The Sun.
London, England, 1855-09-05 00:00:00

A SORTIE REPULSED.

AUG. 25, NOON.—We have had an agitated night
and morning. There was a good deal of firing in
the evening, which increased towards 1 o'clock,
about which time a sortie was attempted by the
Russians against the Ma,melon, but promptly re-
pelled. The troops not being up from the trenches,
lam unable to give you details. The firing was
very heavy for a short time—as heavy as any
night-firing that has been heard here for a long
time past. At 2 a.m. the Highland Division
marched to support the Sardinians. The whole
army was under arms before daylight, an attack
being fully expected, and General Simpson and
his staff went out and round the lines. At this
present time all is quiet, but the troops are or-
dered to be in readiness. So strong was the expec-
tation of an action on the Tchernaya, owing to
the movements of the Highlanders and other indi-
cations, that several amateurs went down to the
ground where the battle, it was thought, would
occur. The hour compels me to close this letter,
hut, according to every appearance, my next must
take you news of a collision. It is intensely hot
to-day, and the Russians generally are very quiet
from noon till 1 or 2 o'clock, probably eating or
reposing.

We have received the Monitellr of yesterday.
It publishes the following letters, taken from the
correspondence brought to the Minister of War by
the last mail from the East :

"THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ENGLISH ARMY
TO THE COMMANDER IN-CHIEF OF THE FRENCH
ARMY.

"Head-quarters before Sebastopol, Aug. 18.

" Monsieur le General-en-Chef,—l hasten to commu-
nicate to you a tele4raphic despatch I have just received
from Lord Panroure, our Minister of War.
"His Excellency informs me that the news of the vic-
tory of the 16th of August reached London on the 17th,
and that the Queen was immediately informed thereof.
He adds that her Majesty has charged me to cont!ratu-
late, in her name, her brave allies on the result of this
engagement, in which they have worthily maintained
the military reputation of their respective nations.
"I am happy at being on this occasion the interpreter
of the sentiments of our Sovereign.—l am, &e ,

"J. SIMPSON."

"THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE FRENCH ARMY TO

THE MINISTER OF WAR.

"Head-quarters before Sebastopol, Aug. 20.
"Monsieur le Marechal, I have the honour to send
to you the annexed copy of the correspondence which
has, within the last few days, been exchanged with
Prince Gortschakoff relative to the carrying off the
wounded and the burial of the Russian slain after the
affair of the 16th of Auaust.
"The Russian batteries of Mackenzie committed the
inexplicable error of firing upon our field ambulances
while employed in picking up such of our wounded ad-
versaries as still remained on the field of battle, and long
after our riflemen had ceased to fire.

"The commanders of those batteries have given an
inadmissible explanation to their general, to whom I
complained of their sad conduct. Such conduct does
not do honour to the enemy's artillery:
" I❑ endeavourinv, to palliate the faults of his subor-
dinates, Prince Gortchakoff has thoulht fit, however, to
render full homage to the humanity so strikingly evinced
by our 'soldiers. They were, in fact, as generous after
victory as they were brave in the fight, and I feel proud
to command such men. —I am, &c.,
" PELISSIER."

" THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE VRENCII ARMY TO
PRINCE GORTSCHAOKFF, COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF
THE RUSSIAN ARMY IN THE CRIMEA.
" Head-quarters before Sebastopol, Aug. 16.
" Mon,ieur le General-en Chef,—l hasten to forward
to your Excellency a pocket-book, containing money
and a letter which, on examination, were found to belong
to General Read, commander of a corps of the Russian
army.
" I have reason to believe that the body of that
general officer remains on the field of battle, and orders
have been given to make a strict search for it.—
I have, &c., " PELISSIER."

"PRINCE GORTSCIfAKOFF TO THE COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
OF THE FRENCH ARMY IN THE CRIMEA.
" Sebastopol, Aug. 7th (19th).
" Monsieur le Commandant-en•Chef,—l have the
honour to acknowledge your Excellency's communica-
tion of the 16th of August, with the pocket-hook con-
taining money and a letter belonging to General Read.
" I publicly acknow:edge an act of so touch courtesy,
and the generous solicitude which inclueed your Excel-