The Express.
London, England, 1855-06-07 00:00:00

ATTACK ON THE RUSSIAN LINES.

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(PECK THE SPECIAL

OP TEI DAILY

maws.)
CAMP BEFORE SEBASTOPOL, MAY 11.
An active fire was kept up last night against the
French works on the right of Careening Bay, to
which oar allies replied with energy. The third, or
last constructed, Russian redoubt in this position has
preserved a very constant fire, aid also a battery on
a projecting point of cliff on the north side of the
Great Harbour, against these works, and no means
are omitted by the enemy to obstruct their progress.
A large battery on the left, west side, of Careening
Bay, and the guns lately placed on the east side of
the Kamptacatka redoubt, are chiefly employed for
this purpose, but in spite of all these impediments
the French trenches are gradually and securely ad-
vancing. They are now not more than one hundred
and twenty yards from the large ambuscades in front
of the foremost of the three redoubts.
There was not more than the usual musketry fire
on the left, and scarcely any in the centre attack.
Another line of trench has been commenced in front
of the old advanced parallel on Frenchman's-hill,
but only a short distance in &demos. The present
trench of the zigzag on the left and the rifle pit
connected with it, " Egerton's pit," the extremity
of the boyars on the right, and, between these, the
large rifle pit made by the Royal Engineers with
its zigzag approach from the advanced work, re-
main the three most advanced points of our position
on Frenchman's-hill ; nor can they with security be
carried further on, until the fire of the Kampt-
scatka redoubt on the Mamelon Vert is silenced.
On Greenhill the works are advanced as far as the
nature of the ground will permit; they have been
carried to the verge of the high ground above the
South harbour and left ravine.
The stores of ammunition, shot and shell, are
being increased to a vast amount, and the magazines
in the several batteries will shortly be filled.
A sad tragedy occurred this morning at the en-
trance to the Karabelusia ravine. A body of French
troops was marching down to furnish the usual relit!f
to the picket in the ravine. The relief was composed
of part of the 2nd battalion of the 25th Regiment of
the Line. On the way, Lieutenant Driant, of the
Grenadier Company, had occasion to check a soldier,
who, being partly intoxicated, was marching. very
irregularly, and giving expression to angry sentiments
in a loud tone. Scarcely had the reprimand been
given, when the man replied, " Lieutenant, you've
punished me often enough; you shall not punish me
any more ;" and on the instant levelling his musket,
he fired, and shot him through the body. The unfor-
tunate officer—a man of powerful frame, and said to
be popular in the regiment--at once fell. He was
carried to one of the English hospitals near at band,
and died immediately alter hie arrival. The murderer
was secured without delay, and was being taken
back under escort to the head-quarters of his regi-
ment, when a general murmur arose from the men for
his instant punishment. The general in command
of the trenches was in the ravine close by, and after
a brief consultation between him and the commandant
of the relief, a council was held and the man con-
demned to be shot. About 200 yards down the
ravine and at a slight elevation above it on the side
of Frenchman's-hill, a small heap of stones was ob-
served with a clear space before it. To this the un-
happy culprit was brought, while on either side the
battalion was drawn up in companies, and here he
received the fire of twelve muskets rem a party
placed on the opposite side of the ravine. He fell
forward pierced by eight bullets, and after a short
address from the general the regiment proceeded on
its way. Half an hour scarcely elapsed between the
perpetration of the crime and the execution of the
criminal. The soldier had become sober immediately
after committing the murder. He bad seen 18 years'
service, and was spoken of as a brave and able man.
He had lately received a slight punishment for some
irregularity of conduct, by no means such as to form
a motive for his crime, and this tragic episode in the
history of the siege, involving the sadden destruction
of two valuable lives, must be regarded as one more
among the many examples of the fatal effects of
drunkenness.
There is a good deal of conversation among the
French troops respecting the change of position be-
tween General Canrebert and General reneger.
Goners' Canrobert has not taken command of a
Imps larvae, but has gone back to his old division,
VW Ist Division, at the head of which he marched
at Alma. The Preach soldiers speak of hire with
Irvis:11141 they
_say that during the winter
the ambulances, and went into their
OW* lima sat their wants, and supplied them,
sod that hi the army be was a per. de fanatic.
Ilene will tel yes that he was tender to a fault :
that mese might ben been done perhaps bad he not
bushman' (edisegf) the soldiers too much. General
Polisidie is spawner es a good and determined leader,
ems that will punish severely where duty is ne-
Ilinfinit but that will !Ave doe praise and reward
*hew m b vomited. AU look forward to the siege
like_9ool leeward with increased energy under
ble imam. A remark respecting the Bataan
mods in the Illeansina Vert is generally attributed
bim—ei The Weis must be taken; if it cost
tin ammime must have it; if it cost ten hundred we
Wad MEW. it." I fear there is no chance of its
being 1161siesd at the first price.
AII the Weer composing the expeditionary force
Obiw Lieutenant-General Sir George Brown have
',hooked, and the fleet will steam off to-night. It is
dolma that at the last expedition it was intended to
Mm dieted a landing about ten miles south of
lashihr at a part of the coast where a low sandy
book sirs thedouble advantage of an easy access
by boats and a clear opening into the land, so that
the shipi psi would be able to sweep away any
Maw that might be brought to oppose the troops
disembarking. The battery of St. Paul was
soggemi 10 be armed with sixteen guns, but these
Weeenfifflossalibre, and in a very commanding posi-
ZThis battery was to be attacked in reverse.
ionism were observed to be engaged in sinking
Sled with steam on a shoal in mid-channel
e=.y northernmost horn of the Bay of Kertch
11110111h1 bog bank connected with the opposite isle of
fir. A battery in this position might be made a
I =slab& against the passage into the bay of
ma the Strait.
11 P.m.—Shortly before 9 o'clock a furious can-
nonade opened on the left, woompallied with a heavy
and °mammas fire of musketry. It became at wee
evident that there was a very determined sortie. on
the part of the Remians, or an attack in force avast
some 'important work by the French. The din of
the contest was so unusually great that many odess
and others were induced to go to the high ground in
front of the camp to seethe contest. The new moon
was shining above, aad, with the state, afforded some