The Sun.
London, England, 1855-09-04 00:00:00

RUSSIAN OFFICIAL DESPATCH.

The following report (says the Russian Invalid) has
been transmitted to the Minister at War from Aide-de-
Camp General Prince Gortscbakoff :
After the arrival of the 4th and sth Infantry divi-
sions at Sebastopol, I deemed it indispensable to make
a movement on the Tebernaya to reconnoitre the posi-
tion of the enemy'a,troope covering the siege of Sebas-
topol, and,,if possible to drive them back from the Tcher-
naya on 'Mount Sapoune.
Having learnt that the Allies were receiving reinforce-
ments, I ordered on the night between the 3d and 4th
(15th and 16th) of August the troops which occupied
the position at Mackenzie to descend into the plain
situate between these mountains and the Tchernaya, and
in the so-called Mokraia-lougavina meadows, in advance
of the village of Schoulu, leaving, moreover, a sufficient
number of troops for the defence of the town of Sebas-
topol and of its north fortifications, and for the defence
of the Inkerman position.

According to the arrangements made, Lieutenant-
General Liprandi had orders with the left wing to
rout the Sardinian avant-garde posted on the right
bank of the Tchernaya, in advance of Tchorgonn,
and then to prepare to attack Mount Hasfort, and
Aide-de-Camp General Read, who commanded the
right wing, had orders to draw up his troops in line of
battle beyond range of the enemy's guns, to throw
forward a strong body of artillery to sweep the Fedu-
khine heights, and to be prepared to attack them ; but
these two Generals had strict orders not to commence
the attack until they had received express orders from
me to that effect. My object was, after defeating the
Sardinian avant-garde, and having taken a closer recon-
naissance of their position, either to attack them with
General Liprandi's infantry, supported by that of Gen.
Read, and of the reserves (leaving only the artillery,
supported by a strong body of cavalry, before the Fedu-
khine heights) ; or, if the attack on Mount Hasfort
should appear too hazardous, to attack the Fedukhine
heights with General Read's troops, supported by Gen.
Liprandi's infantry, and by the general infantry reserve ;
or, finally, to limit myself to a strong reconnaissance
should either attack offer too many difficulties.
The 4th (16th) of August, at 4 a.m., General Read,
according to the given plan, drew up in line of battle,
opposite the Fedukhine heights, and opened a heavy fire
of artillery against them, and Lieut.-General Liprandi
advanced his troops in two columns. Lieut.-General de
Bellegarde, with the left column, turned the telegraph
hill to the east, and having established two batteries on
the heights, which run parallel with it, he opened fire
against that hill, which was then attacked by Major-
General Vess4litzky with the right column.
The redoubt on the telegraph hill was soon carried,
with little loss, by Major Vesselitsky's troops, who took
some prisoners.

I then proceeded to that redoubt to examine the
ground in person, to give my final instructions for the
operations of the troops, when I was startled by a vio-
lent platoon firing on our right wing. General Read, with
his two divisions, had attacked the F6dukhine heights.
It is impossible for me to explain the motive which
determined that General to make the attack contrary to
the adopted plan without having received my orders to
do so, for very soon afterwards he himself and the chief
of his staff were killed.
The attack was made as follows :

The 12th Infantry Division, under Major-General de
Martinau, advanced rapidly on the Tchernaya, seized
the tete•de•pont, crossed the river and the canal of the
aqueduct on pontoons hastily thrown in, stormed the
western summit of the Fedukhine heights, drove back
the enemy there, and following on his heels penetrated
into the eight-gun battery erected on the incline of the
mountain, and took possession of it.

The 7th Division, under Lieut.-General Ouschakoff,
advanced almost at the same time on the right of the

12th, also crossed the Tchernaya and the canal of the
aqueduct below the stone bridge, and, driving back the
enemy, took possession of the first incline of the central
portion of the Fedukhine heights.

Meantime the number of the enemy's troops beyond
the Tchernaya increased gradually by the continual ar-
rival of reinforcements of Mount Sapoune. I saw at
once that the affair was taking an unexpected turn, and,
giving up the projected attack with the left wing on
Mount Hosfort, I ordered the sth Infantry division to
the stone bridge, and on my left I sent three regiments
of the 17th Infantry division, who had previously occu-
pied the telegraph bill, against the eastern summit.
These troops did not reach the Tchernaya till the
enemy, who had attacked the 7th aid 12th divisions
with very superior forces, had already forced them to fall
back across the river.

The sth division drove back the assailants from the
bridge, and pursued them to the extremity of the first
incline of the mountain. As regards the three regiments
of the 17th division, who had rapidly advanced beyond
the river and the canal, they routed the enemy's troops
near the last eastern ramification of the Fedukhine
heights, but, seeing the retreat of the 7th and 12th divi-
sions, they also recrossed the Tchernaya.
During these operations General Read had been killed.
Taking in person the command of the right wing, and
perceiving that the enemy had more than 50,000 men in
line on Mount Hosfort and on the Fedukhine heights,
and in the space which separates them, I did not think
it advisable to renew the attack, and I drew up the
troops in line of battle at short range from the cannon of
the Tchernaya ; my left wing resting on the Telegraph-
hill, and my right wing, consisting of cavalry, at the
foot of the last incline of Mackenzie heights.
I remained there four hours, hoping that the enemy,
who had called in his troops, would cross the Tchernaya
and attack us in our position, where I would have opened
a heavy fire of artillery upon him, and then charged
with infantry and cavalry ; but he dared not attempt
and as want of water did not allow m• to remain longer
on the spot, I ordered back the troops to the position at
Mackenzie.

During this retrograde movement the enemy remained
inactive, being satisfied with occupying the banks of the
Tchernaya with his riflemen, and re-occupying the re-
doubt we had stormed on the Telegraph hill.
Thus finished the battle.
The impetuosity displayed by all our troops would,
doubtless, have obtained a happy result if General Read
had not prematurely made a partial attack instead of the
simultaneous attack I had proposed making with his
troops and with those of Lieutenant-General Liprandi
immediately supported by the principal reserve.
The greater portion of the infantry and a portion of
the foot artillery alone took part in the combat ; thr
cavalry, owing to the nature of the ground, could not
act ; a small detachment only was exposed for some time
to the fire of the enemy's artillery.
The troops fought with exemplary bravery. The in-
fantry fought on this occasion with brilliant courage ;
they surmounted a double obstacle (the river and canal)
under a murderous fire, and repeatedly at the point of
the bayonet drove back a superior number of the enemy
from strong positions, defended by entrenchments care-
fully erected to suit the ground.
Despite the relative disadvantage of its position, our
artillery acted with great success ; more than once it
silenced the enemy's batteries situate in positions which
commanded it, and which cruelly cut up our infantry.
All the officers, from the highest to the lowest grade,
gave the example of the greatest intrepidity and dis-
regard of danger. Unhappily, a great number have
fallen victims to their noble devotion. Among the
slain the army has to regret the loss of Aide-de-Camp-
General Read, Commander of the 3d Corps of 'lnfantry;
Aide-de-Camp-General Baron Wrevsky, killed at my
side by a cannon ball, and who had previously re-
ceived coatusiov., • horse Lavin beea :454 WlV_r

Among the wounded are Major-General de Wrancken,
Commander of the sth Division, (happily only slightly
wounded in the arm), the two commanders of brigade
of that division, Major-General Prouskouriakoff, (se-
verely) and Touloubieff ; and Major-General de Gribbe,
Commanding the Ist Brigade of the 17th Division.
The following received contusions :—Major-General
de Ifagmann, chief of the 3d Artillery Division, severely
wounded in the head ; Major-General Levoutsky, Com-
mander of the 2d Brigade of tha 12th Division of Infan-
try; Major-General de Grotenfeld, Quartermaster-Gene-
ral of the 3d Corps of Infantry (who had two horses
killed under him); and General Ogareff, Commander of
the Ist Brigade of the 12th Division of Infantry.
Major-General Kryjanovsyk, chief of the artillery
staff, had his horse killed under him.
Our loss is very considerable. The loss of the enemy
is also great.
In the battle of the 4th (16th) August, though it has
not pleased God to give us the victory, the whole army
performed its duty with that sentiment of honour which
characterises the Russian soldier, and which I feel it my
sacred duty to bring to the notice of his Majesty the
Emperor.

(The report adds the lists of those officers who more
especially distinguished themselves.)

SUPPLEMENTARY NUMERICAL RETURN OF
CASUALTIES ON AUGUST 15.
Commissariat Department-1 officer wounded.
SUPPLEMENTARY NOMINAL RETIT'''
OFFICER SER.VINO—IN THE CIUMEZ7WHO
HAS BEEN WOUNDED, AUGUST 15.
Commissariat—Deputy-Assistant Commissary-General
Charles G. Blanc, slightly.
NUMERICAL RETURN OF CASUALTIES FROM
THE 17TH TO THE 19TH AUG., INCLUSIVE.
3d Battalion Grenadier Guards-2 rank and file,
wounded.
Ist Battalion Coldstream Guards-2 rank and file killed ;
6 rank and file wounded.
tat Battalion Scots Fusilier Guards-1 rank and file,
killed ; 1 officer, 3 rank and file, wounded.
Ist Battalion Ist Regiment of Foot-2 rank and file
wounded.
2d Battalion Ist Regiment of Foot-1 serjeant killed.
3d Foot-1 rank and filo killed; 2 officers, 1 serjeant,
7 rank and file wounded.
4th Foot-4 rank and file wounded. 4
7th Foot-2 rank and file wounded.
9th Foot-2 rank and file killed
_; 3 rank and file
wounded.
17th Foot-3 rank and file wounded.
18th Foot-1 rank and file killed ; 6 rank and file
wounded.
19th Foot-1 rank and file wounded.
20th Foot-3 rank and file wounded.
21st Foot-1 rank and file wounded.
23d Foot-2 rank and file killed; 10 rank and file
wounded.
28th Foot-1 rank and file Allied ;1, officer, 1 sergeant,
2 rank and file wounded.
30th Foot-2 rank and file wounded.
31st Foot-4 rank and file killed; 2 sergeants, 5 rank and
file, wounded.
33d Foot-1 rank and file wounded.
34th Foot-1 rank and file killed ; 5 rank and file
wounded.
34th Foot-6 rank and file wounded.
41st Foot-1 sergeant, 4 rank and file wounded.
42d Foot-1 rank and file killed ; 3 rank and file
wounded.
44th Foot-1 sergeant wounded.
46th Foot-1 sergeant, 1 rank and file wounded.
47th Foot-1 rank and file killed; 6 rank and file
wounded.
48th Foot-1 sergeant, 3 rank and file wounded.
49th Foot-1 rank and file killed; 1 sergeant, 7 rank
and file wounded.
55th Foot-2 rank and file wounded.
57th Foot-1 sergeant, 2 rank and file wounded.
62d Foot-1 rank and file wounded.
68th Foot-1 rank and file wounded.
72d Foot-1 rank and file killed.
77th Foot-1 officer, 10 rank and file wounded.
79th Foot-1 rank and file killed ; 8 rank and file
wounded.
88th Foot-2 rank and file killed; 1 drummer, 5 rank
and file wounded.
90th Foot-1 rank and file wounded.
93d Foot-5 rank and file wounded.
95th Foot-2 rank and file wounded.
97th Foot-1 officer, 1 rank and file wounded.
Ist Battalion Rifle Brigade-2 rank and file wounded.
2d Battalion Rifle Brigade-2 rank and file killed; 1
drummer, 21 rank and file wounded.
Royal Artillery-1 officer, five rank and file killed; 2
officers, 2 sergeants, 44 rank and file wounded.
Royal Sappers and Miners-3 rank and file killed; 5
rank and file wounded.
Total-1 officer, 1 sergeant, 33 rank and file killed ; 8
officers, 12 sergeants, 2 drummers, 211 rank and file
wounded.

NOMINAL RETURN OF OFFICERS WHO HAVE
BEEN KILLED FROM THE 17TH TO THE 19TH
OF AUGUST, INCLUSIVE.
Aua. 17.
KILLED.
Royal Artillery—Captain Anthony Oldfield.

NOMINAL RETURN OF OFFICERS WHO HAVE
BEEN WOUNDED, FROM THE 17m TO THE
19TH AUGUST, INCLUSIVE.
AuG. 17.
WOUNDED.
3d Foot—Lieuts. J. B. Dennis, mortally ; B. J. Calde-
cott, slight T.
28th Foot—Lieut.-Colonel R. J. Raumgartner, slightly.
77th Foot—Lieut. R. P. Armstrong, slightly.
Royal Artillery—Brevet-Major C. S. Henry, severely.
AUG. is.
97th Foot—Lieut. and Adjutant W. Derman, mortally
(since dead)