The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-28 00:00:00

THE BUSMAN ATTACK ON DEC. 8.

We have received the Moniteur of yesterday :
it contains the following

DESPATCH FROM MARSHAL PELISSIER.
The Marshal Minister of War has received this
day, Dec. 26, the following report :
" Grand Head-quarters at Sebastopol,
Dec. 11, 1855.
"Monsieur le Mar4chal,—You have already learned,
by my telegraphic despatch of the Bth inst., the failure
of the Russians in the attack they attempted to make,
during the morning of that day, on the outposts of
D'Autemarre's division, in the valley of Baidar.
" As your Excellency is aware, these outposts, plated
8,000 metres in front of General D'...A.utemarre's division,
on the Upper Tchernaya, form a half-circle passing
through Eski-Arman, Orkousta, Bags, and Savatka.
These villages, situate at the base of the wooded heights
that separate the valley of Baidar from the Upper Bel-
bek and the Chouliou, overlook the passages opening
into this valley, and they are held by strong bodies of
pickets.

" In consequence, probably, of information from Tar-
tars, the enemy conceived the idea of carrying one or
more of these outposts.
" On the 7th, at nightfall, a body of Russian troops
stationed at Jenisala, Fok-Sala, and Argal, was suddenly
put in motion. Colonel Zolotoroff's regiment of Cossacks
was at its head ' • 500 men armed with rifles, and taken
from the ranks, followed ; while the principal portion of
the column was formed by three battalions of the
Smolensk Regiment (Colonel Oglobcheff's), the strength
of which was about, 2,500 foot, and from 400 to 500
horse.

"Theßussians passed through tho gorges of Cardonee-
Bell and Caden-Otar, and during the night, which was
dark and rainy, notwithstanding its vigorous resistance,
surrounded a small advanced post of 12 men, placed
where the roads meet of Baga and Orkousta. They then,
about half-past five in the morning, with the greater
part of their men, attacked the villages of Orkousta and
Baga, directing their efforts chiefly against the latter.
"The main guard posted there consisted of a section
of the 7th battalion of Foot Chasseurs, of three com-
panies of the 2d battalion of the 26th Regiment of the
Line, and a platoon of the 4th African Chasseurs, com-
manded by Lieut.-Colonel de Richebourg of the 26th.
This superior officer remaining in position, took care to
open a close fire ; by the firm attitude of his troops he
awed the enemy and prevented him gaining ground, not-
withstanding his numerical superiority. The Russians
then endeavoured to assault us from their left, and to
descend into the plain between Baga and Savatka, in
order to cut off our retreat toward the Tchernaya.
" While the enemy was thus attempting to force an
entrance through Baga, he was also advancing on Or-
kousta. Lieut.-Colonel Lacretelle, of the 19th regiment
of the line, commanding the line of the outposts, was
stationed at this point with five companies of the 7th
battalion of Foot Chasseurs and one division of the
4th African Chasseurs. He at once took the offensive,
and sent immediately, under the orders of the Chef de
Bataillon Maurice, who commanded the 7th battalion,
two companies of Chasseurs from this battalion to a
small plateau situate in front and to the right of Orkousta,
whence these companies threatened the Russian right.
This movement, most resolutely executed, created un-
casino is and hesitation in tho enemy, who first slackened,
then stopped his march. At the sight of this indecision
the charge was sounded along the whole of the line, and
from Baga, as well as from Orkousta, our troops dashed
at the enemy, who was compelled to beat a retreat, being
pursued through the woods almost as far as the hill-
crests surrounding the valley.
" While the Russians were attacking Baga and Or-
kousta, 200 foot soldiers and about 150 Cossacks, de-
scending the Caden-Otar road, endeavoured to make a
diversion to the left of Orkousta. But they came upon
two companies of the 7th Foot Chasseurs, who barred
their passage, and after several charges with the bayonet
soon succeeded in making them face to the right about.
Captain Pichon, who commanded these companies, and
who killed three Russians with his own hand, displayed
his accustomed energy on this occasion.
"At the first musket shots, General D'Autemarre
had sent General Niel with two battalions and a qua-
(lron to reinforce the line attacked. But on the arrival
of these reserves at the place of action, the enemy was
already in full flight. By nine in the morning all was
over.

" Our troops and their chiefs, Monsieur le Mar6chal,
have well performed their duty ; they have been full of
resolution and intelligence, and it was this which ren•
dered their success so prompt and decisive against supe•
rior forces.

"The Russians have left in our hands 150 of their
force, either killed or wounded, or prisoners. The num-
ber of these last amounts to 28 ; that of the wounded,
received into our ambulances, is 17, two of them being
officers. Yesterday morning, we had buried 80 of their
slain, and we continued searching for such as might
have fallen in the recesses of the woods.
" Our losses, including even the 12 men of the small
pest that was surrounded, and four African Chasseurs
carried off between Baga and Orkousta, are much
smaller than those of the enemy. We have only bad
two men killed and 11 wounded, one of whom is an
officer. 'We are indebted for this fortunate result to the
rapidity of the success.
" Deign to accept, &c., " PELISSIER."

TIIB WAli).

_ - -
The following letter has been addressed to a
con temporary :
Sir,—The fact of your having afforded me space
for remark throughout this disastrous war makes
me still trespass on your valuable columns, in order
that I may pursue my subject matter to an end.
The fall of Kars is accomplished. With the non-
relief of that important fortress, and the miserable
errors which kept assistance back it is not now my
purpose to deal. I have throughout endeavoured
to induce attention to what was the course proper
to be pursued, and, at last, for me to utter vain
regrets would neither suit my temper nor avail the
cause.

From the beginning to the present time I have
raised my voice against the sparing of Russian pri-
vate property, and endeavoured to hold up to uni-
versal condemnation the unsoldier-liko culpability
of notifying to the enemy that unfortified towns
and villages, as well as large buildings, whether
private or not, in towns that were under fire,
would be respected.
To avoid recurrence, and consequent tediousness,
I content myself with the assertion, that the enemy
throughout have availed themselves of the folly or
dishonesty of our Government, and used private
buildings and unfortified places not only as maga-
zines for the munitions of war, and barracks of se-
curity for their soldiers, but ou several occasions when
opportunity offered they have unmasked these houses of
rdfuge, so sillily assigned them, and fired on our soldiers
and sailors. The various reports from our officers in
command have verified this statement from time to
time, and established the fact as notoriously as the suu
at noonday.
As I have urged I urge again. The strength of
an empire lies in the wraith of its subjects. Private
possessions are the veins which supply the great artery
of the public purse—then cut off the supply ! There is
not a true soldier who does not know the import of those
last four words " cut off the supply," whether it be of
water, food, fuel, or gold, no matter ; they are all im-
portant, and cannot be done without—this difference
alone exists, that if the money fails it strikes a blow on
all.

I have also for ever show❑ that the Russians them-
selves make it an unvarying point of their warfare to
destroy all houses and places, whether private or not,
the instant neither subterfuge nor the sword can main-
tai❑ them in useful possession. Why, then, spare pri-
vate property and unfortified places so long as they can
be useful to the enemy.
Suppose the Czar, to use a common phrase of the
police, "on information he receives," doubts if he can
maintain possession of Odessa. There are one or two
things apparent on the political horizon which may
render him dubious on that subject.
We are, I believe, on the eve of a general election,
and the upshot of that event must be one of two
things. Either Lord Palmerston must be removed
from his giddy and fluctuating state of chief corn-
m,ssionership of an administration, and Lord Derby
placed in his stead, or Lord Palmerston must be so tho-
roughly dictated to by the country, that he will no longer
dare to tamper with Peelite sections, nor send round
whippers•in to feel the pulse of the reluctant or revolu-
tionary, ero he ventures to approach a vote.
A change of ministry, or the collective 'shout of the
United Kingdom, are enough to decide the fate of
Odessa, which, as I have perpetually said, ought to have
been taken long ago. It is true that, "on the informa-
tion he receives," the Czar already dreads one or other of
these results looming in the approaching spring, and that
even now the guns which might have been ours, but
which, owing to the acts of the present Govern-
inept, are still his, are beginning to be withdrawn to
strengthen the more inland positions, I shall not be
surprised to see Odessa, when it has served the Russian
time, and been stripped of all that could have been ser-
viceable to us, destroyed by the Muscovite brand and
mine.

From Moscow to Sebastopol, down to the depths
which whelm our Black Sea fleet, this has been the
Russian plan of defence; and by this time, were the
present Ministry in earnest prosecution of the war, it
should have grown into an example on which our attack,
as well as their defence, should have alike boen based.
The life of every man reft by the guns which may
ho or have been. withdrawn from Odessa will lie at
the door of the present administration ; and stained
as the steps of that vacillating conclave are with a
prodigality of blood, an event such as a voluntary
.de-
struction of Odessa by the Russians, reduced to ruins
and rifled of all that could be remunerative or useful n
war, would still add a terrible notoriety to the black
catalogue of their administrative errors.
Your most obedient,
GRANTLEY F. BERKELEY.

Beacon Lodge, Dec. 2G.

ACCOUCHEMENT OF MADAME GRISI.—This talented
lady was confined with a daughter on Christmas-day, at
her present abode, Regency-house, King's-road, and we
are happy to learn that both parent and infant are doing
well. Signor Mario is in Brighton, but we understand
that he leaves England about the 12th of next month, to
complete his engagement at Paris. Grisi and Mario are
both engaged for the Royal Italian Opera in Paris,
about the middle of Feb, nary, after which it is expected
that the great cantatrice and the unrivalled tenor will
proceed to Elorenco,=Brig4ton Gazette,