The Express.
London, England, 1855-07-30 00:00:00

THE RUSSIAN SORTIES.

(mom ova OWN

CAMP ABOVE SEBABTOPOL, JULY N.
The enemy made a sortie against the advancing
sap of our allies on the Malakhoff Hill on the night
of the 14th and 16th instant. The attack wu pre-
.
ceded by the canal characteristic yell of the Russians,
but this cry wu only raised at the moment of coming
'upon the troops covering the working parties. The
night wee dark, and a high wind was blowing ; and
to these circumstances it was owing that the ap-

preach of the enemy was not previously ascertained.
The shout was sufficiently loud to be heard at some
of the pickets in front of the camp, and appeared to
proceed from a large body of troops. A sharp fire of
musketry was seen to last about half an hour, and
then subsided; about an hour afterwards, another
fusillade was noticed in the same direction, but

_
speedily terminated.
The explanation given by the French is, that the

enemy came suddenly and in great force upon the
working parties before the latter had time to make
the necessary arrangements to meet the attack. Hence
some confusion ensued at first, and the French, not
without a severe struggle, however, had to retire to
the next covert way. At the time of the sortie our
Allies were connecting some small ambuscades which
they had thrown up in a line in front of their ad-
vanced trench. These being joined together, and a

communication established with the trench behind,
the third branch of the zigzag advancing up the
Malakhoff-hill would be completed. The object of
the Russians was.to arrest the progress of this work,
and destroy what had been already done.
As soon, therefore, u the French had retired, the

enemy commenced levelling the parapets, and filling
up the trench. In the mean time the French, being
joined by their reserves, formed again for the attack,
and at a given signal rushed suddenly upon the
Russians. The latter were taken unawares. A
considerable number had laid aside their arms and
accoutrements and were busily engaged in shovelling
down the parapets. After firing one volley, the
French charged with the bayonet, and a precipitate
retreat of the Russians followed. A large quantity
of arms and appointments were left in the hands of
the French.

The commencement of the attack occurred between
one and two o'clock, a.m. The enemy did not at-
tempt to renew it. In the course of the night the
French not only repaired the mischief done by the 1
enemy, but extended the trench considerably. The
Russian loss is stated to be very severe, compared
with that of the French, numbers having fallen in
the second charge. One officer and several men
were taken prisoners. The French 106 i in killed is
reported as one officer and thirty men. The number
wounded could not be ascertained at the time the
above information was received.

The following day the Russians showed a flag of
truce above the Korniloff Bution, but the French
did not reply to it. It is surmised that the French
preferred burying the dead of both nations them-
selves, rather than again give the enemy the oppor-
tunity of adding to their defences without interrup-
tion The flag of truce was responded to by the
Eaglirh batteries bearing on the Malakoff, until it
was perceived that the French did not hoist a corres-
ponding token of armistice, when it was again
struck.

The French marine battery, just above the level of
the water of the roadstead to the east of Careening
13.1 y, is now said to be fully armed. It perfectly
commands that part of the great harbour near the
bay mentioned. This is a moot important acquisi-
tion, for it was to this part that the enemy's steamers
usually ran, for the purpose of firing upon the east
side of the Mamelon and its neighbourhood. The
large opening in the cliffs where the Careening Bay
ravine terminates, gave a full opportunity of observa-
tion being made from that part of the harbour, and
for aim being taken with tolerable precision.
Our sap toward the Redan progresses gradually.
Oar distance is bat little more than two hundred
yards from the salient angle. The great depth of
the trench necessary for the security of the working
parties, and other precautions rendered imperative by
the closeness to the enemy's guns and the severe
flanking fire to which the ground is exposed, render
this operation very slow. The enemy makes frequent
use of cohorn mortars from the Redan to annoy our
working parties in the new approaohes. The Russian
trench connected with the Quarries has been much
strengthened, and is sow capable of securely covering
a very large body of men.
JULY 17.—About 11 o'clock last night, while the
batteries were in a state of temporary repose, the
stillness was suddenly broken by loud shouting and
bugle sounds in the direction of the Malakhoff. It
was just the night for making a sortie, and the
Russians had evidently taken advantage of it to
make one on a large scale. The shouting was plainly
heard all over the neighbouring camps, but was
very soon drowned in the hurricane of shot and
shells, and the rattle of the concentrated fusillade
which followed. For some time previous to
the occurrence of the sortie the air had been perfectly
still; the storms which had prevailed the greater
part of the day had subsided ; the sky was covered
with clouds, no stars were visible, a small misty rain
was falling, and everything around was involved in
darkness. There had been a very severe fire on
both sides about sunset, and for some little time after-
wards, but subsequently it gradually declined as fl
by mutual consent. No sooner were the shouts el
the attacking force heard, and the rattle of musketry
and notes of the bugles which followed immediately,
then the whole aspect of the site of the hostile
operations was changed. The air and sky
became alive with noises and flashes of light rivalling
the effects of the thunderstorms lately rolling among
the mountains. From our left and right attacks, and
from the batteries of the French as far as the east
side of Careening Bay, a continuous shower of shells
was kept up. Nor were the Russian batteries inac-
tive : not only their lines from the south harbour to
the west side of Careening Bay kept up a constant
fire, but also the cliff batteries on the north side, and
those at Inkermann. A great number of fireballs
were used near the Malakhoff. The sky was illu-
minated by the reflection of the flames of these car-
esses, and by the flashes from the guns or bursting
shells; and as the lights of the burning fazes rose
and fell in graceful curves, the whole presented the
appearance of some grand feu d'artifice.
The attack lasted about twenty minutes, though
dropping shots of musketry, and the occasional dis-
charge of projectiles from the batteries continued
for naarly an hour. The particulars of the sortie are
not yet known, but there is no doubt that the enemy,
though probably in unusual force, found our allies
fully prepared to receive them. The condition of the
night was no more favourable for an attack than it
was calculated to keep the parapet sentries and guards
of the trenches on the alert.
to!

A CAMP ox BARHAM DowNs.—We understand
that it is in contemplation to establish camps of instruction
on Herbage Downs, within a few miles of Canterbury, and
on Penendsn Heath, near Maidstone. The camp on Barham
Dawes is intended to accommodate about 4,000 troops,
cavalry, infantry, and artillery ; and that on Peneaden
Heath 3,000. The cavalry will be from the neighbouring
depots, and the infantry principally militia regiments.—
.Dover Chnwielo,