The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-24 00:00:00

THE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.

(From the Morning Herald Correspondent.)
ENGLISH CAMP, HEIGHTS OF
SEBASTOPOL, MAY 9.

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rather to increase than otherwise. lam informed
s
that some of the regiments, on being disembarked
from the Kertch expedition, actually hissed and
groaned, and that one, a French regiment, was
almost in a state of mutiny. Admiral Lyons and
Sir George Brown did their utmost to induce the
French Admiral Bruat to disregard the order, and
proceed, but he declined, though quite as much
chagrined and disappointed as the rest, the respon-
sibility of such a step.
We are in a state of the most perfect idleness at
present. Except during the night, when the work-
ing parties go down to the trenches, there is not
even the semblance of active hostilities g•iing for-
ward. From sunrise to sunset, our attacks never
fire a shot, and the French are as quiet as ourselves .
Only our large mortars fire once every hour, in re-
ply to al,,out a dozen guns from the enemy. We
are in short doing absolutely nothing, and as far
:is wo are able to judge, we are not likely to do
much more for some time to come.

I do not suppose another expedition to Kertch
will be attempted, yet no other place is open to us.
At Theodosia a blow might be struck, but to be
effectual it should be done at once, for as soon as
Kertch is secured the Russians are sure to throw
up strong works round Theodosia. The general
opinion seems to be that 35,000 or 4),000 of the
French will take the field, accompanied by the
Turkish and English cavalry ; but no one can for
a moment conjecture in what direction they would
or could move. It is impossible to go two miles in
any direction from our lines without coming upon
the entrencked camps of the enemy. In the mean-
time, however, the cavalry are being drilled and
inspected as if something was really on the tapis.
Yesterday the whole of the French cavalry were
inspected by Canrobert and Raglan near the Eng-
lish head-quarters. They turned out between 4000
And. 5000 effective horsemen, all, both men and
animals, in good hard-working condition. To-day
the Turkish cavalry were reviewed, and in point of
'liscipline and efficiency made the best appearance
of any. There were only about 800 of them, but
the men were stout active fellows, clean, and well
equipped ; the horses small, but high-spirited and
in fine condition. There was one regiment of
Turkish Dragoons, and one of Lancers. Both went
►hrough their evolutions slowly, but with a pre-
oision and good order which I have seldom seen
surpassed ; and the well ordered, compact, and
rapid charge they made at the close of the day's
manoeuvres was most brilliant.

A couple of days since the English cavalry was
inspected on the heights above Kadikoi. The light
and heavy bridge, united with the 10th Hussars,
who have just arrived, and muster 650 sabres,
made a total force of 1,400 men. To this force the
11th Hussars could only contribute one serjeant
and two privates ; but, as the weather is now ap-
parently settled fine, the sick horses are fast reco-
vering, and each day will add to our cavalry
strength. The 12th Lancers, part of whom have
already landed from the Himalaya, muster 850
sabres. So that before the end of this week we shall
be able to show at least 2,000 effective horsemen ;
and these united with the French and Turks would
make a very respectable figure in a pitched battle.
Some of the officers and staff of the Sardinian
contingent landed at Kamiesh yesterday. A few
of the officers have been down to Balaklava and
the English camp, but as yet none of the troops.
It is said that the safe keeping of our lines at Bala-
klava is to be confided to the Sardinians ; and the
Highlanders, rifles, and marines, moved to the
front. None will more rejoice at such a movement
than the Highlanders themselves. •Up to the pre-
sent time they have had but little of the hardships
4. the campaign, and still less of the actual fighting,
and they long to be again in the front, taking their
share of the struggles in the trenches. It is very
probable that as soon as all the Sardinians are ar-
rived our line will be extended to its old position
along the Woronzow-road. With the large force of
cavalry which is likely to be kept at Balaklava some
iuch step will be absolutely necessary to give us
camping room. At present our ground is exceed-
ingly crowded, and with the arrival of fresh troops
will become still more so.

By the way, has it ever struck the authorities
chat even the facilities of Balaklava harbour are
limited, and that now we have exceeded them? We
rave at present 30,000 English troops here. With
he drafts of cavalry and infantry that are expected,
the land transport corps, and 15,000 Sardinians, we
tre likely, before a couple of months, to be 6;),000
Urong ; and for such a force, and all its stores and
provisions, Balaklava is too small. Already it is
)vercrowded in every way, and each day becomes
core so. Another place must soon be selected, as

for the provisions anti munitions of war for even
tOOO men it will not contain a sufficient number of
vessels, much less afford them sufficient room to

isenthark their stores.

. -
Lieutenant Beak, R.E., who was dangerously
wounded in the trenches a few nights back, sunk
under his injuries, and died yesterday evening. He
is very deeply regretted, not only by the officers of
his own corps, among whom lie was distinguished
for ability and zeal, but by all who knew him.
I am also very sorry to say that several fresh
cases of Asiatic cholera appeared in different reyi-
inents in camp to-day ; three of them proved fatal.
Fever and other diseases generally stem'on the de-
cline, except among the 79th Highlanders, where
a most malignant typhus is still very prevalent.
The 71st Highlanders have been moved up to
the front, and, with the 48th Regiment and 3d
Buffs, occupy the ground between the light and
fourth divisions.

THURSDAY, MAY 10.
About one o'clock this morning the camp in front
was roused up by an extremely heavy fire of mus-
ketry and repeated cheering along our Right At-
tack. The elevated ground and ridges in front of
the Third and Fourth Divisions were soon crowded
with groups of men from the tents in the rear. It
was a very dark night, for the moon had not yet
risen, and the sky was overcast with clouds, but
the incipient flashing of small arms which lighted
up the front of the trenches, the yell of the Rus
sians (which our soldiers have christened " the
Inkermann screech"), the cheers of our men, and
the volume of the fire indicated the position, and I
showed that a contest of no ordinary severity was
taking place. There is an earnestness and reality
about the musketry on such occasions which
has a language of its own that cannot be mistaken.
The regularity and precision of the jeu de joie,, the
platoon or fire firing of our reviews, have little kiu
with the passionate, intense, and startling bursts
of rifle and musket, and give but an imperfect
notion of the deadly rattle and fitful roll of I
small arms in action, where every man is loading
and firing as rapidly as he can, and where th e
formation of the line is altering every moment.
For a mile and a-half the darkness was broken by
outbursts of ruddy flame and bright glittering,
sparks, which advanced, receded, died out alto-
gether, broke out fiercely in patches in innumer-
able twinkles, flickered in long lines like the elec-
tric flash along a chain, and formed for an instant
craters of fire. By the time I had reached the
front—about five minutes after the firing began—
the fight was raging all along the right of our posi-
tion, and as some extra men had been sent down
to the batteries when the relief marched down it
was thought that we might have made an attack on
the Russian works close to our advanced trenches,
hut it was soon tolerably certain that the enemy
had either made a sortie upon Gordon's new works,
or a vigorous assault upon the men in front of the
trenches. I cannot now ascertain the particulars of
the affair, even if one could have the heart to dis-
turb the poor fellows who may have come up from
the trenches, and I can only describe what I saw.
It seemed as if the fiercest and most determined
struggle took place on the left of our right attack,
but the ground is so very deceitful at night that it
is impossible to determine localities with anything
like precision. The wind was favourable for hear-
ing, and the cheers of the men, their shouts, the
voices of the officers, the Russian bugles and our
own, were distinctly audible. The bugles of the
Light Division and of the Second Division were
sounding the " turn out" on our right as we
reached the high ground, and soon afterwards the
.
alarm sounded through the French camp close te.
them. Hundreds of the soldiers had got up,
were drawn up, watching with the most intense
r
terest the fight before them, as far as they colu.frldhtsed
see
it. The tents of the Fourth Division we
up, and the old Inkerman men were all e
anxious
and ready for the word to march, should their
is e i
cesberfeociruairqeuda.rtel; The
ef
amusketry,n having
hour, began tgo rolled
cease
incessantly
at intervals along the line. Here and there
it stopped for a moment altogether ; again it burst
forth. Then came a British cheer, which thrilled
-through every heart. " Our fellows have driven
them back ; bravo !" Then a Russian yell, a fresh
burst of musketry, more cheering, a rolling volley
subsiding into spattering flashes and broken fire, a
ringing hurrah from the front ; and then the Rus-
sian bugles sounding the " retreat," and our own
bugles the " cease firing," and the attack, after
half-an-hour's duration, was over. The enemy
were beaten, and were retiring to
their earthworks; now the batteries opened to cover their re-
treat. The Redan, Round Tower, Garden Batte-
ries, and Road Battery,
ships, lighted up the airroanaidetbd
the
probably
ofb ythtehier
guns. The batteries at Careening-bay and at the
north Side of the harbour oontriblited their Area

and the sky was seamed by the red track of innu..-
remaaner,
anrnaoble.
_shells. You could see clearly at times the
ground close around you from the flashes of the
ol lines. es. The round shot tore the air with a harsh
o
nd shells burst almost in volleys along our
Theßussians were avenging themselves as
best they might fo
r their
andanger
repulse, and
mightthebe in
extent
vigour
_
theirmortification
ferred from the
they
weight of their can-
nonade. The instant began to fire, our
ever active allies the French, on our right, opened.
from their batteries overhe Inkeramalsonrepalniedd,fanroma
the redoubts to draw off t
Russian guns from.
our men ; and our own batteries
sent shot and shell in the direction
fire was very
elthe retreating
enemy. The effect of this combined
formidable to look at, but was probably
ocii continued,
not nearly
so destructive as that of the musketry.
half-past 1 till 3 o'clock the cannonade From
but the spectators had retired before 2 0
and
tried to sleep as well as they might in the midst of
the thunders of the infernal turmoil. This conflict
must have caused considerable loss, and it is a time
of painful suspense while one is in a state of uncer-
tainty respecting the fate of friends and the result
of such an encounter. Soon after 3 o'clock a.m. it
began to bow and rain with great violence, and on
getting up this morning I really imagined that one
of our terrible winter days had interpolated itself
into our Crimean May. The tents are dank with
wet, the whole camp looks black and miserable,
and one step out of doors takes you over the shoes
in mud.

3 O'CLOCK P.M.

The rain has ceased, and the soil is beginning to
dry up already, but it still blows strongly. It is
stated that the fight last night or this morning was
less
serious than we imagined. The Russians came
on us on the left cf the right attack, close to the
Woronzoff-road, but the troops were ready for
them, and drove them back in spite of their very
heavy musketry.
up a heavy fire fromApard
took them in flank, and, although the enemy kept
sortie, or even a premeditatedof the Lighdt.dDivisbiont
little injury.
It does a
it was, the Russians were
t earnecaet,tacthke
not appear to have been a
They had pushed
is a strong column of
completely but,l
uwhat-
evers foiled.o
troops, and proceeded, it supposed, to execute
the advanced some works in the rear of parties
which were sent on towards our lines to shield
the works from observation. Our
sentries
on the alert and gave the alars es
alarm, and
as
were
the enemy drew near the men were in
rea-
ness for them. The Russians
crept upon
their bellies, delivered a volley at the parapet
which did no harm, and then rushed on, but they
were received by a very heavy and well-directed
discharge of Minies, which killed and wounded a
considerable number of them. They then lay
down again, loaded, and fired from the ground,
but their officers in vain endeavoured to lead theta
up to our lines, from which our troops kept up an
incessant fire. A portion of the Light Division,
moving towards the left, charged another party of
Russians coming up close to the Woronzoff-road,
and utterly routed them. The enemy, who lost
at every volley, notwithstanding their caution,
after uttering repeated cheers and yells, principally
raised, one may imagine, by the officers, retreated
down the hill, and it could be seen that they bore
great numbers of dead and wounded along with
them. It is supposed the Russians had 150 hors
de combat. The tremendous cannonade they opened
was unattended with much effect, considering its
weight and intensity, and was only so much waste
of ammunition, but our fire on their retreating
columns must have added considerably to their
casualties.

The total loss in the Light Division last night, I
am glad to say, turns out to be only 14 hors de
combat. Lieutenant Lawrence, of the 34th Regi-
ment, and three men were wounded. The gallant
7th Regiment had five men wounded; the 88th had
three men ; the 90th, one man ; and the 23d, one
man wounded. The Russians have succeeded in
getting five mortars to bear upon our right attack,
which are likely to increase our casualties. We
have never had so many mortars directed against
this one spot at any time previous to the present.
FRIDAY, May 11.—Last night, about 10 o'clock,
there was another alarm along our lines. It was
exceedingly dark, and the wind was high. The
sentries in front challenged and gave the alert, and
the men who were in the advanced parallels began
to fire with steadiness and rapidity at a body of
Russians who were trying to get up to them in the
darkness. The enemy replied, and for a time there
was a desultory firing, the flashes from which were
visible, but it was impossible to hear, owing to
the violence of the wind. The fight took place in
front of our right, attack, and was over in about
half-an-hour or less. The instant the enemy re-
tired their batteries oli.ened as before, and threw
very heavy and repeated f1i.2,-hts of shot and shell
upon our works. The 2.1 Division were the prin-
cipal sufferers. The newly-arrived battalions of
the Royals received their bapteme de fcu, and had
three men killed and four wounded, principally by
shells—altogether we ha I nine men killed and
seven wounded.- Most of the wounds are of a very
serious character, being inflicted by jagged pieces
of boinl,s.

Omar Pasha visited Lord Raglan yesterday, and
rode out with the Field-Marshal subsequently
towards Balaklava. It was Lieutenant Rochfort,
of the 49th Regiment, who was wounded the other
night, and not Corban, as I was erroneously in-
formed. The last-named officer went home some

time ago.

SAT6ILDAY MORNING, May 12, 10 a.m.—Last
night, iu the midst of an awful storm of rain and.
wind—so thick that no one could see a yard be-
yond him—a body of Russians came up on our
left attack, but the sentries gave the alarm just
in, time ; and Colonel Macbeth, of the 68th Regi-
ment, got his men into order and received the
first fire of the enemy as they came up to the
trench with perfect steadiness. Some of the Rus-
sians lept up on the parapet and jumped into the
battery, where they at once met their fate. There
was a desperate struggle between the Russians
and the men of the 68th outside the lines, in which
the bayonet was freely used on both sides ; but the
enemy were repulsed by our fellows, led by Col.
Macbeth, Lieutenant Hamilton, and a sergeant of
the 68th. I regret to say that Captain Lloyd Ed-
wards and six men of the 68th were killed, and 22
men of the same regiment were wounded. We
took some wounded prisoners. It is, of course,
impossible at this early hour to ascertain the par-
ticulars of the attack, as the men have not come
up from the works yet. Some of our men were
wounded by stones flung by the Russians, whose
guns would not go off owing to the wet. The
enemy lost heavily, and they were seen dragging
off their dead during the night.
It is now blowing hard, and it has rained all
night. The camp is a mass of mud, and has re-
sumed its old wintry aspact.