The Express.
London, England, 1856-01-09 00:00:00

DASHING CAVALRY ENCOUNTER NEAR
ILERTCH.
._.

• i"( • alOll OVA OWN 00111BPONDINT.)
, t • HERTCH, Dec. 22.
At little more than an hoor's nodes beforehand, I
learn that a steamer is just on the IMO of starting for
Constantinople, and as our lately established weekly
postal communisation with Sebastopol is in no way
to be depended on, I sine this unexpected opportu-
nity of sending you the following brief account of a
recent " brush " between ourselves and the enemy—
in preference to taking my chance of the French
mail-boat, which should leave Fort Paul on Monday.
My recent letters will have sufficiently apprised
you of the state of our forage supplies, and of the ex-
tent to which we have latterly been dependent for
them upon the surrounding country; I need not,
therefor*, repeat that nearly the whole of the hay
straw, and green forage consumed by the small ca-
valry force with us, as well as by the Land Transport
animals and private chargers, has been brought in
from villages within a ride of about eight miles from
Kedah and Yesikali ; nor need I add to what I have
already written on the neglect of our "authorities "
to lay in an ample store on the first arrival of
the force here, as might most easily have been
done. Thanks, however, to this last piece of official
inertness and want of foresight, the abundance which
was then available has dwindled down to a degree of
scantiness which promisee asythisg but "high living"
for the quadrupeds of the Contingent daring the
coming three mouths; for, in inverse proportion to
our neglect has bees the activity of the enemy in
destroying everything they could lay hands on, that
might supply fodder for a goat. However, be the
degree of blame properly arising out of our chiers
early default in this matter what it may, attempts
to make up for it before the last pound weight of
forage has been burned or otherwise destroyed
by the Cossacks, have lately increased in
frequency, and on ow of them wends an
infantry foraging party was despatched a
few days ago from Knish to bring in a quantity of
hay and straw from a pleas Galled the Spanish Farm,
about five miles from the town. Parties of the enemy's
Coesscks had for some days been prowling about the
neighbourhood, with the view of seizing any opportu-
nity that might offer to set fire to the forage in ques-
tion, but wisely kept at a safe distance up till the
daylight of the 16th inst. On the morning of that
day, however, mattered twos and threes of them
made a nearer appearance; and Major *Do-
nald, commands the Turkish cavalry,
detachment accompanying the force, went out
with his party of eighty Lancers to beat them off and
reconnoitre. After riding some couple of miles in a
westerly direction, he fell in with the Russian
videttes, who retired as his party approached; bat,
very quickly after, numerous small bodies of the
eassny's regular cavalry galloped into view from dif-
knot direction, and uniting, made a faros of about
400 dragoons. This unexpected discovery left no
option but to fall back on the farm, and this Major
M'Doaald aesordingly attempted to do, but the Rus-
sian horemosn gave rapid these, and with their long
pieces kept up a galling fire, to which the
short carbines of the pursued could make
no effective reply. Better mounted, too, they
succeeded in satflankiog our men, and by
this threatened to make prisoners of the whole. The
moment was twitted ; but Major McDonald, with a
mange above praise, resolved to imitate the despe-
rate bravery of the 10th Hussars, some months ago,
under nearly similar circumstances, and to out his
way through, or fall in the attempt. Forming his
little squadron, therefore, he dashed forward at their
head against the gleaming barrier of hostile sabres,
and, being admirably supported by his men, hewed
open a way for nearly the whole, with a cost
to the Russians of some twenty killed and wounded.
Bat the enemy speedily recovered from
their confusion, gave renewed chase, with a flying
fire as before, and again turned the flank of the hard-
premed Turks sad their British leader. The escape
which had bees hoped for from the first desperate
effort now seemed impossible; but, with a heroism
even greater than before, Major *Donald deter-
mined to make one more blow for the lives and free-
dom of his party. Pulling up for a moment he
hastily formed and again rushed mitre a termagainst
the enemy. A linos hand-to-hand fight then took
place, and after some twenty minutes of es despe-
rate sabering and lands-thrusting as the present
war has yet seen, the heroic flootchman and
forty of his little band again out a passage
through—laving, I deeply regret to say,
poor Captain Sherrard, his second in command,
and as many more dead and dying in the enemy's
hands. Some minutes elapsed before the well-
mauled Russians could renew the pursuit, and
this short interval sufficed to give oar men
headway enough to render further chase hope-
less: still the enemy pressed on, and only
gave up the gum within a mile of the camp oat
side the town, about three o'clock in the afternoon.
On the following day a flag of truce wee sent oat-
h.= Bench, when it was ascertained that poor Sher-
rard and five men had been killed, whilst the whole
of the remaining thirty-five were very badly wounded.
Since then no further collision has taken plate, the
infantry party at the Farm having been permitted to
come in without any attempt at molestation.
To this hasty narrative of one of the most dashing
cavalry encounters, on a small seals, of which the
Crimea has yet been the mese, I have no time to
add a commenting remark. It proves, however, be-
yond doubt, that our soldiers possess the tree " metal,"
and that under such leaders as Major M'Doadd they
will not disappoint the general hope when their day
of action arrives.

THE WAR IN ASIA.

(mow Tax Neutral:a.)

ERZEROIIM, D2O. 12.

The Ranks army toot up its position at Kars last
Monday, the 3rd of December. The troops have
been quartered in the town, and a small division of
about 2,000 ms, cossisting of earache and Irregular
Kurds, hes beer left at Bohanly Dagb, where it
occupies the fortilloatioas greeted is the mouth of
hue last by Oeseral Maaravieff. Yeai Keni, a vil-
lage erne Afty-fonr miles from &mom, on the
road to Uri, is likewise occupied by the Russians,l
who have gollegted there large stores of wheat, flour,
I sad barley.

It appears that the Rossi= postal is apprehen
sin of Solis Pasha's sowing to attack Hers, for he
hes mmentrated all his forms at that spot, and has
left at Alexandra* only a week garrison, hardly
strong enough to do the duties of the shade,.
The Turkish forms, under the orders of &lira
Pasha, are still *seam* in the mountains of Del.&
Berm. There is no fear of the enemy's attempting
Dour a coup is mein against Erzerount : the exhaus-
tion of his troops and the state of the roads forbid it.

DENMARK.

T VaIDAT iftNlllo.

A royal proclamation jest pa Mined dames that
the Xiars inniage with th. Count= Dane/
Mall ever remain marina* sad be se beeribed
I. the state aindem