The Express.
London, England, 1855-05-10 00:00:00

OUR ARMY BEFORE SEBASTOPOL

(Mit TO lITICIAL

3111,111.)

OP TES DAILY

CAMP ABOVE SEBASTOPOL, Aram 23.
The enemy, expelled from the two large title pits
in front of our advanced works on Frenchman's-hill,
is busily occupied in forming another obstacle to our
advance toward the Ram, which threatens to be of
a rather formidable character. It consists of an
irregular work, at present only fitted for the cover of
a body of riflemen, but not improbably intended to
be snood with guns of position, in case time and cir-
ca:sultanas should permit. 4is made la as to be
connected by a covered way with other works in
rear. The site of an old quarry has been taken ad-
vantage of in its construction, and both the excava-
tions themselves and the loose stones scattered about
have been turned to account by the Russian engineers
and workmen.

The quarry alluded to is placed on the slope of the
Redan-hilt, below the line of abattie which stretches

across it. It is about three hundred yards in front
of the :soot advanced trench of the zigzag which has
been prolonged from the left of our advanced work,
or second parallel, on Frenchman's-hill. The slope
of the land on which the quarry rests dips down on
the left, towards the left ravine; in front, towards
the shallow part of the middle ravine, near its termi-
nation, where it divides Frenchman's and the
Redau hills from each other. The heaps of stones
and earth which have been thrown out in excavating
the quarry, and which lie spread out in heaps for a
widedistanes round, have long afforded cover for the
Russian riflemen, who from this situation have fired
upon our troops in the advanced works with tolerable
security.

The general form of the new work is that of a I
crescent, and it is placed across the upper part of 1
the quarry. It does not consist of a single line of 1
work, but is composed of a series of smaller crescentic '
walls, each not unlike in shape an ordinary rifle-pit,
joined together at the free extremities of their arcs.
The parapets appear to be solid, and high. A covered
way leads on the left down towards the left ravine,
and there appears to he also another line of commu•
nicatim, more in rear, towards the suburb of small
houseawhich are thickly spread between tho earth-
works of the Redan and the barrack battery. A
trenah is also being carried on from that part of the
new work which faces our right. The position of
this work is itself commanding, and it is not im-
probable that it is protected by some of the guns on
the Malakhoff or Mamelon hills. The guns of the
Redan cannot be sufficiently depressed to be brought
to bear on it. Oar zigzag, which is bearing to-
wards the Redan, will ere long have reached the
lowest level of Frenchman's-hill on the left, and will
then have to mount the rising ground in front.
Before this can be done, however, the quarry
must be " crowned," or the enemy within
would almost Lek down into our trenches.
The men who took the rifle-pits a few nights
since will not fail to take this also when the
time comes ; but the somewhat steep ascent of the
hill, and the close proximity to other works in rear,
will make the undertaking more arduous. It must
be accomplished nevertheless, for the existence of the
work will materially impede our progress, and would
be still more detrimental if permitted to be armed
and converted into a battery.
The enemy appear to have everywhere repaired
the damage which was done to their works by the
late fire from our batteries. On our side, it having

been made evident that neither the proximity, no.
the weight of metal, was sufficient to accomplish the
desired object of silencing the hostile works, vigorous
steps are being taken to remedy the deficiencies.
Heavy guns, which were in the batteries of the first
parallel, are being removed into the advanced work.
Other batteries are being thrown up still farther
in front. Batteries which at the first bombardment
were armed with 24-pounders, replace:. at the late
a.. by 32-pounders, will now be wholly armed with
68-pounders. The late fire has shown, too, where other
batteries were required, mud 110010 of thoo:o see already
completed and armed, while others are in progress.
The French have also thrown up a new battery on
the right, and have added generally to the power of
their works.
As to the events going on around us, away from
this south-western angle of the peninsula to which
we are for the present limited, very little is known in
camp beyond mere rumours. It is stated that when
Omer Dacha arrived at Eupatoria, he found, on
making a recoonaissanoe, all the reports which had
reached him respecting the strength of the enemy
in that direction greatly exaggerated. For almost all
the details of transactions on the shores of the Black
Bee, even at so short a distance as Eupatoria, how-
ever, we depend equally with the people in England
on the published letters of correspondents ;—the only
difference being that the public at home are in pos-
session of the facts of such occurrences about a fort-
night before we are.
The incidents connected with the siege operations
ham hardly been of sufficient interest during the last
week to call for a daily register of them.
On the evening of the 24th instant a very sharp
and prolonged musketry fire on the left announced
that the French were hotly engaged with the enemy.
It was sustained for nearly two hours, between ten
and twelve o'clock, and seemed to be subsequently
renewed about 2 a.m. According to the reports of
the French this fire was the result of an attack
against some Russian ambuscades immediately in
front of the Flagstaff Bastion. After a sharp con-
test the French drove back the enemy with great
slaughter, and obtained possession of the rifle pits:
but subsequently the Russians returned in over-
powering force, and compelled the parties holding
the pits to fall back again upon their own Hum The
next night the Russians contrived to raise two
other ambuscades in this situation—one on each side
of those which previously existed. On the night of
the 26th the Russians made a sortie against the
French on the right, but were prevented from doing
any injury to the works, and, moreover, suffered
severely on the occasion.
New arrangements have been made with the
Russian commander-in-chief respecting short traces
for the purpose of burying the dead in front of the
respective lines. The plan for some time past has
been the following: When the truce was asked for
on either side, and agreed to, • certain time was
fixed at which it wee to commence, and its duration
defined. Notice was also given on both aides along
the whole lines, so that there might be a total alma-
tion of firing from all the batteries during the period
of trims. This is now changed, and for the
future there will be no necessity of commu-
nication on the subject. A flag of truce will be
hoisted at 12 o'clock opposite to whatever position it
may be necessary to bury dead. Each party will
bury the bodies nearest to them, whether belonging
to their own nation or that of the enemy, and no
communication is to be permitted to take place be-
tween the hostile troops while thus employed. The
performance of them last rites at any one point is not
to prevent the firing from being continued in other
directions along the lines. As soon as the burials are
completed, the white flag will be lowered, and the
truce be at an end.
The Field-Marshal commanding the forces has
greeted a gratuity of 6L each to Privates Samuel
Evans, James Callaghan, and Thomas Keating, three
eddies of the 19th Regime's!, for gallant conduct
before the enemy. The two former of these soldiers
were reported by Major-General Jones, commanding
the Engineers, as having particularly dada-
gebild themselves by their opolneas and courage,
Midis sossenatbresures in face of the enemy.
• report was made respeetipg.Private Thomas
It*• for his bravery in remaining at a poet in
Are edemas& works, on the occasion of an
dam ea the night el the 13th instant, although the
ether enables on each side of him unnecessarily re
Bled We the Thegratuity was granted at
• susamini at General Sir George Brown,
esisisMilmg the Light Division.
Oat minslties have been very few during the
Malt. Ring :of the Royal Ea&oers, who
wee enaniel sa the night of the 17th imftat, died
In the owing of the 22nd. He was meek esteemed
for phis worth sad amiable qualities, as well as
foe bin sionthle attainments, and a large number of
diem from all sap Waded Ma flan& Major

Gordon, R.E., has sufficiently recovered from the
effects of his wounds to be able to leave for a
short cruise in order to re-establish his general
health. Captain Owen and Lieutenant Baynes, of
the Royal Engineers, both dangerously wounded on
the night of the 19th inst., when the rifle pits before
Frenchman's-hill were taken, are reported to be
making favourable p
Mr. Fenton, the cell rated photographer, and his
assistant have been actively employed in front of
late. His duties in the British Museum will compel
him to leave the Crimea in about three weeks, but
such have been his zeal and energy, in spite of winter
weather and occasionally of Russian missiles, that he
will carry with him about eight hundred views of
Sebastopol and its vicinity. They will no doubt
be highly prized in England for their accuracy
and beauty. The plates are of large size, and
in some of them every window of the
larger buildings in the town can be counted.
Among the most interesting will be a panoramic
sun-picture of the town and its fortifications, with
the distant hills, taken from the old Russian redoubt,
or, as it has been called since General Sir George
Cathcart was buried there, " Cathcart's Hill," in
front of the Fourth Division.

On the 26th instant, in the afternoon, General
Canrobert reviewed the second corps d'armes and
the corps de reserve, under the command of General
Bosquet. As this body of the French army com-
prehends four divisions, or 24 regiments, without
=eluding the artillery, the troops assembled could
not have been less in number than 35,000 men ;
taking into account the battalions which were absent
OS duty in observation along the flank, or in the
trenches. The day was tine, and an immense
concourse of British officers and other spec-
tators were present. Having rode along the
lines of each regiment, and inspected them
carefully, the officers were called together and
General Canrobert made an address to them. He
praised the condition and bearing of the troops, and
alluded to the trials of the past winter, expressing
Ids :satisfaction that they had endured them so
bravely. He regretted that his occupations prevented i
him from seeing his comrades in arms so often as he
wished. Is speaking of the prolonged siege, he said :
"If we knock at the door, and get no answer, we tap
at the window ; and, if we can't get admiesion by
the one, we contrive to get in by the other.* In a
few days—fifteen or so, he added-60,000 more com-
rades will have arrived in the Crimea, when active
operations may be expected on all sides. He desired
the officers to repeat his remarks to the troops;
and then, having taken up a favourable
position, all the regiments marched past in
pad divisions. The Artillery followed, and
sdiesfly the cavalry were passed in review.
Ire in marching past, was preceded by the
Muds and drums of all the regiments composing it ;
and the combined effect produced by this mass of
musicians, nearly 400 in number, was very grand and
spirit stirring. The little vivandieres followed the
bands, and attracted general attention from their neat
land trim attire and uniform among the English sol-
diers. The easy active movement and the picturesque
costumes of the regiments of &naves and Indigeues
were particularly admired. But it was in the mass
that the spectacle was more especially fine and im-
posing. General Canrobert appeared in robust health,
and seemed to scrutinise each regiment as it passed
very minutely. The following day he was to review
the troops of the Imperial Guard and Gen. Peliesier's
corps d'armee.
Yesterday, the 27th inst., Lord Stratford de Red-
cliffe, who has arrived in the Crimea, was expected
to visit the camp, and some of the divisions in front
were under arms to receive him, but his lordship did
not arrive. It was understood that he was detained
too long at Balaklava, and was consequently com-
pelled to defer his visit.
The weather has continued very fine and mild.
On the night between the 25th and 26th inst. there
was heavy rain, which lasted for five or six hours.
The health of the troops in front continues favour-
able. There appears to be more fever among the
regiments in the neighbourhood of Balaklava.
The cavalry had races again at Karani yesterday,
bat they were thinly attended.

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