The Press.
London, England, 1854-12-09 00:00:00

DEATH OF GENERAL DE LOURMEL.

The Moniteur publishes a letter, written from the
French camp before Sebastopol, giving an account
of the death of General de Lourmel from the wound
which he received at the battle of Inkermann. The
official writer says :

The general received a ball right in the breast, but his
features betrayed neither emotion nor suffering. No one
perceived that he was wounded ; and, turning towards his
orderly officers, who just before had courageously freed him
from the thickest of the melee, he said, " I sin wounded,
but let no one know it! " He was still on horseback, firm
and impassible. At this moment the order was brought to
him to cease the pursuit; the Russians were in flight in all
directions. He listened with attention to what was said to
him, and, then feeling his strength fail, he said, " Gu and
seek the colonel of the 26th ; let him come to receive my
instructions." It was only half an hour after being wounded
that he consented to alight from his horse. He endea-
voured to walk, in order not to let the troops see that he
was wounded ; but soon his strength gave way, and, 3 ield-
ing to the pressing solicitations of his officers, he allowed
himself to be carried. He still, however, continued to
occupy himself with his troops , at every moment he
caused himself to be stopped, gave orders, and corrected
movements. He, however, lost a great deal of blood, and
every minute he became weaker. At length he was
obliged definitively to abandon his command. The gene-
ral was carried in the arms of his officers ; they adored
him, and were bathed in tears. Desirous of giving to the
end the example of calm and intrepidity, he indicated
himself the road he wished to take. At length, after two
hours' agony, he reached his bivouac. Able surgeons in-
formed in advance awaited him. The general insisted on
taking off his clothes himself, and whilst his wound was
being dressed he said, "It is nothing—l shall get over it."
He thus reassured those who surrounded him. When the
dressing was terminated he requested to be left alone.
Shortly after, he called his orderly officer, Captain de la
Jaille. " I have done with doctors," said he, "and have
another account to settle. Go for a priest ! " His other
tendants now entered, and, seeing their emotion, he
cried, " Why do you pity me ? Is not my wound glorious?"
The soldiers had nawed him the Bayard of the army, and,
like Bayard, he died as a hero and a Christian. The ball,
passing between the second and third ribs, had traversed
the left lung, and went out by the shoulder blade. The
medical men were not without hopes of preserving his
precious life; they counted greatly on his extraordinary
energy and mural courage. But the general himself never
entertained any illusion ; he made, with the calm and sang-
froid which presided over all his actions, his last wordly
arrangements. lu the evening he said to the orderly
officers who stood by his bed, " You will take care to say
that my last thoughts were of France and the Emperor!! '
The general lived two days. As time wore on, he spat
blood more frequently, and his breathing became more
difficult. However, he preserved all his faculties. Hu
sent fur his officers, and gave them his last instructions.
Towards the end his sufferings became frightful—nothing
could calm them. He had, however, some repose, arising
from the weakness caused by his pains, which were indes-
cribable. Those who surrounded him believed that he
was a little better ; but on the 7th, at three o'clock in the
afternoon, be had an attack of coughing. Half an hour
after he breathed his last. Adored and admired by his
soldiers, loved and esteemed by all his companions in
arms, who highly appreciated his superior qualities, Gene-
ral de Lounnel, Ly his goad, frank, chivalrous character,
will leave eternal regret in the hearts of all who have
known him.

1159

THE AFFAIR AT PETROPOLOPSKI.
The Admiralty have published some official returns
relative to the unsuccetoiful attack on the Russian for-
tress and harbour of Petropolopski. The papers
were forwarded by Sir F. Moolson, of the Pique,
who was left senior British officer iu the British
squadron upon the death of Rear-Admiral Price.
The first of the series is a letter from Captain
Burridge, of the President, communicating that
event.

Sir F. Nicolson gives the following official account
of the attack :
H.M.S. Pique, September 19, 1854.
On Thursday, August 31, Rear-Admiral Febvrier Des
Pointes decided upon carry into execution the plan of attack
against the outer defences of the harbour of l'etropolopeki,
as had been arranged between hint and the late coup
inanderin-chief, whose untimely death on the preceding
day had stopped the movetuent of the ships.
The weather being calm, it was determined that the
three frigates should be placed in position by the steamers.
The Virago was therefore lashed between the Pique and
Foote, while the President was taken in tow astern.
In this manner the ships proceeded towards the batteries.
and were dropped in succession into the best positions that
could be reached, for the tide in chore was found rather
stronger than was anticipated.
The three batteries forming the outer defences of the
entrance of Petropolopski were a five gun battery on the
extremity of the peninsula, forming the harbour; an ad-
mirably-constructed fasciae battery of eleven heavy guns,
placed at the water's edge on the opposite shore ; and •
three-gun battery at some distance further out ou the same
side.
As this battery, from its raking position, was expected
to give much annoyance, the President's marines, under
Captain Parker, lt.M., had been placed on board the
Virago, and were landed to take possession of the battery
immediately after the ships had been anchored. Although
greatly impeded by the almost impenetrable brushwood, the
marines and some seamen, both French and English, who
were sent to their support, soon reached the battery, which
they found deserted. The guns were rendered unservice-
able, and the party re-embarked under the cover of the
Virago. In performing this service this vessel became
exposed to a heavy fire from the Russian frigate in the
inner harbour, which did her some damage.
The battery at the extremity of the peninsula, being most
exposed to the fire of the ships, was soon silenced, and as
it was directly in a line with the town and a frigate iu the
harbour, much damage must have been occasioned by the
shot which passed over the battery.
A breeze springing up in the afternoon, enabled the
Forte and the President, the two outer ships, to take up
fresh positions somewhat nearer the low battery.
The guns of all the ships were now directed upon this
battery; from the Forte especially a rapid ricochet fire was
maintained, until at length the battery ceased firing, al-
though the enemy were not driven from their guns.
The ships now ceased firing, and were moved out of
range for the night, the Virago taking the Forte in tow, and
the President and Pique hauling off by kedges. Although
all the ships received shot in their bulls and rigging, the
Forte alone suffered any loss in men. An unfortunate shot
passed across her quarterdeck, killing one man and
worm:ling several others.
In the interval between this first attack and the subse-
quent operations on the 4th of September, several consul.
tations were held between the French rear-admiral and the
captains of the two squadrons.
Some information having been obtained during this
interval, as to the position of the batteries not visible from
the ships, and also as to the interior of the town, and the
strength of the garrison, it was considered that an attack
upon the north end of the town by a landing party would
probably meet with success, and lead to important results.
With a view to occupying the enemy's attention as much
Its possible, it was determined to make a simultaneous
attack on a battery of five guns placed on the low part of
the peninsula, and likewise on a round fort at its northern
extremity, at which place the marines and seamen were to
land, and endeavour to get possession of the batteries and
the heights surrounding the town.
Owing to the large number of men required for the
landing party, the guns of both frigates could not be manned,
and the President's guns being lighter than the Pique's, and
therefore requiring fewer men to work them, I went on
board that ship, taking with me the remainder of the
Pique's ship's company.
On the morning of September the 4th, the landing party,
consisting of about 350 men from each squadron, besides
officers, was placed on board the Virago, which vessel was
then lashed alongside the Forte, the boats for the disem-
barkation being placed on the opposite side, and the Presi-
dent being taken in tow astern.
The batteries commenced firing as soon as the ships
came within range, and did considerable damage to the
limits and yards of the frigates, but especially to the Forte's.
A shot struck the Virago's deck, but fortunately it glanced
upwards, otherwise the havoc on her crowded deck might
have proved serious.
The President having been anchored about 1100 yards
from the Saddle Battery on the centre of the peninsula,
opened a heavy fire upon it, notwithstanding which the
enemy continued working their guns with the greatest
determination, retiring occasionally under shelter cf the
sloping platform on which their guns were placed, and re-
turning again to their guns as soon as the fire from the
ship slackened in the least; however, at length the battery
was silenced.
In the meantime the Forte had been placed opposite the
Round Fort or t :orge Battery, which she speedily silenced,
and thus enabled the marines and seamen to be lauded
from the Virago.
The Forte, Virago, and Obligado brig afterwards covered
the re-embarkation of the landing party. The firs from

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