The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-01 00:00:00

NAVAL OPERATIONS IN THE SEA OF
AZUFF.

DESTRUCTION OF THE TOWN OF GHRISK.
The following extracts from private letters of
one of the officers of the squadrons in the Sea of
Azoff, to a friend, will be found interesting ;
"Off Mariopol, Nov. 2.
" We arrived here with nine vessels this afternoon at
at out one o'clock, and about two in the middle watch we
weigh again to attack Ghrisk first, about 20 miles off.
All our boats' crews are ready for landing with two
days' provisions for each man.
" Nov. 3.—We got under weigh early this morning,
but not quite so soon as we expected, and stood into
Mariopol with a flag of truce lying, and they soon an-
swered it from the town; and the Grinder, with an officer
from the Vesuvias, went in and sent a boat on shore.
We h tel not the remotest idea what the flag of truce was
about. The officer remained on shore, talking to some
Russian officers on the beach, about half an hour, and,
whatever it was about, it seemed to be satisfactory, as
we all got under weigh again, and put to sea. We are
now near Ghrisk, but it is too dark to see anything.
An expedition will go away to-morrow. All our boats'
crews have received orders to be in readiness in the
morning. They will have to go into a lake, and it is to
be hoped they will not find the water so sh:llow as they
did at Temriouk, and cause them to fail getting near the
town.
" Nov. s.—Yesterday, Ardent, Weser, and Curlew
attacked the sea side of the new town (Ghrisk.) All the
marines and as many men as could be spared went in-
side the lake in the gun-boats. Recruit, Cracker,
Grinder, and Boxer attacked the old town. We kept up
a heavy fire during the morning, which was answered
from rifle-pits in front of the town, and in the afternoon
we landed on a spit to the left, and destroyed the cus-
tom-house and several large buildings by fire. Some
cavalry rode out and attacked our boats' crews
employed in this business, but of course to do so
they had to expose themselves to a heavy fire
from the ships, which they got, and no mis-
take ; many and many an empty saddle telling
sad tales of the correctness of our fire. Our men finished
their work before they again embarked, as the cavalry,
owirg to our cover, could not remain long on the spit;
and as the shades of evening began to close around us
we could see the old town in a perfect blaze, showing
that the other division of our squadron had also suc-
ceeded. To-day the gun-boats got cloie to the town,
so the place was half surrounded. It is a very large
place and well built ; in fact, the first Russian town
I have seen. After shelling it for an hour, the gun-
boats landed their men on the lake side, and we
lauded ours on this. They began to advance about
ten o'clock ; but as they neared the town the head-
most column received such a tremendous fire that they
had to fall back. They had no sooner done this when
it became evident to us that the enemy were out in very
strong force, and that our men stood a chance of being
cut off. Lieutenant Ross, of the Weaser, did hesitate,
but at all risks formed a junction with them, by
crossing in front of the town, and this move saved
them, for we could then see, as the Russians in their
turn fell back, how nearly they were surrounded.
During the whole of the day our men were on the
advance, and the town in several parts in flames ; all
their windmills and one or two manufactories were
burnt to the ground. We had to fire hard far it, for
the Russians kept up really a terrific fire • the extent of
it must have been three miles, and we should have suf-
fered very heavily had it not been for sundry stacks of
wood and. mounds of earth, which afforded us shelter.
Having destroyed all we could, and seeing the necessity
to keep the open ground in our position, we beat a re-
treat at half-past two, and embarked the men. Although
the enemy had such heaps of troops in the town they
did not care, after yesterday's experience, to follow up
our retreat, or attack us in any way. Having destroyed
an immense deal of property, and made the enemy suffer
in loss of life to a considerable extent, we shall soon, I
suppose, start to attack some other place. Our loss in
the attack upon Ghrisk was three men killed and three
badly wounded. _

"Yenikale, Nov. 13.
" We arrived here this morning, having experienced
a heavy gale for the la,t three or four days. We found
several of our squadron at anchor here, but looking in
just such a had plight as ourselves ; in fact worse.
Harpy was high and dry, nearly out of the water alto-
gether ; so after all we are not the worst. We left
Ghli6k with the idea of attacking Arabat, which was to
have been the finishing stroke to this year's operations
in the Sea of Azoff ; but on arriving here we find the
expedition is abandoned. All the squadron, it appears,
are to return to Genitchi again, except Weser and Re-
cruit, which are to await at Kertch for further orders
from the commander-in-chief."