the " surprise " had been effectual, and ninety per
cent. of the balls whistled over the heads of our
men harmless. With a loud cheer the 68th and
Rifles dashed in with the bayonet. In charging the
enemy our officers in command showed consummate
tact. Had they returned the Russian fire while
their enemies still remained under cover, they would
have disarmed themselves, pointed out their own
position, and done no injury to the enemy. As it
was, fortunately, they cheered and rushed on with
the bayonet. The enemy were dismayed, and, rising
from their concealment, tried to form. The instant
they showed our men halted, and, within twenty
yards, poured in a deadly volley, which killed and
wounded nearly 100 of the enemy. The Russians
saw their fault, and attempted to break up in skir-
mishing order, but the manoeuvre was too late, and,
before they could effect it our men were among them
with the bayonet, and pursued the Russians up to
the very houses which are round the dockyard on the,
north of the harbour.
In this affair we lost an officer (of the Rifles) and
ten men killed, with about thirty wounded. The
Russians lost about 140 killed and wounded. The
officer lost on our side was Lieutenant Tryon, of the
Ist battalion. He was much liked in his regiment,
and had the reputation of being one of the most
deadly rifle shots in the British army. It is said
that no less than seven of the enemy were shot dead
during the skirmish by Lieutenant Tryon. He was
speaking to a brother officer, pointing out a
Russian rifleman who was firing with extreme.
rapidity, and Lieutenant Tryon knelt to take aim at
him. Whilst in the very act of pulling the trigger, a
bullet passed through his brain, and killed him on
the spot.
It was found when our fellows closed with the
enemy that the latter were nearly 800 strong. let,.
though the ground was formidably strong, they never
once attempted to rally before our charge. They
were completely taken by surprise, and even had it
not been so, when tbere is no great disparity of
numbers, the Russians have no chance against us.
Nov. 23.—Last night, towards eleven o'clock, a
tremendous cannonade was exchanged between the
French and Russian batteries. Since the commence-
ment of the siege so hot a fire had not been wit-
nessed. It continued with undiminished vigour for
two hours, and then died away. The Russians had

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