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

THE BATTLE OF THE TCHERNAYA.

We extract the following thrilling description of
the retreat of the Russians on the 16th, from a
letter just received in Paris :
"The victory of the 16th is much more important
than was at first supposed. The Russians have not less
than 8,500 hors de combat. They left 3,000 dead on the
field. We have transported 1,686 wounded in our am-
bulances, and have made, besides, more than 600 unhurt
prisoners. I do not know the number of killed and
wounded that have remained in the hands of the Sar-
dinians, but they are said to be considerable. Our loss
is now ascertained correctly; we have 1,250, 87 of
whom are officers, hors de combat, and the Sardinians
have, it is said, not more than from 300 to 400.
"At 2 a.m. the Russians, taken in flank, and cut to
pieces by our field artillery, which General Lebeuf had
placed at a short distance from the bridges established
by the Russians on the Tchernaya, were in full retreat,
still galled by our artillery and by the rolling fire of
musketry and the Zouaves. The scene at that moment
was one of awful confusion. It was in vain that the
Russian Gbnerala made the most desperate attempts to
stay and rally the thousands who were wildly flying ;
the Russ:an soldiers, panic-stricken, under the influ-
ence of terror, opened for themselves a passage
through the battalions, decimated and falling by hun-
dreds under the fire of two batteries of the Imperial
Guard, and two English batteries established on the
heights which command Tchorgoun. The bridge, which
was far too narrow for the heavy compact mass which
rushed to it, became the scene of the most frightful con-
fusion. The cavalry, equally terrified, spurred their
horses into the very midst of the wretched fugitives, and
trampled them under foot, without regard to the dying
and mutilated, who lay in heaps under them. The waters
of the Tchernaya, red with gore, bore along a crowd of
carcases. Rafts had been hastily put together to facili-
tate the retreat of the Russians. Our men profited by
them, and dashed along in pursuit of the flying foe. It
was then that a considerable number of prisoners was
made ; and up to this moment I have counted 1,800.
Over an extent of eight kilometres the ground was
strewn with dead bodies, with the mutilated and the
dying."
The following is an extract from a private letter
from an officer of the Zouaves
" Before Sebastopol, Aug. 21.
" The Russians are preparing to attack us again ; the
affair of the 16th has not satisfied them. Be it so ; we
will try to satisfy them this time. In the meantime
we have received orders to leave head-quarters at two
o'clock, and march to the Chersonese plateau, near
the telegraph which commands the plain of the Tcher-
naya. The whole of the guard is thus united and
massed behind the division of General Bosquet, ready
to carry succour to the lines of the Tchernaya ;
indeed, we have only to descend the hill by the
Woronzoff road. From our position we enjoy a mag-
nificent view—on the right Balaklava and the Genoese
forts ; from right to left the plain of Balaklava and the
Tchernaya, which flows winding along at our feet ; to
the left the Woronzofl road and the valley of the Baidar
which we see through many mountain gorges. I re-
turned this morning from the careening trenches near
the aqueduct. You may see that we enjoy very little
rest. Our works are terminated, or very nearly so. A
little patience yet awhile, and we shall arrive at our
object. Our men, whose health is excellent, have always
the sine impulsive spirit, and the same devotedness,
and a man ought to be proud to command such soldiers."

General Count Benkendorff, Russian Military Pleni-
potentiary at Berlin, visited the head• quarters of the
King of Prussia at Grossbeuthen on the 30th ult., and,
after witnessing the last manoeuvres of the Guards, set
out for Dresden.
A monster bell is about to be hung in a wooden tower,
40 ft high, close to the police-station in the Southampton
deck, to sound an alarm in case of fire breaking out
amongst the shipping or warehouses in the docks. The
bell will weigh 5 owt.
ATTENDANCE AT THE JUDGES' CHAMBERS.—The days
fixed for the attendance of Mr. Justice Willes at cham-
bers are Tuesday and Friday in each week until the ter-
mination of the vacation.
DOVER CASTLE.—At the end of the present month,
under the act of Parliament, Dover Castle will be closed
as a prison for debtors, when those who are in custody
will be removed to Maidstone County Gaol.
THE MAILS.—SOUTHAMPTON, Sept. 3.—The Royal
Mail Company's steam-ship Tyne, Captain Valier, sailed
this afternoon with the West India, Mexican, and
Pacific mails, 105 passengers, 1,030/. in specie, 5001.
value jewellery, and a full general cargo. The Atrato,
Captain Woolley, with the homeward portion of the
above mails is hourly expected. The non-arrival of this
vessel is supposed to be occasionei by the present state
of the company's service in the West Indies.
The Nord, which sometimes publishes some surprising
statements, says that "Napoleon and Lord Palmerston
have promised the King of Mardinia to add Tuscany,
with the Duchies of Modena and Parma to his do-
minions."
RETURN OF MR. AND MRS. C. H. BRACEBRIDGE FROM
THE EAST.—ATHERSTONE, Monday.—On its becoming
Mrs.known that Mr. and Bracebridge were about to
return from their benevolent mission in the East, the in-
habitants of this town determined, in acknowledgment
of their devoted. services, to give them a hearty public
welcome to their home at Atherstone-hall. At the head
of this movement were Earl Howe, Sir G. Chetwynd,
Mr. Dugdale, late M.P. for Warwickshire, Mr. Adder-
ley, M.P., Sir John Chetwode, Mr. Baxter, and most of
the leading gentry. This day was, consequently observed
as a perfect holyday in the town and district. On the
arrival of the train, Mr. and Mrs. Bracebridge were
loudly cheered by the crowds assembled to meet, them,
and when they had taken their seats in the carriage pre-
pared for their reception, a procession was formed,
which passed through the town under triumphal arches
festooned with evergreens, and inscribed with various
appropriate mottoes.
DINNER TO SIR J. FERGUSSON, BART., M.P.—This

gentleman, so recently returned from the Crimea, was
entertained at a public dinner, in the King's Arms,
Maybole, on Wednesday last. About 140 tenantry and
others sat at table. Several gentlemen from a distance
were present. John M'Clymont, Esq., Balsaggart, oc-
cupied the chair, and William Kennedy, Esq., Kilhen"
zie, acted as croupier. After the table had been cleared,
and the usual loyal toasts disposed of, the
.Chairman
gave the health of the guest of the evening in a short
but appropriate speech, which was enthunastically re-
[ !piaci to.