The Express.
London, England, 1855-06-05 00:00:00

OUR ARMY IN THE CRIMEA.

CP/011 THE SPECIAL

maws.)
CAMP ABOVE SEBASTOPOL, MAT 22.
Before this reaches England, news will in all
probability have been received by telegraph, not only
that an expedition has sailed from the ports of the
Allies in the Crimea, but also of its successful issue.
Arrangements have been made for the embarka-
tion of the troops this day, and the force will most
probably leave early to-morrow. Its destinatiou is
ultimately Kertcb, bet at what precise part of the
peninsula of Kertch the landing is to be effected is
not known ; kis generally believed that it will take
place on the shore of the bay a little south of the
projecting cape called Cape Akburun. The depth of
water in this part of the Strait is said to be favour-
able for the close approach of vessels to sweep the
land with their : guns in case of opposition being
offered to the disembarkation of the troops, while a
landing once effected, the march upon Kertch would
not be attended with much difficulty. There are seve-
ral batteries mounted on the high ground of the Cape
commanding the approach to Kertcb by the regular
channeL Plans of these works were obtained previous,
to the starting of the former expedition, and it is un-
derstood that the additions made to these and other
defences nearer to Kedah, have not since been of
much importance.
Lieutenant-General Sir George Brown goes, as
before, in command of the expedition, and his well-
known daring and bravery will, no doubt, carry it to
a speedy and successful result. The Highland
=le, two regiments of Light Cavalry, three com-
et Sappers, and Major Barker. battery of
artillery, are named as the British force to be em-
bodied. Some of the regiments lately arrived from
Coda and elsewhere expected to join the force, but
bad not received orders to that effect yesterday
morning. It is reported that the general made a great
effort to take his own division, but that he encoun-
tered insuperable difficulties in the attempt from not
being able to obtain substitutes to take the siege duties
in its stead. It has caused a great deal of disappoint-
ment, for all would have been delighted to have
exchanged the monotonous occupation of the trenches
foe more active service in the field. Part of the
French force embarked yesterday, and the remainder
are going on board today at Kamiesch. It is asserted
that on the last occasion one battery of French artil-
lery and one battalion of infantry fewer were sent
than the strength which Sir George Brown had been
led to expect was to join in the undertaking.
The achievement of gaining possession of Kerb*
will be ajmost important movement toward the re-
duction of the whole peninsula of the Crimea. The
communication with the Isle of Taman, through
which there is now no doubt that the Russians have
obtained a vast quantity of military stores, will be
destroyed, and a stoppage to the supplies of grain
and provisions from the shores of the Sell of Azoff
must shortly follow. A considerable fleet of mer.
chant vessels is said to be now lying in the harbour
of Kertcb.
The undertaking against Kertch will not be a soli-
tary movement. Associated with it, it is understood,
will be a descent into the plain of Balaklava by a
force of cavalry and other troops, which will not un-
likely lead to the possession of a portion of the
Tchernaya, near Tehorguna, if not to a farther ad-1
vance towards the Inkermann heights. The camp&
tion of a part of the river Tcbernaya is rendered
more imperatively necessary, because already diffi-
culty is experienced in supplying the immense num-
ber of troops and horses now encamped in the plateau
with water; and, should the dry season continue, as
is expected, for two months longer, the springs will
have become totally inadequate to meet the demand
spin them. The day atter to-morrow (May 24)
is said to be the day fixed for themovement into the
The Ottoman force which embarked at Kamiesch
a few days since suddenly returned yesterday morn-
ing. They have this day pitched their camp along
the side of the hills toward Balaklava, in a conspi-
cuous position over the plain of Balaklava. Their
departure, which must have been witnessed by the
enemy, may have caused a diversion by drawing off
part of the force on the north heights in a direction
towards Eupatoria, in the expectation of Omer Pacha
making a movement from that position.
Rumours have been prevailing that the batteries
would re-open their fire to-morrow. Should this
prove to be the case, then the bombardment will be
again commenced with several works in an unfinished
state. But, without taking
.theee into account, no
less than twelve batteries in our left attack, and
fifteen batteries in our right attack, armed with guns
sad mortars of the heaviest metal and largest calibre,
are prepared to operate against the enemy's defences.
These batteries at present comprise one hundred and
thirty guns, none less than 32-pounders, and thirty-
&smarter', many of which are 13-inch, in the two
.attacks. Moreover, they are so much advanced that
what were the advanced works, may now be regarded
almost as the first parallel, for the new lines of batte-
ries are beta few yards in rear of them. Whenever
it opens, the fire of this third bombardment will as
lunch exceed that of the second, both in weight and
destructive force, as the second exceeded that of the
first. Already 200 rounds have been brought up. foe
each gun, and the ground about the railway terminus
which is fast approaching the front, and the gun-
wharf at Balaklava, are strewed with heaps of shot
and shell, ready to be transported to their place of
Aestination.
We have been taken by surprise at the annonne

ment of General Canrobert hiving ceased to hold the
supreme command of the French army ; and the more,
that having resigned it into the hands of General
Folksier, he should have accepted the subordinate
post which was thus rendered vacant. The on dit
Is that the resignation was a voluntary act on
the part of General Canrobert, and that sumach
as General Folksier is his senior in the service, there
is nothing derogatory in the change of position.
General Pastier, since his arrival from Africa, has
had the command of the let corps of the French
army, that engaged in all the operations on the left.
But in spite of the assertion that the resignation
was a voluntary act, every one believes that the
Emperor Napoleon's will was exerted in the matter,
and by many it is supposed that the misunderstand-
ling which led to the return of the last Kertch expe-
dition was one of the causes to which General Can-
robert's fall is attributable. Those only can judge
correctly of the capacity of the late General-in-Chief
for properly conducting his weighty charge who
know what his instructions and powers were, and
what difficulties he had to contend with : but no one
who has been with the allied army since he assumed
the command of the French force, can do otherwise
then bear testimony to his gallant courage and
esneteat activity in the fiekl. His fearlessness
sad presence of mind were much noticed at
the battle of Inkermann. It is said that he
wee offered by the Emperor • high command in
Africa, but that the reply was that he would rather
seasin with the army in the Crimea, even if he wore
the uniform of no higher grade than that of a pri-
ests
There have been scarcely any change in the rela-
tive position of the Russian walks and the works of
the centre attack the last few days. During the
sight between the 18th and 19th instant, the enemy
beseght out a very large working party, and suc-
ended in connecting the rifle pits in front of the xig-
sei and boyars prolonged from our advanced work on
Frenchman's-hill, and forming them into one con-
, daimons trench communicating with their other trenches
in war. It was well known that they were working
in As neighbourhood, for the sound of their pick-
axes and spades was plainly audible, but no inter-
ruption to the work was offered. The artillery officers
is the batteries were applied to for some fireballs
ore lIIIIMINI to be thrown in the direction of the Rus-
sia looddis pram but none were need. If the
aim d Os assay's operations could have been
1.11611111 visible is some have =Wiles, • well-di-
vested awsketii Ire mighostaioned consider-
able ht
nth to them. It is muted, but with
what tenth I am net aware, that we have scerosly
useful articles in Tumults. We also

On the Mamelon Vcrt hill the enemy are throwing
up some additional works. They have had for ten
days or more a very deep trench with parapet, ex-
tending from the left of the Kamtschatka redoubt (our
right) across the hill toward the Careening-bay
ravine. At the upper part of this trench, not far
from the point where it is connected with the fosse
of the redoubt, a battery has been constructed, and
already five guns are mounted, which will bear on
the French approaches in front. This work is being
extended. They have also brought some small mor-
tars into a part of the rifle trench near the French
parallel to reply to others which had been previously
brought down by the French to their advanced work.
The covered ways in the Mamelon now form a net-
work of trenches.

There has been very little firing, during the last
two or three nights, opposite to our centre attack.
The enemy bee been quiet, apparently from a desire
not to bring down any interruption to the works of
counter-approach which they have been executing
near our trenches. There has been a good deal of
signalling both along the hills and from the north to
the south side of the harbour. About 1 a.m. on the
120th inst. three lights were twisted at the mast-beads
of a three-decker, and retained there for upwards of
an hour. A small steamer was also observed by its
lights to be frequently traversing the harbour during
the greater part of the night.
On the left the fire has been more continuous, cad
the enemy have been frequently discharging carcase
lights, as if in anticipation of an assault in that
direction. Oa the right the fire has been kept up
with considerable constancy both from the Russian
batteries about Inkerinann and the batteries on
the east and west sides of Careening Bay. The last
constructed redoubt on the east side (the third
redoubt) has been very active in its fire, while the
most advanced has been noticed to be very slack for
a week past. The French are continuing to sap up,
notwithstanding the fire to which they are exposed.
It is said that a battery of immense strength has
just been discovered within the town, and that it is
within range of the ships, which will be able to throw
shells against the work from a position in which
they themselves will not be exposed to much danger.
A Russian exhibited remarkable coolness in the per-
formance of a very daring, and, as far as could be
understood, unnecessary act, about 11 o'clock on the
morning of Saturday, the 19th instant. The man
alluded to walked out of a trench on the aide of the
Diamelon Vert, running nearly parallel with the
ravine between the Mamelon and Frenchmait's-hill.
He was completely enveloped in a white covering, of
linen or some such material, his head being wrapped
round with it as well as his body. The object
: seemed to be to render himself as conspicuous as
L possible, for as the sun was shining with a strong
glare at the time, the contrast with the grass and
L dark ground was very marked. The upper part of
. his body was first seen, but as he walked coolly on
, to the open ground he became fully exposed to
, view. When first observed he could not have been

more than five hundred yards from the boyars
at the right of the advanced works, towards
which his back wee turned ; but the men
in this trench did not seemingly perceive
him, as they did not fire. A party of men
and officers, however, about two hundred yards
further off along the advanced work saw him at once,
and discharged altogether about thirty shots at him
from their Minies. The first few bullets fell short, but
the range being altered, the remainder were observed
to kick up the dust on all sides of him. The white
gentleman of the Mamelon took no notice, beyond
looking round twice ; he neither hastened his pace,
bent his body, nor in any way evinced a desire to
elude the leaden messengers which were sent to
arrest his progress. Six or seven minutes elapsed
before he was again under shelter of the works. As
there was a covered way at no great distance, along
which he could have passed in safety, this extraordi-
nary exposure was manifestly voluntary, or, if forced,
must have been as a punishment. Perhaps it was
done for a wager
We have had less iatense heat during the last two
days. Cases of cholera have continued, bat they
have been generally " sporadic "in character. A
few cases have occurred among the Sardinians, and
one or two have appeared in the Highland brigade.
In one instance six mule drivers from the same hut
were attacked by the disease, and taken to the general
hospital at Balaklava. The regiments of cavalry
have remained without a case. There has been a
diminution in the number of fresh cases in front, but
Major Norton, the senior major of the Connaught
Hangers, has fallen a victim to the disease.
He waa attacked in the course of Saturday, the 19th
inst., and died early in the morning of the following
day. Although senior major of the regiment, he had
I only been promoted from having charge of a company
since December last. He had served throughout the
whole campaign, and appears to have been as much
respected as an officer as he was admired as a friend
by all who knew him. A large concourse of officers
attended his funeral.
It will be satisfactory to the world-wide circle of
admirers of the heroic and devoted Miss Nightingale
to learn that, though much weakened by her attack
of fever, she is reported to be progressing favourably
towards recovery. Miss Nightingale remains at the
convalescent hospital above Balaklava, where, it
need hardly be said, she receives every care that
kind and considerate attention can bestow.