The Press.
London, England, 1854-10-07 00:00:00

BATTLE OF ALMA.

Although gained nearly a fortnight ago, no further
details of this xictory have reached London at the
hour when we go to press than the brief and some •
times irreconcilable announcements transmitted by
electric telegraph. These, however, sufficiently in-
form us that the battle was stubbornly contested and
won at length by sheer pluck and daring on the part
of the assailants. The first tidings reached London
on Saturday evening, and were forthwith published in
a Gazette Extraordinary, containing two despatches,
one from Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, and the other
from Lord Raglan. The former was dated Constan-
tinople on Sept. 23rd, and one telegraphed from
Belgrade on the 30th, at seven in the morning. It
ran as follows
"The entrenched camp of the Russians, contain-
ing 60,000 men, with a numerous artillery and ca.
valry, on the heights of the Alma, was attacked on the
20th inst., at one p.m., by the allied troops, and car-
ried by the bayonet at half-past three, with a loss on
our side of about 1,400 killed and wounded, and an
equal loss on the side of the French. The Russian
army was forced to put itself in full retreat."
Lord Raglan's missive came also from Belgrade,
having been written from the field of action on the
21st., the day following the battle. The writer said :
"The allied armies yesterday attacked the position
of the enemy on the heights above the Alma, and
carried it, after a desperate battle, about an hour and a
half before sunset. Nothing could surpass the
bravery and excellent conduct of the troops. The
position was very formidable, and defended by a
numerous artillery of heavy calibre ; our loss, I re-
gret to add, is very considerable, but no general
officer has been wounded. The main body of the
army of the enemy was estimated from 45,000 to
50,000 infantry. A few prisoners, amongst whom are
two general officers, and two guns, have been taken
by thernglieh army. (Signed) " RAGLAN."
The Duke of Newcastle appended to the despatches
a memorandum warning the public that the full de-
tails of the engagement, with the lists of the killed
and wounded, could not possibly arrive until the 6th
(yesterday) ' • and we now learn that Lord
Bnrghersh, the aide-de-camp who conveys the des-
patches, is not expected to reach London until to-
morrow night. Meanwhile some further particulars
have transpired by telegraphic communications from
several quarters.

The following despatch from Marshal de SL
Arnaud was published by the Muniteur :
" Bivouac-on-the-Alma, Sept. 20.
" We encountered to-day the enemy on the Alma.
" The woody ravine through which the river runs,
studded with houses, passable only at three points,
and having very steep slopes on the left bank, was
occupied by the enemy in great force. These slopes
were strongly entrtnched, and covered by a powerful
artillery.
" The allied armies attacked these difficult posi-
tions with unparalleled vigour.
" Our soldiers advanced to the assault with cries
of ' Five l'Empereur!' and carried all that was be •

fore them. -
" The battle lasted four hours, and our loss was
1,400 killed and wounded.
" I am as yet ignorant of the loss sustained by
the English army, which fought valiantly against au
obstinate resistance."
It is stated that the French commander was too
ill at the time to mount on horseback, and conse-
quently took no share in the battle, the whole com-
mand devolving upon Lord Raglan. Accounts are
stated to have reached the French Government con-
taining some further circumstances. According to
these reports the battle was fought within a very
short distance of the seacoast. The French army,
consisting of either three or four divisions, occupied
the right, and was ccnsequently nearest the sea. rhe
English occupied the centre, and the Turks the left.
The French army being nearest the sea, fully one-
half of it was protected by the lire from the steamers,
so that the extreme right and centre of the French
line did not suffer much. The French division
which suffered most was on the left of the French
line, and next to the English. It was commanded
by General Thornasson, who was desperately
wounded, and is said to have died of his wounds.
The brunt of the battle fell upon our countrymen,
' who have not only had the post of honour, but, it is
feared, have been the greatest sufferers. At the
French Ministry of War it is stated that, from the
information which has arrived, there is reason to be-
lieve that the loss of the English far exceeded that
of their army. The main charge must have been a
tremendous one. It seems that, although the Rus-
sians were posted on the opposite side of a deep
ravine, and on the top of a steep and difficult hank,
where they had deliberately taken up their position,
and where they where protected by their artillery, the
whole of the English army and the left division of
the army stormed this formidable position in front,
and carried it. Every Military man knows what a
desperate affair such an attack is, and the little we
yet know of the storming of the heights of the Alma
leaves no doubt that it will be recorded in our annals
aS one of the most glorious exploits of our brave
countrymen.
Regarding the losses sustained by the allies on
this memorable day, the statements hitherto for-
warded differ materially. The official despatches
mention 1,400 as the total of deaths and casualty
among the British troops. Later accounts consider-
ably enlarge the list, announcing that there were
1,k05 rank and file, 90 officers, 114 sergeants, and
23 drummers killed and wounded on the English
side. The French lost about 1,400 rank and file,
and 00 officers. The Turkish loss is not announced.
There are no names of the sufferers yet transmitted,
but it is stated that no general officer was killed.
General Canrobert is said to have been wounded in
the shoulder, arid General Brown to have had a
horse shot under him. The 23rd British Regiment
is stated to have suffered most severely, every officer
but three having been struck.
On the side of the enemy it is still less easy to
form an estimate of loss. An account derived from
Russian authorities gives the following estimate :
One general, 2 colonels, 53 officers, and 2,800
men killed; General Chomutoff, SO officers, and
3,0(X) men wounded. Prince Menschikoff com-
manded the Russian forces in person on the 20th,
and, together with•his entire staff, narrowly escaped
being taken prisoners during the engagement.
Advises from Constantinople of the 25th announce
that some convoys of wounded men had already
arrived there. The Vulcan had brought 820, and
the Andes 200. Everything was in readiness for
their reception and care at Therapia. An English
steamer, the Levant, had also conveyed 340 wounded
Russians to Odessa.
During and after the battle of the Alma the allies
were much embarrassed by the want of cavalry.
From this cause, it would seem, the Russians were
enabled to effect a retreat with far slighter loss, and
in battle order, than could otherwise have been the
case. Messengers were immediately sent to Varna
for the cavalry, whose arlival in the Crimea was very
shortly anticipated.
The news of this victory was hailed both in Eng-
,
• land and France with great rejoicings. The Lord
L Mayor received a copy of the Government despatches
L at nine on Saturday night, and, after announcing the
intelligence to the meta at the sheriffs ' banque t

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