The Press.
London, England, 1856-01-12 00:00:00

T E WA R.

THE destruction by the French engineers of the
first of the five docks of Sebastopol indicates clearly
that the allied Governments have at length none to
the conclusion that the town and harbour is after all
not likely to bicome available for the allied vessels
for some moderate period of time during the present
Witt General Codrington's despatch of the I.3th
ult. announces, that the preparations on our side fcr
the destruction of three more of the five docks are
being pushed forward ; and, as we have run parallel
galleries under the bottoms of the docks, as well as
sinking side shafts, we may reasonably conclude that
the destruction will be most effectual.
The movements of both allies and Russians are
restricted to occasional outpost affairs, in which the
French are usually successful. The Russians occa-
sional succeeded in making night visits to the town,
but a strict look out was kept. General Cod-
riug,ton, in his despatch of the 27th„ hati defended
the army, with no small degree of soldierly spirit,
horn the accusation of general drunkenness.
At lEinburn affairs remained quiet, reports of an
attack upon the fort were rife, and the garrison was
sbout to be strengthened from head quarters. The
liman was alternately freezing and breaking up,
cau-ing much danger to the gun-boats and vessels
at anchor.
From Kertch we learn that a small foraging party
of the Turkish Contingent, surprised and surrounded
by a large force of Russians, behaved in the most
gallant manner, and, bravely led by their officers, cut
their way through 400 Russian dragoons, with the
loss of forty-one, killed, wounded, and prisoners.
By despatches from St. Petersburg we learn that
Omer Pacha has retreated from before Kutais, and
concentrated his troops on Redout-Kaleh.
THE WAR IN ASIA.
POSITION OF THE TURKISH ARMY.
St. Petersburg, Jan. 9.

Omer Pacha has retreated on Redout Kaleh,
where his troops suffer much from the inclemency
of the weather.
Our detachments of militia. including the militia
of Mingrelia, do great mischief to the rear guard of
the enemy.

OFFICIAL DESPATCHES.
DESPATCHES FROM GENERAL CODRINGTON.

Lord Panmure received on Wednesday the follow-
jog despatch upon the reported drunkenness of the
army from General Sir Wm. Codrington, K.C.B.
Sebastopol, Dec. 27, 1,855.
Your lordship has referred in several despatches to
drunkenness in this army. Reports of all sorts seem to
have been circulated, statements read, descriptions made,
until it was apparently believed that this army was com-
posed of drunkards, and immersed in riot and vice.
1 took the opportunity of expressing myself strongly to
your lordship that this would prove not to be the truth.
I now state, in confirmation of this opinion, that returns
are in my possession from every regiment of all cases of
drunkenniss tried by court-martial, as well as those
settled at the regimental orderly rooms for three months
It was during this time that arrears of field allowance,
more than J. each man, were received as back pay.
besides 10,000 men receiving additional working pay ; and
yet the result is that, including artillery, sappers, and
infantry, the number of crimes of drunkennes ( and these
are many more than the men drunk) is a little above
one man in two days per company, estimated at 100 men.
No doubt there are many facilities in all these open and
crowded camps for drunken men to get in without being
seen. They do so, and escape observation. But suppose
we double or treble the amount of these numbers—which
are taken from official returns—and I suspect the army
will bear a comparison with many towns, many villages.
many populations of Great Britain.
It is easy to give, it is as easy to read, a minute, a
ludicrous. or even a filthy description of a drunken man,
and it seems seizPd upon as the type of the whole. The
fathers and mothers, the wives and sisters in England, are
fully persuaded we do nothing but drink, and the good
character of the army is forgotten in a few sketches from
nature. _ _

That such need not be the case with those who know
anything about the matter will, I think, be proved by the
statement now made to your lordship.
W. J. CODRINGTON, General Commanding.
A despatch arrived on Tuesday stating that the
final operations for the destruction of the docks had
been delayer). :

Sebastopol. Dec. 2.5,
Notwithstanding the recent severe weather, the therm°•
meter a few nights ago having fallen nearly to zero, the
general state of health of the army has continued good.
The roads are in fair working order; and though the effi-
ciency of the locomotive engines was impaired by the
frost, the damage has been made good.
The final operations on the docks have been somewhat
delayed on our ride by the influx of water, and by the
freezing of pumps.
The tire from the forts on the northern side of the har-
bour continues, and it is at times heavy; but the casualties,
I am happy to say, are few.

THE PRESS.

There has been no movement of importance on the part
of the enemy in our neighbourhood of late. A, detach-
ment of French troops surprised a Cossack post near
Teillon, a few days ago, killing several men, and taking
the rest prisoners.
The general drill of the army makes good progress.
W. J. CODAINGTON, General Commanding.
A despatch from Lieut.-General Vivian, at Kertch,
giving the details of the late skirmish between a
foraging party of the Turkish Contingent and a
strong force of Cossacks, was also received on Wed-
nesday :

Head Quarters, Kenai, Dec. 21.
I have with much regret to report to you the death of
Captain R. S. Sherwood, of the cavalry of this force.
This officer was engaged in a skirmish, that took place
on the 1 Ith inst. between a detachment of our cavalry and
a party of Russian cavalry ; his gallantry in this affair was
most conspicuous, as is reported to me by the officer who
commanded the detachment. Captain Sherwood was
severely wounded, and was carried off by the Russians;
and, as I have since learnt, died on the 19th from his
wounds.
I deplore his loss, for he was an intelligent and very
promising young officer.
I have reason to believe that the treatment he received
from the Russians was most humane and considerate.
R. J. H. VIVIAN.
Lieut.-General, Commanding Turkish Contingent.
DESPATCH FROM MARSHAL PELTSSIER..

The Moniteur of Wednesday contained the follow-
ing letter, addressed by Marshal Pelissier to the Minis-
ter for War :

Head Quarters, Sebastopol, Dec. 254, 1)435:

Monsieur le Marechal,—l have the honour of sending
you an account of another ooup-de-inain, executed by the
volunteers of the division of Autemarre, during the night
of the 26-27th instant. . .

Having been informed that a post. consisting of eighty
infantry of the Smolensk regiment and of twenty Cossacks
of the Don, was placed upon a mamelon, situated at .-0:10
metres from the defile of Cardonne Bell, General Aute.
marre authorised Lieut. Colonel Lacretelle to make an
attempt to carry the same with the two companies of
eclairetsra added to our outposts.
The icy state of the ground, which so mach impedes
the marching of men in this difficult country, was several
times nigh proving an obstacles. Nevertheless, the under-
taking succeeded; eighteen Russians were attacked and
killed on the spot with the bayonet, while attempting to
defend themselves ; and eighteen others were made
prisoners.
At night the Cossacks retired on Kokloz, two only re-
maining in the outpost. These were taken by our men,
who besides have brought away thirty arms of all sorts.
The captain wbo commanded the enemy's post was
killed. We have had neither killed nor wounded.
Captains Pichon and Nehlich directed this coup-de-main
with their accustomed vigour and intelligence. They
highly praise the conduct of their troops.
Ps.zassts.a.
THE CAVALRY AFFAIR AT RERTCH.
The gallantry of the Turkish Contingent troops in
the first encounter with the Russians under very dis-
advantageous circumstances is worthy of note. A
foraging party on the 161,11, bringing bay and straw
front a place five miles distant from the town, was
harassed by parties of Cossacks. Major M.DOnald,
in command of a convoy force of eighty Lancers, beat
hack the Cossacks for a couple of miles, when he was
suddenly surrounded by some four hundred dra-
goons :
This unexpected discovery left no option but to fall back
on the farm, and this Major Pl)onald accordingly at-
tempted to do, but the Russian horsemen gave rapid chase,
and, with their long pieces, kept up a galling fire, to which
the short carbines of the pursued could make no effective
reply. Better mounted, too, they succeeded in outflank-
ing our men, and by this threatened to make prisoners of
the whole. The moment was critical: but Major
M•Donald, with a courage above praise, resolved to imitate
the desperate bravery of the 10th Hussars some months
ago under nearly similar circumstance+, and to cut his way
through. or fall in the attempt. Forming his little squa-
dron, therefore, he dashed forward at their head against
the gleaming barrier of hostile sabres, and, being admi-
rably supported by his men, hewed open a way for nearly
the whole, with a cost to the Russians of some twenty
killed and wounded. But the enemy speedily recovered
from their confusion, gave renewed chase, with a firing fire
as before, and again turned the flank of the hard-pressed
Turks and their British leader. The escape which hail
been hoped for from the first desperate effort now seemed
impossible ; but, with a heroism even greater than before,
Major 31`Donald determined to make one more blow for
the lives and freedom of his party. Pulling up for a
moment, he hastily formed and again rushed restre a Mere
against the enemy. A tierce hand-to hand fight then took
place, and after some twenty minutes of as desperate sabre-
ing and lance-thrusting as the present war has yet seen,
the heroic Scotchman and forty of his little band again cut
a passage through, leaving, I deeply regret to say, poor
Captain Sherwood, his second in command, and as many
more. dead and dying in the enemy's hands.---D. News cow.
Kertch, Dec. 22.
THE WAR IN ASIA.
THE SURRENDER OF KARS.

Fresh particular; of the siege and fall of this now
famous town daily reach Constantinople. The
heroism of the garrison, and the unselfishness of
the townspeople, under their terrible sufferings, have
scarcely been surpassed in the annals of modern
warfare.:—

,`49

Although numbers (writes the Tina correspondent)
were daily dying from starvation. no excesses occurred ;
in the batteries, where there were always three days' pro.
visions, the famished sentry paced about within reach ( f
them, without allowing himself to be overcome by the
temptation. It was the story of Tantalus a thousand
times, but more nobly repeated, for it was moral courage,
not physical impossibility, which prevented them from
satisfying the cravings of hunger. The inhabitants then:.
selves were scarcely behind the troops in the display of un-
selfishness. While they had anything left themselves they
shared voluntarily with their defenders, and deprived theme
selves even of their beds to give comfort to some poor
fellow in the hospital.—Letterfrost Constantinople, Dec. 27.
It had always been the intention of General
Williams at the last moment to cut his way through
the enemy, but his men were so utterly exhausted
from want of food, that at the last council of war
held to discuss the possibility of such a movement,
Kerim Pacha, " one of the best awl bravest of th
Turkish commanders," declared that his soldiers
could not march with their muskets for half a roils,
they were so emaciated Not only was the town
without food, Litt, since the repulse of the Russians,
there was only ammunition for three days for the
guns in position! The Turkish authorities, accord-
ing to the Tillit4 correspondent, are principally to
blame. The chief of the ordnance department,
Halett Bey, and BTabir Pacba, the commissary•
general, grossly neglected their duties, and, in spite
of every requisition and entreaty from General
Williams, threw difficulties in the way, made pre-
text after pretext for not finding supplies or stores ;
and although the depots at Erzeroum were so full of
ammunition and grain that Selina Pacha requested
the Government at Constantinople not to forward
any more, Tahir Pacha objected to use donkeys for
the transport, as it would be a disgrace to the im-
perial army ; and though during the siege many per-
sons offered to take grain into Kars upon their own
risk, Tahir Pacha found some economical pretext or
other to prevent them doing so, In the medical, as
well as in every other, department the same treachery
or peculation had left the town utterly unproyide,d.
Instead of the necessary drugs, the cases seat out
were tilled with inferior cosmetics, utterly useless ;
while for surgical instruments, such as are required
for military hospitals, an incredible quantity of cheap
obstetric instruments came to hand. Now that Kars
has fallen, the Turkish Government seem deter-
mined tc act with some energy. Seliru Pacha, Tahir
I'acha, Haleit Bey, and the drug contractor, are all
to be tr'ed by court-martial, and ate charges against
them thoroughly investigated.

LAST DAYS OF THE DEFENCE OF EARS,
A letter from bars, of the god of December,
says :

The last moments of resistsnce were marked by heroism.
For a long time, each soldier on duty had been, in the habit
of receiving only half ration, and on this& reduction was
soon made for the inhabitants. The portion for eachataa
diminished from day to day.
The last distribution of provisions took place the 23rd
of November. Five times the quantity of provisions
would have been necessary to appease the hunger of the
soldiers and the inhabitants. They had no longer a
morsel. The men sank without uttering a word; and
withdrawing from the public gaze to conceal their pangs
and to beguile their hunger in a sort of stupor, to which
their sufferings had granted a cessation of some instants.
A third of the garrison, inhabitants, and soldiers, lay
stretched on the ground. and awaited, without a murmur,
their last moments. The rest triad to keep life up as best
they could.
On the ttsth, when the convoy of provisions brought by
the Russians entered the town, the enemy were astonished
that it was not attacked by the populace, but only a small
number of persons surrounded the waggons The Rus-
sians were soon finished with them, and waited some time
for the rest of the inhabitants to come up, but no one
came. After some search they learnt that the soldiers and
inhabitants were so exhausted as not to be able to leave the
houses. They, therefore, resolved to go from house to
house to distribute the provisions personally. The great
part of the sick were suffering from inflammation of the
intestines, and among some the malady had made such
progress that they could not eat their rations, but died
beside the food they bAd so eagerly longed for. On the
2.4 h the enemy took possession in form, but their defini-
tive entry was postponed to the :if►th. The first care of
the Russian officers was to organise an interim Adminis-
tration, to preserve the town from disorder. The number
of sick amounted to near six thousand, and the greatest
activity and zeal were displayed in attending to them. Oa
the even ng of the saute day the officers of the regular
troops were informed that they should quit Kars on the
Ist of December, and that they were to proceed to Alexan-
dropol, where they should be provisionally detained.
They were al'owed to make their preparations in perfect
liberty. In the meantime the volunteers, the Redifs. and
Bashi-Bazonks, quitted freely the town. pursuant to the
terms of capitulation. On the hat, the officers left. as had
been announced, and the Russians definitively occupied
the town. The general officers h d terminated their pre-
pir ations. The commander-in-chief, Vassif Paella, and
tie nerala Hussein Pacba and Kerim Pacha, General Wil-
li ims and his staff among whom were remarked Colonel
La he, Major Teesdale, kCaptain Thomson, and his seen"

30

tare, Mr Churchill, guinea the town, with all the superior
officers of the regular trwips,accompanietl by an escort,
on their way to Alexandropol.

RUSSIAN PROCLAMATIONS IN ASIA..

The proclamation by Prince Bebutoff calling upon
the noblesse of the Transcaucasian provinces to arm
their dependants and the peasantry against Omer
Pacha and the Turks, has appeared in the Invalide
Rasse, together with an additional proclamation by
General Mouravieff

Illustrious Princes and Nobles,—You know that upon
the great men of a country rest the foundations of the
social lite, and that they always precede their inferiors in
the trials to which peoples are subjected.
A trial now awaits your country, where the Christian
faith has been established since the time of the Ap3stles,
and where hostile forces have always succumbed before
your fidelity to the czars.
The reason for which the enemy has risen against our
Emperor, the only orthodox Czar in the world, is not un
known They have envied his power, they have been
jealous that he, full of love for men, conformably to the law
of the Saviour, should demand for the Christians living in
Turkey relief from wrongs and sufferings. Three powers,
calling themselves Christian, have consulte 1 with the
enemy of Chris iRIIB, and have proposed to overturn the
gran leur of Russia, and so to destroy the protection be.
neath which we now repose.
The Turk, in entering your sacred country, pollutes it.
He threatens to destroy the law observed steadfastly
by you in the course of eighteen hundred ye irs; he
menaces to destroy all upon which your prosperity rests ;
the church where sleep your illustrious ancestors ; the
houses which shelter your wives, your children, and your
property ; the distinction of classes by which the high are
distinguished from the low, and which has been from all
time your privilege.
The enemy has not remembered that in your prayers to
the Almighty you utter these words, " Make my heart
pure, oh God! and raise up my spirit in distress; " he h s
forgotten that your faith has been watered by your blood,
and aft the prosperity of your families rests in your own
hands, which here never proved unfaithful. Our Govern-
ment is persuaded that there is not one amongst you who
cannot discern falsehood from truth, and defeat the
snares of the enemy. Faithful to the Emperor and to his ser-
vice, yon have often shed your blood in circumstances
where the danger was lt.ss imminent. Now the enemy
is before you ; he has already crossed your frontiers ;
he seeks to afflict the heart of the Emperor by your
misery, the loss of your property, and the destruction of
your faith.
The time of trial, sent by the impenetrable decrees of
God, has come ; the hour in which the soil, desecrated by
the feet of your enemy, must be purified—that soil conse-
crated by St. Andre and the holy martyrs—the hour in
which the ashes of your ancestors, lying in your temples,
must he protected from sacrilege ; your personal dignity
be maintained intact ; your wives, children, and pro,erty
be defended from outrage and violence ; thus honouring
the precious traditions of your fathers ; and showing your
fidelity towards God and His anointed, our Monarch.

Arm, every one of you! Ann the peasants and your
servants ; unite yourselves to the victorious troops of
Russia, who have shed their blood for you. Show the
enemy that you are the children of those noble Imeritiens,
Gouriens, and Mingreliaus who were never vanquished in
the times of old.

It now depends upon you that this war with the
enemy becomes the cause of the entire people, and be
waged throughout the length and breadth of the country.
In every shrub, in every hollow, behind every stone, pre-
pate his death, in order that the indefatigable adversary
of our faith may learn at last that he is unworthy to be
buried in Christian and consecrated ground ; let him
know that you will bury h►m where the sound of church
bells is unheard—in the spots which serve only for the lair
of savage beasts.
Salvation to you, in the name of the Lord, illustrious
princes and noble gentlemen ; raise above you the victo-
rious sign of His cross, and, ►uarching under its protection,
drive the enemy from your territory.

The Lient.•Gen. Prince BEM TOFF.

The following is the additional proclamation
issued by General Mouravieti•—

In my absence from Tiflis Lieutenant• General Prince
Bebutoff, at my orders, addressed to the noblesse some
words full of honour and truth. The moment is come in
which you must !move before the entire world that 3nu are
the true sons of those fathers who fought for some centu-
ries in defence of the faith and the sacred ties of the
domestic hearth. You must prove that it was not in vain
that Russia shed for you her purest blood, and that you are
worthy of the sublime and holy affection which the heart
of the Emperor bears for you as his orthodox children. I
am fully convinced that you will all respond to Prince
Bebutoffs appeal, accompanied by the benedictions of the
priests, who will unceasingly offer up prayers in your be-
half. I am convinced. too, that the example of the
glorious nobility will be followed by all the other classes
of the ii.habitants of Imeritia, Gariel, and Mingrelia, by
the bourgeois, as well as by the freemen and the serfs.
Your cause is glorious, and agreeable to God, and the
whole world is watching you. Arm, brothers, and crush,
in the name of God, the perfidious wiles of your im•
placable enemy. " The cross on yonr breast, and sword
in hand," as said the Emperor Nicholas, of imperish-
able memory. " God is with us, who shall make us
afraid?"

The Lieutenant of his Majesty the Emperor
in the Caucasus,
Aitla•de-Camp General AIOURAVIEFF.
Kars, Nov. 30, 1855.

THE PRESS.

Letters from Erzeroum of the 12th state that the
Russian army took up ►ts position at Kars on Monday,
the 3rd of December:—

The troops have been quartered in the town, and a
small division of about two thousand men, consisting of
Coss•Tks and Irregular Kurds, has been left at Sobanly
Dagh, where it occupies the fortifications erected in the
month of June last by General Mouravieff. Terri Keni, a
village some fifty-four miles from Erzeroum, on the road
to Kars, is likewise occupied by the Russians, who have
collected there large stores of wheat, flour, and barley.
It appears that the Russian general is apprehensive of
Selim Pneha coming to attack Kars, for he has concen-
trated all his forces on that spot, and has left at Alezan-
dropol only a weak garrison, hardly strong enough to do
the duties of the citadel. _ _

The Turkish forces, under the orders of Selim Paella,
are still encamped in the mountains of I)eveh Boynoti.
There is no fear oldie enemy's attempting now a coup-de-
main against Erzerouno : the exhaustion of his troops and
the state of the roads forbid it.