The Express.
London, England, 1855-06-28 00:00:00

OUR ARMY BEFORE SEBASTOPOL

MOO TI) StI.ILLL

OP TUB DAILY

saws.)
CAMP ABOVE SEBASTOPOL, loss 16.
Notelet of especial interest has occurred to
auk the last few days in the siege operations.
Os both sides the comparative cessation of firs
he. been taken advantage of for the purpose of
boarding the pre lions for the ensuing struggle.
The Allies harshest pushing forward their works,
agssiploying the positions lately gained for the es-
tablishment of batteries, which will have a nearer
sad more direct fire upon the points next to be as-
sailed. The Russians having abandoned all hope of
pigainiog those positions, have b en devoting their
ssergies to impede oar progress, and to repair and
susegthen the principal points which remain in
their Povies.
Oa oar rig si!)oht attack, a new battery has been
mistreated, under a very galling fire, in advance
si the Quarry outwoek. It is now ready to open,
and sot many hours will elapse in all probability
Wore the enemy is acquainted with its exact fla-
tus. It is armed both with mortars and long guns.
From the battery a sap has been carried up within a
short distance of the Redan itself. The enemy, who
it well acquainted with the proceedings of our
workiog partici, has brought out field pieces at
sight on one side of the Reda°, and discharged a
'wavy kind of grapeshot and fragments of shells
against them. It has required coolness and courage
to proceed with the work, but nevertheless it has
progressed most favourably.
In the Mamelon redoubt the French have esa-
strutted a formidable battery, which will be disested
spinet the works round the Malakhoff Tower. Tbs
enemy has spared no effort to impede the program
of this undertaking. Both by day and night, from
the batteries in the west of Careening Bay, from the
ships. and also from some mortar batteries behind
the Malekbotf, shells have been thrown into and
about the Mamelon. It is feared that the
French have suffered considerably from this constant
fire, but it has not materially interfered with the
advance of the works. The Allies have also carried a
parallel forward in front of the Mamelon, across the
Wahoff bill itself, and out of this, nearly at right
ogles, have carried a direct sap some distance up the
hill toward the Horniloff bastion. They took rides*.
tap of a covered approach which had been previously
employed by the Russians as a way of communication
between the Malakhoff and Mamelon works, =IV
widening the ditch, doubling the parapet, and maples
proper traverses, converted it into the sap Wesel
mentioned.
Still farther on the right, on the east side of
Careening Bay ravine, the French have completely
changed the aspect of the redoubts taken from the
Rowans. The redoubt nearest to the Mamelon—the'
Selinghinek redoubt—from which a covered approael
led as a means of communication with the works Oh
the west side of the ravine, has been doubled in sin,
and fitted with an armament of a formidable &e-
-nder.
The nature of the eeemy's new works has not been
determined with precision. Working parties have
been heard at night within the Redan, and during
the day-time the transport of gabiona to it has been
observed. The batteries around the Malakhoff have
been repaired, and io front of them a number of rifle
pits constructed. From these the Russian sharp-
shooters direct • thick fire, not only against the
French in their advanced parallel, bat also against
our new parallel communicating with the quarry.
The fire from our batteries against the enemy's works
has continued very slack. Occasionally a broadside
has been poured into the Redan or Malakhoff, with a
view of using to greater purpose the limited
number of rounds permitted to be fired,
sad a few shells have been thrown in the
Name directions. It is confidently asserted that
whatever may be the nature of the operations of the
enemy, and to whatever extent they may be carried,
so overpowering and concentrated will be our fire
when the new batteries opens, that the Malakhoff
most be silenced after eight or ten hours' bombard-
ment. The assault will no doubt be mainly directed
spinet this point, for once in the possession of the
Allies, the Redan and other works on either flank
meat shortly follow. It was fully expected that the
fire would have opened yesterday afternoon. There
are many reasons why the bombardment will be re-
earned at the earliest opportunity.
The force which lett under Sir George Brown in
the expedition against Kertch has now returned, with
the exception of the 7let Highlanders. This regi-
meet remains for the present, and will assist in pro-
tecting the position in conjunction with a body of
French and Ottoman troops. The 72nd and 31st
Regiments have already come to the front, to assist
fa the labours of the siege. The brigade of Guards
hike expected to leave Balaklava to-day for the

WM purpose.
Yesterday afternoon a considerable force of the
enemy was observed to leave the north camp, and to
mesh aim the heights towards the great roadstead.
They wen afterwards seen to cross to Sebastopol. A
emit brought over a portion of these troops, and
at the genie dashed a barge crowded with soldiers
mitred touch side. This vessel, after disembarking
the troops at the landing-place near Gape Nicholas,
Tettraed to the north side, and subsequently again
seemed a similar number across. Between thirty
ad forty large rowing boats also crossed with
=s. No soldiers were observed to leave the
side, so that there was no reason for
supposing this merely to be a relief of the
troops in garrison, and they were considered to be re-
inforcements in anticipation of an expected attack.
It was calculated that five or six thousand bad come
seems up to the time when the darkness prevented
farther observation of the enemy's movements. Just
before midnight a very sharp musketry fire occurred
mu the Matnelos redoubt. It lasted about ten
siestas, and was accompanied by a vigorous dis-
charge from all the batteries. ThoOlarns was sounded
inthe French camp, and strong reinforcements
moved down to the support. The particulars of the
affair an not yet_ known, but it was probably a sortie
made the fresh troops against the advanced works
of the French in front of the Mamelon Vert.
An enormous amber of gabions, carried in country
have been brought from an inland direction
waggons, have
in convenient positions on the north shore.
Two convoys, apparently of grain, have also been
seen to move along to the site of the principal mega-
isise depots below the Star Fort. It is commonly
rumoured in camp that the Russian army near
Siropheropol has quitted that position and moved
towards Ferekop, leaving their stores of provisions
to be available for the use of the army defending
SebastopoL I have not heard on what authority
the assertion reets. Desertions from the enemy
have been rather numerous during the week, and,
according to the reports of these men, the rations
of the soldiers bad been already curtailed. News
had reached the Russian troops that Kertch had
fallen, but the account was contradicted by the
Russian officers. One deserter said, also, that all the
guns had been taken out of the ships ; and there
seems some probability of this being true, not-
withstanding the threatening attitude these vessels
have assumed; for guns have been observed to be
removed out of some of the forts. Two guns only
remain out of the six which were mounted on the
roof of Fort Paul ; the other four have been taken
away lately. The amount of sickness is described as
being very great. The tents supposed to be appro-
priated to hospital purposes on the north side have
been in many parts separated from each other,
and made to occupy a greater space, es if
some infectious dimes* were prevailing among them.
The men•of-war ships remain in the position
mentioned in my last letter. They are drawn up
nearly in line, as if to sweep with their guns the
Malakhoff hill, in cue it should fall into our hands,
and at present are out of range of our guns.
There have been two, it not more, houses in the
town set on fire, apparently by the carcases throws
from the front of the Greenhill attack. In MI6
instance the fire seemed to be confined to the home
in which it commenced, but the houses were at a
larger size than have hitherto been destroyed.
Some of our men have suffered from the explistai
of the small mines which the Russians have
in various directions. On the night of the 11th
instant one of these exploded as a party were
moving near the Quarry work. One man et the
fifith Regiment was blown to pieces, and four or
five others of the same regiment were also
wounded. A stretcher carried by ono of Ow MO was