The Express.
London, England, 1855-06-07 00:00:00

DESPATCHES FROM GENERAL PELISSIER.

Head-Quarters before Sebastopol,
May 26, 1855.
Monsieur le Marechal,—Since we took the Russian
oounter-approaches in trout of the Central Bastion,
on the night of May 2, and occupied this very im-
portant work, the enemy, to stop our progress, and
get side views of our attacks, has turned his effort.
to the aide of the Quarantine, where he has endea-
voured to construct fresh lines of counter-approach.
His intention was to unite by a line of gabions the
ambuscades at the bottom of the bay with those on
the main side of the cemetery, and to connect this
work by a long covered way with the lunette on
the right of the Central Bastion. In the night be-
tween the 21st and 22nd, by immense and well-con-
cealed exertions, he imperfectly threw up this vast
place d'armes, so threatening to our left attack, and so
well contrived for enabling the enemy to collect in
great force and make strong sorties.
The danger of this Russian work was evident. I
foresaw at once all its gravity, and ordered General
de Sallee, commanding the Ist corps, to carry this
position, and to turn against the enemy his own new
works; it was both a delicate and difficult task, for
we had, of course, to expect a stubborn resistance
and a desperate contest under the fire of formidable
batteries.
The general of division Pate was charged with this
operation. Two attacks were organised, one against
the ambuscades at the bottom of the bay, the other
against the ambuscades of the cemetery, while
charging through the south-eastern corner of this
enclosed space. They were to be simultaneous.
After carrying the new gabionnades of the enemy,
it was necessary to hold our ground well in front in
order to protect our working party, and transform
the Russian work into one for ourselves. Bat the
extent of these lines was immense ; we had to expect
two successive phases in the action, one of the battle
and one of the labour. The combat took place in the
night between the 22nd and 23rd of May, and com-
menced at nine in the evening.
Our attack on the left was commanded by Briga-
dier-General Benret, and executed by three corn-
paniea
of the 10th battalion of foot chasseurs, three)
battalions of the 2nd regiment of the foreign legion,
and one battalion of the 98th regiment of the line.
The attack on the right, entrusted to General de I
la Motterouge, comprehended the select companies
of the Ist regiment of the foreign legion, supported
by two battalions of the 20th regiment of the line,
having in their rear a battalion of the 18th and two
battalions of the voltigeura of the guard u a reserve.
Other battalions were ready to march in case Gen.
Pate should have required a reinforcement.
The enemy, whether he had formed the plan of a
considerable attack, or whether he wished in one
single night to finish his lines by one grand effort,
was there in strong force, ready to receive us. We
estimated at more than twenty battalions the force
which our brave soldiers had to fight and drive back.
This number actually amounted to twenty-six bat-
talions from the statement of the prisoners.
The action commenced at the signal of General
Pate with indescribable impetuosity. At the end of
a few minutes all the ambuscades on the right were
in our hands. The old soldiers of the foreign legion
had carried everything, and, being supported by the
28th Regiment of the line, they established them-
selves before the Russian works and covered our'
workmen. But formidable Russian masses speedily
issued from the Quarantine ravine, eager to engage
and dispute the ground with singular obstinacy.
The two battalions of the 28th, the battalion of the
18th, the voltigeurs of the guard were succes-
sively engaged, and this heroic struggle lasted
till morning. Five times were the most distant
ambuscades taken and retaken by the Russians and
by oar troops. These contests with the bayonet were
terrible. Two other battalions of the voltigeturs of
the guard, the 9th of foot chasseurs, and the 80th of
the line, were again called to the place of combat,
some to share in it, others to remove the dead and
wounded : all did their duty.
In the midst of this bloody and glorious struggle,
the engineering labours could not be carried on. We
were forced to destroy the enemy's works in such a
manner that he could not keep them himself next
day, and necessity compelled us to postpone tothe
following night the second act of our undertaking.
At the first dawn of day the Russians ceased fighting,
and our battalions returned to the trenches, leaving
the ground covered with the deed bodies of the

enem.
Aty the attack on the left, the ambuscades were
tarried with the same impetuosity. There also the
Russians returned to the charge with extraordinary
tenacity. Numerous charges were made at the point
of the bayonet. But at the end of two hours the
enemy lost heart and effected his retreat, while our
engineers firmly occupied the works in the Russian
gabionnade, which finally became our conquest.
Oa the following night it was necessary to finish
what had been commenced with so much vigour ; I ,
regulated this second combat, and I expecouted coal-
plete swam from this new effort of r valiant
infantry.
The general of division, Levaillant, was charged
with the fulfilment of this task at the head of ten bat-
tahons, two of which were voltigeurs of the guard by
way of reserve. Four of these battalions, under the
orders of General Couston, were charged with pro-
\tooting our conquest of the previous night,
cm the extreme loft. Tim other six, coin-
"sanded by General Duval, had on the right 1
to retake the gabionnvle parallel to the great walk of
the cemetery, to im•..t the enemy, and enebto the en.