The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-01 00:00:00

DESPATCH FROM GENERAL PELISSIER

The Moniteur of yesterday publishes the follow-
ing despatch from General Pelissier to the Minister
of War. It is dated July 17 :
" Monsieur le Mar•Schal,—For some time the besieged
had not ventured from their works, except to reconnoitre
and examine by a few men as far as possible our works
of approach. In the night, between the 14th and 15th,
as I have already had the honour to announce to you
summarily by telegraph, they attempted a bold stroke
against the left of our advanced works against the
Malakhoff. You are already aware that it did not suc-
ceed. We have crowned with a strong gabionade the
quarries situated between the Brancion redoubt (Mame-
lon) and the Malakhoff tower, thus forming a confirm, us
line, the right of which is secured on the Careening
ravine by a large place d'armes, and the left of which
well defended by good ambuscades near the Karabelnaia
ravine. A temporary ambuscade, occupied only by a
few skirmishers in holes, was made on the extreme left,
with a view to attract the enemy's fire.
"This line, the centre point of defence of which is the
Brancion redoubt, was occupied, on the right, by Lieu-
tenant Colonel Granchette of the 49th of the line, with
three battalions of his regiment, having the 4th Chas-
senrs-a-Pied as a reserve.

" Lieutenant-Colonel de Chabron, of the 86th, com-
manded the left, consisting of a battalion of his regiment
and of the 91st of the line. Forty Voltigeurs who had
occupied the ambuscade on the left received a support
during the night of 200 picked men of the 91st, com-
manded by Commandant Teillier. The first battalion of
the 100th Regiment, placed in the parallel, was to act,
according to circumstances, either on the right or on
the left. Finally, the Karabelnaia ravine was strongly
occupied in the rear by a battalion of each of the two
regiments of the Grendiers of the Imperial Guard, and
by 200 marksmen of the 100th of the Line.
" The commencement of the night, which a stormy
sky and no moon rendered obscure, offered nothing par-
ticular, but about one o'clock in the morning a c
insi-
derable sortie took Waco against the English lines,
though without re,ult. Half-an-hour later a Russian
column, five or six battalions strong, advanced by tee
bottom of the Karabelnaia ravine, and debouched on our
left. Our skirmishers in the temporary ambuscade fell
back, as they were instructed to do, and gave the alarm.
" They had scarcely done so when on came the Rus-
sians with loud hurrahs, and keeping up a well sup-
ported fire of musketry. They were received at fair
distance by a fire equally energetic, and despite their
efforts they could net get near our works. By half-
an-hour they renewed their attacks, but without suc-
cess,. Finally, crushed by our fusillade and by the well-
directed fire from two of our batteries they were com-
pelled to retreat, carrying away their killed and wounded,
and abandoning in front of our gabionade muskets, ac-
coutrements, and five killed, one of whom was an officer.
" The loss of the enemy must have been considerab!e.
Ours, happily, was small, for during the 24 hours' duty,
and including this combat, the Motterouge division.
which was on duty, only lost 20 men killed, and 94
wounded.

" These excellent results are due to the bravery and
firmness of the troop,, to the good arrangements made
by the General of Brigade Uhrich' on duty in the
trencheg, as also to the energy of Lieutenant-Colonel de
Chabron, and of C )minandant Taller, of the 91st, both
of them excellent officers.
"I have this moment received the reports of General
Bosquet on a new sortie attempted by the Russians last
night.
" The enemy, having vainly attempted, as your Ex