The Express.
London, England, 1855-04-24 00:00:00

THE BOMBARDMENT OF
• SEBASTOPOL.

("Lox Tax SPECIAL

11111111.)

OF TI DAILY

CAMP ABOVE SEBASTOPOL, Aran. 9.
The loog-expected cannonade opened this morning
before daybreak, and is still continuing. Hoary rain
has been falling the last twenty-four hours, and the
atmosphere: is so obscured by mist and clouds that
the effects of the fire are not visible. The fire is pro-
ceeding chiefly from the centre and right attacks ;
there does not appear to be more than the usual tire
on the left. The Russians are net returning the can-
naiads with their former vigour. Scarcely one shot
is returned from the Rosman batteries for every
twelve from the English batteries. Oar fire is
directed principally against the advanced line of
Russian defences around the arsenal and Karabelnaia
suburb; commencing from the two new redoubts on
the right of Careening Bay, and following the line of
the works to the south, or Admiralty Harbour.
This comprehends the Lunette battery imme-
diately above Careening Bay, on the left or
west side; a new redoubt thrown up lately on the
cliff above the roadstead, and still further to the lett
than] the last-named work; the Mamelon redoubt;
and the Malakhoff, Roden, and Barrack batteries. The
atmosphere becomes less overcast from time to time,
but so dense a veil of smoke and vapour still hangs
about the batteries that no details are distinguish.
able. The wind is blowing strongly from the south-
west, so that the smoke is carried from the English
towards the RUM/illll batteries. It is also an advan-
tage that the rain, which is sweeping by in heavy
gusts, is beating against the backs of our gunners in
the batteries, while the Russian artillerymen are
compelled to face the storm.
It was only last evening known that the bombard-
ment was to be actively renewed this day. The
troops detached to guard the trenches were ordered to
take their rations cooked with them, to save the ex-
posure which would otherwise be incurred by men
be
carrying them in the daytime. They will less
exposed than they were at the first attack on the
fortifications, as the covered ways are now
both more extensive, and, by being cut deeper,
afford better protection. The ambulance cars
have been ordered to wait for wounded in
the several ravines; but the rain is now Bow-
ing down the ravines in torrents, and it is doubt-
hl whether these heavy waggons will be able to
make way along them. The quantity of rain fallen
must have been very great, for the ground was deeply
cleft and fissured front the long-continued drought,
and must have absorbed • large quantity of moisture
before allowing an overfluw sufficient to form
the deep streams now flowing down the narrow
valleys leading to the south hirbour and Careening
Bay. It is iotended, in case the number of wounded
should exceed the limits of the accommodation

afforded by the regimental field hospitals, to form •
general hospital to receive them. The huts occupied
by the 39th and 14th Regiments, in rear of the 4th
Division, will be vacated for this purpose.
There was a thick fog on the nights of the Bth and
7th instant, and the troops in front were kept for
some hours each night under arms. A body of Rus-
sian troops had been observed in the Tchernaya
Valley, near to the opening in the mountains leading
to Tchorgnua, and it appeared as if a force were
assembling in that neighbourhood. A rumour was
spread abroad that au attack on Balaklava was con-
templated, but nothing unusual transpired.
The working parties of the several armies bad con-
tinued busily employed up to the time of the re-open-
ing of the tire from the batteries. The Russians had
on one side, our left, of the Mamelon redoubt con-
verted the rifle pits flanking the hoe of the middle
ravine into a deep trench, and completed a communi-
cation between it and the advanced trench close in
front of the French line. The other end of this work
was brought into communication with the covered
way leading from the Mamelon redoubt towards the
Redan batteries. On the other side, our right, of the
Mamelon redoubt, they had deepened and extended
the covered way towards the redoubts on the right
above the Careening Bay ravine; and they were also
completing the communication between this covered
way and the right extremity of the advanced trench
in front of the French line. The rifle pits thrown up
at the foot of the Mamelon hitl, and along its sides,
in succession, and at first view independent of each
other, had thus been nearly completed into a regular
advanced work, with connecting covered ways leading
ap to tl e redoubt on the summit.
To a casual observer these rifle pits, or ambuscades,
so constantly employed by the enemy, appear to be
put at isolated spots without any particular relation
to each other. A little farther observation will show
that this is not the case. They are constructed on
scientific principles, and aro platted in such a way as
mutually to support each other. Thus on taking an
advanced ambuscade, the captors generally find them-
selves exposed to a flanking fire from another on one
side, or to a direct fire from one above ; nor can the
one in front be rendered tenable until its parapet is
turned or possession is gained of all the rest. The
Russians use these ambuscades very extensively, and
their sharpshooters show themselves particularly
quick and adroit in throwing them up. In the course
of a few hours, on a favourable night, fresh ground
will become covered over with what seem to be at a
distance small hillocks. Behind each of these how-

ever is an excavation deep enough, with the aid of the
earth thrown out, to cover one man, who generally
contrives so to arrange an opening that he can use his
rifle without himself being seen or exposed. If the
ground is bad, or be is likely to be marked down
while making his pit, be will carry with him as a
protection a bag of earth or even straw. Perhaps a
foams is excavated large enough to protect a dozen or
fifty men; it is then made with gabions, and edged
and strengthened by sandbags, and hes all the cha-
racter of a miniature redoubt. The aim of the Russian
shshosters is remarkably accurate, and a very
small object, seen through the opening of an embra-
sure, or 'above a parapet, is almost a sore hit, with
their needle rifles, up to four hundred yards or up-
wards. The Ottoman artillerymen at the late attack
upon Enpatoria are said to have suffered very severely
from the fire of the Russian sharpshooters. The
obscurity of the night preceding the assault, and the
absence of videttes or advanced sentries, enabled the

Russian riflemen to throw up their ambuicades within
a distance varying from fifty to &hundred yards from
the batteries.
The Russians had thrown up several of these
ambuscades of large size to most the sew works
in course of extension from the advanced
parallel on Frenchman's-hill. They have bad
for some time past two stone walls, one on
the left, the other to the right of the verge of
the bill overhanging the ravine, where it winds
round between the Redan-hill and Frenchman's-hill,
to connect itself with the valley of the south harbour.
Behind these walls riflemen were constantly esta-
blished. The walls themselves are strong and thick,
with openings between the stones sufficiently wide to
permit the riflemen both to watch our works in front,
and to use their weapous, but without risk to them.
selves. It is in advent* of these walls that the
Russians have lately thrown up a certain number of
ambuscades, five or six, to oppose our advance. From
the right of the advanced work on Frenchman's-hill,
not far from the bend where it tarns to connect itself
across the middle ravine with the French line, a
branch trench had been worked forward as an
approach to the third parallel, but the progress of the
parallel itself at this end was for the present inter-
rupted bI the flanking fire from the enemy's riflemen
on the From near the centre of

the advanced work had also been thrown for-
ward another covered branch, or hope,
leading to a small mound, which, for the present,
was employed to keep the Russian riflemen in check.
From the left of this mound a part of the parallel
was being extended towards the left ravine, and
immediately in front of this line the Russian rifle-
men threw up some ambuscades, with a view to
impede its progress. At the same time a aig-sag
approach MI forwarded from the extreme left of the
advanced work, to meet the parallel when sufficiently
prolonged. But to effect thle union it wee necessary
to occupy one of the Russian ambuscades which had
been thrown up almost in the line of the intended,
work. This was undertaken in the course of the
night, a short time prior to the re-opening of the fire

THE EXPRESS, 'TUESDAY

of the heavy goes, and, after a sharp conflict of mus-
ketry, the dislodgment-of the enemy was effected.
The expulsion of the sharpshooters from this pit was
an advantage gained, inasmuch u it protected the
artillerymen in a new eight-gun battery, opened for
the drat time, and situated in rear of this end of the
advanced work, from the annoyance to which they
would otherwise have been exposed.
While the English were thus advancing their
position towards the Baden battery on the left, the
French were sapping up in several directions towards
the Ma:Delon and Malakhoff works. They had
carded on a zig-sag along the middle ravine, extend-
ing it from that part where their advanced trench
wu connected with the advanced work on French-
' man's-bill. This zig-zag would shortly have enabled
them to take the Russian advanced trench in reverse,
and would moreover be made to communicate with our
new parallel. They had also extended their sap con-
siderably on the height above the Careening Bay
ravine, in a direction toward the more advanced, of the
two Russian redoubts in that position.
The works on Greenhill bad also been considerably
advanced, and a new battery constructed close to the
site of the ambuscades which were known under the
name, from their shape, of the "Ovens." Both on
Greenhill and Frenchman's-hill the old batteries had
been strengthened by the addition of powerful mortar
batteries, and guns of heavier metal than had pre-
viously been employed in them. Some of the 13-inch
mortars had also been placed in convenient positions,
above the old batteries, on each attack. Should it be
considered advisable for a combined bombardment to
be made by both the French and English batteries, it
is calculated that no less than one hundred and
twenty mortars of large calibre, twenty-eight being
13 inch, could be brought into action, and very little
short of five hundred powerful guns. Such was the
general condition of the siege works at the opening of
the fire this morning.
The regimen!. of the Light Division held a race
meeting on the 7th instant. An excellent course was
prepared on some unoccupied ground about a mile in
rear of the encampment, between the head-quarters
of General Bouquet and the Woronzoff-rosd. The
day was fine and bright, and the assemblage of
French and English officers very numerous. Two
ladies also graced the scene with their presence, re-
presentatives of the fair sex from each side of " La

Manche," and each, of course, the object of marked
attention. Everything would have gone off favour-
ably but for an accident in one race, which threatened
to be attended with very serious results to two officers—
Captain Shifter, of the 34th Regiment, and Captain
Thomas, of the Royal Artillery. In taking a leap at
a stone wall their horses moved, and horses and
riders fell confusedly together. The occurrence caused
much alarm, for it was at first reported that both
officers had received internal injuries that were likely
to prove fatal. This turns out, happily, not to be the
case ; although very considerably contused, they are
not likely to suffer from the effects of the accident
beyond a few days.
Commissary-General Sir George Maclean has
joined the army, and has been directed to take
charge, under Commissary-General Filder, of the
duties at Constantinople. Ile is also to have general
superintendence of the stations on the Bosphorus and
Dardanelles, and also at Smyrna.
10 p.m.—The night is dark and tempestuous ; the
wind continues to blow strongly from the south-
west, and the rain, though less continuous, passes by
in heavy fitful showers. No stars are visible. The
tire from the batteries continues. Flashes of light
from the guns, and the reflected glare in the sky,
burst through the darkness at frequent intervals, and
appear among the mists and clouds with the
sudden effect and vividness of lightning; while
the roar of the gets and the roll of the
echoes among the mountains, not ineptly complete
the illusion of an Alpine storm, by their close resem-
blance to the crash and stunning sound of thunder.
The horizontal flight through the air of some of the
larger shot and shell, with their peculiar shrill rush-
ing noise, contrasts strongly with the deep boom-
ing of the guns, and adds to the confusion of sounds
which strike the ear. The report from each piece at
the instant of explosion is so modified by the weight
of metal, amount of charge, position, and distance,
that ne two sounds appear alike either in tone or in-
tensity. Sometimes the explosion and discharge are
made with such force that even at a considerable
distance the concussion of the air strikes the spectator
forcibly, and he experiences the sensation of having
received a blow on the chest. The noise would be
much increased if the wind blew from an opposite
direction, even on these open heights: what must be
the roar in the streets and buildings of the town below!
The shells rise thickly and brightly from the English
batteries, and in less number trout the French works
on the right, but become dimmer as they travel
through the misty atmosphere towards the Russian
side. The Russians are replying comparatively
feebly. From the reporth of the covering parties
who have returned from their damp and dreary places
of shelter In the trenches during the last 24 hours.,
our casualties as yet have been ve7 few, while our
lire has bees very effective, especially against the
Malakhoff and Mamelou works. It is also said that
the French have gained possession of the Russian
trench immediately in front of their advanced
We shall know more of this to-morrow. Report says,
with what truth I am not aware, that our allies are
to open a number of their new works to-morrow,
and in turn relieve us of part of the fire against the
enemy's works.
Aran. 10.
The battering is continuing. New works have
been opened by the French. The rain ceased early
in the course of the night, and there is promise of a
dry day. Our casualties are very few.

(I'loll ♦tt

Or TIM DAILY

CAMP BEFORE SEBASTOPOL, APRIL 6.
A very amusing scene, I understand, took place at
the camp of the Royal Naval Brigade on Saturday
morning last. An officer of the commissariat de-
r4tint arrived there with an order from Lord
lnan to have all the horses mustered for inspection,
as many had died, and otherwise disappeared of late,
off the strtngth of his establishment. The good-
natured brigadier who commands the maritime camp,
Capt. Stephen Lushington, immediately issued orders
for sounding " the general assembly" of the cavalry of
the naval brigade. In a moment the whole camp
became filled with equine life, from the snorting
steed who sniffed the keen morning air, and the
hardy, enduring mock, to the drooping chargers,
some of whom probably belonged to the tun artil-
lery who fought at lokermann, or to the six
hundred who rode into and out of " the jaws of hell "
at Balaklava. Some were claimed and taken away ;
others were not. But how came the men by all
those horses P The different questions and answers
were, I am told, very amusing. Sailors are fond of
pets, and naturally kind-hearted. Some stated that
they had rushed forward and arrested the farrier's up-
lifted arm, as he was about to terminate the lives of
some. They led them to camp, where they succeeded in
restoring suspended animation ! Others had bought
theirs for a bottle of grog, and some foe a quid of
tobacco ' • while some, finding the hones straying
about, had led them home to take care of them. While
on this subject, I cannot help observing that everyone
remarks that the seamen, in their camp, are better
off than the soldiers. Why should this be ?
simply because the men are handy and try to shift
for themselves, and their officers of all grades—not
trusting to the system of "reports"—loot well after
thew. The seamen build cosy little cook-houses, get
fires ready, and make pots boil; while oar poor men,
who sever have been accustomed to do anything for
tkennislres, seam listless and indifferent. They are
now seising teem this system. Oar seamen much
mantis Plemskana in their vivacity of manner and
dieposkite, and in making the best of their situation.
The esesequence is, they are not suffering like the
troops. A Frenchman will stroll out of his tent,
and in a few minutes will pick up a handful
et herbs, with which he can make a very palata-
ble and savoury dish. Those fellows can get a
delicious repeat ready, when our men would actual)''
starve. It was ally two days since I saw aes
of FINIWIENS
piked
a delicious salad. It was dose
thus. They piked up the young dandelion plants.
The vinegar waspepared by exposing their Missal
vin oration to the sun, which converted it labels*.
gar; the Tplaiets were out up, andthe vinegar WI
a little oil, which is part of their Mane/ were Puma
over all. Thin eaten with a little breed at wait
matte& was most refreshing—ex sets Ass mess.
When our poor fellows try to shift this he them-

EVENING, APRIL 24, 1855.

selves it will be advantageous to the army in general.
Every morning French soldiers are going through
oar camp selling bread as whits and as light es any
you purchase in the metropolis. Fancy the French
•. troops not only enjoying the luxury of white soft
broad, bat even having it to spare, so as to sell it to
oar fellows ! The price is enormous. They charge
us two shillings for a threepenny loaf.
Lord Raglan has been out a good deal of late
through the camp, and seems to dive more than
hitherto into affairs in general. He has been to see
the suspension bridge, constructed by the seamen
gunners, over the ravine and stream which mines
along the southern side of their camp. It is ad-
mirably contrived out of very simple means. It is
about 100 feet long. The sides of suspension are thrown
over capstan bar pillars, and composed of four-inch
rope, which are made fart at both ends to a sleeper,
made out of the crosspiece of a gun carriage, sunk in
the groond. The flooring is composed of staves, or
stakes, laid across and fastened to three three-inch
ropes. The whole apparatus is hauled tight by
blocks. It is a most useful and ingenious contrivance,
and is another proof how handy naval officers
and seamen are in shifting for themselves.
The French have arranged several very wily strata-
gems lately for embarrassing as well as receiving the
enemy at night, when making their usual sorties
upon their lines (French): those are tripping lines of
wire. Pegs have been driven down on top of the
parapets, to which were made fast strong wire lines.
They have also been placed in the parallels, and in
all imaginable places where cunning and artifice
pointed out. The consequence was and is
that the enemy, in jumping into the trenches,
have fallen and fall headlong, by compa-
nies, into the traps prepared to receive them.
Thus many of them become either prioners or an
easy prey to the bayonet. Besides, such accidents
so completely contuse the whole party that the
manceuvre fails, with serious loss to them. Such
plans, of course, soon become known to them; but
even then, the uncertainty of their whereabouts, with
the full knowledge of their existence, must tend to
create great alarm in the minds of ail employed on
'such dangerous enterprises in the dark.