The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-03 00:00:00

SLEGB OF SEBASTOPOL.

PROGRESS OF THE BOMBARDMENT.

( Prom the Special Correspondent of tlce Morning Herald.):
-
ENGLISH CAMP, iTza,-*L-ITh
• • SEBASTOPOL:AP= 14.
In my letter of this morning I mentioned the sortie on
the French last night ; but only. as *slight affair. The
truth has now transpired, and it turns out to have been a
more serious attack than I was at first led to believe.
The enemy came down from the Flagstaff Battery in
Ante but fofttfiStely: bur "alliea were 'equally well pre.
pared. - -There was a long and .desperate _struggle. Twice
the Russians succeeded in entering the parallel in advance
of the battery, and twice were they repulsed ; 'the second
time with such "loss as to compel an immediate retreat.
The•-:French made no attempt at pursuit, as the enemy
were within a stone's throw of tlie.ir own batteries. They
_ were thus able to retire -in compaislive order, carrying
most •of their dead land wourided with them. Only I 5
bodies—one,that of al officer--were left behind. •
The French suffered total kss of .between 50 and GO
killed and wonnded. General Bizot (the French General
of Engineers), I regret to say, wan amour; the latter. The
gallant officer who has conducted the siege operations of
our allies since the commencement, without ever receiving
any injury, was in the advance parallel, superintending
the progress of a sap towards the Flagstaff, when the sortie
took place. At the first symptoms of the enemy's ap-
proach he brought up his troops, and made such disposi.
tions as ultimately contributed to the failinle of the attack:
When the fight was almost entirely over he was struck in
the chest' by a chance bullet, which • inflicted a most dan-
gerous, if not a mortal, wound. His loss at this crisis is
most deeply regretted by our allies; among whom he was
universally regarded as the ablest and most active of their
engineering generals.

Shortly after-the sortie took place, Captain Mitchell-
R.A., was killed by a round shot in the trenches. He i:
deeply regretted by the officers of his corps as a gallant
soldier and a most amiable and accomplished young gentle-
man.

Last night the garriz•on at Balaklava was edified by the
sight of an immense number of the enemy's watch-fires along
the Woronzow,road. Though they were spread in all di-
rections they were nothing but mere shams, after all, as
the most minute scrutiny with powerful telescopes failed
to detect any signs of a single soldier being around them.'

At about two in the morning their.out-picket, to the num-
ber of about 30, descended from.their post on Caurobert's
Hill, and advancing into the plain fired a volley in the
direction of our Highland ont-picket. It of course aid no
mischief, as the enemy took good care not to come within
a mile or so. It was evidently done for bravado, or to
harass us. If for the latter purpose it was in its way suc-
cessful, as Sir Colin Campbell insisted on turning out the
troops under arms. A few minutes sufficed to convince
the gallant general that nothing serious was intended, and
the Highlanders again returned to their quarters.

• PRIL 15.
The bombardment was continued heavily throughout the
night from all the mortars. Our supply of shell had ,been
very low indeed, but the indefatigablellr. Beattie and his
railway remove all our difficulties, and as the bombs have
been wanted so they have been supplied. Your readers
will have tome idea of the nature of our bombardment,
when I tell them that up to this evening the English
trenches alone have fired away between 16,000 and 17,000
32 and 63-pounder shot and shell, 7,80 ) 13 inch shell, and
4,500 10-inch shell, making in all about 2,200 tons of shot
and .100 tons of powder already expended. The English
trenches mount 154 guns and mortars, the French 238
ditto ditto, so that between English and French th,-re has
been used during this Week's bombardment abaut 6,000
tons of shot and shell, and some 1,50) or 1,600 tons of
powder. Yet, for all we can say to the contrary, we are
just as likely as not to have another week of the same
work. During the middle of last night, when the
Russians were more than sufficiently compied by our
own and the French guns and mortars, the Gladiator
and Valorous, which were steaming guard off Se-
bastopol, ran in towards the sea forts and fired
three broadsides of shot and shell. The chewy
seemed quite unprepared for the attack, and it was
some two or three minutes before a gun was given in reply-
After that time an irregular scattered volley was opened
at random, and as the night was intensely dark, and the
position of the steam-frigates quite a matter of conjecture,
out of about 10') shots only one 'struck the Valorous. It
merely glanced by her paddle box, ripping np a couple of
planks, and did no further mischief. For the rest of do
night it was easy to see by the lights in the sea forts that
the garrison were on the qui viva. They appeared to re-
main there at their guns all night, but this vigilance was
quite thrown away, as none of our vessels again came
within rate, and were, doubtless, well enough pleased
with the effects of their shot in seeing that the garrison
were kept on "the alert and harassed. To-day the ,firing
has been hot on our side, and sometimes hot on the part of
the enemy, though, on the whole, they have not given one
gun to our two.

The Flagstaff Battery is " nodding to its doom." A I
fsansiderable portion of its 'second tier of guns is quite
silenced. The flanking batteries of the second tier, with
the upper tier, alcne remain in their former vig,our.
To do mere justice to the enemy, they seem determined to
fight it to the last gun. The terrible havoc which the French
mortars and long guns have produced is n..w manifest to
ail. The whole battery is now like a mere pile of earth,
into which the sh9t and shell never cease to pour. Yet
the Russians to the 'last persevere. During the night, in
spite of our bombs, they work at repairing the embra-
sures, and during the day fight their guns until they are

dismounted one after another.
Since the commencement of the bombardment the French
have been quietly driving a sap so as to mine the Flagstaff,
and thus settle the qizestion of its existence at one blow.
The enemy appears to have entertaine:: no suspicion of
the design, so the French have worked away numoleste I.
By this morning the three mines had been completed, and

charged—one of 10001 b. of powder under the centre of the
parapet, and one of 600:b. Ln,ler each of the two ba4tions.

The hour which—it was privately known—had been fixed
fur the springing was four o'clock this afternoon, and ac-
cordingly at about that hour a large number of officers
were on the heights over our batteries to witness the de-
str ucton of this great bulwark of Sebastopol. Lord Raglan
and the principal French and English officers were looking
on, with perhaps hope, perhaps anxiety, for the lofty
mound which had made such a gallant defence, and which
was then to be levelled with the dust. Four o'clock came,
and people grew anxious ; five o'clock, and they desponded ;
six o'clock, and they entirely disbelieved, and even the
most sanguine stragglers walked away.
The fact is, that both at four and at six the French
made two attempts to spring the mine, but, owing to acci-
dents to the fuse, both failed. Fortunately these efforts
did not attract the attention of the enemy ; indeed, while
they were making them the fire of our allies was so incessant
as to leave the Russians no time for attention to anything
else. It is expected even now that the mine will be sprung
in the course of an hour or so.
To-day our advanced 14-gun battery has suffered
extremely from the fire of a new small battery which the
Russians have thrown up near the Garden works. Some
of our guns have been dismounted, and many of our men
killed. It will be repaired in the course of to-night, in
such a manner as to obviate another attack to-morrow.
Should it not do so, the serviceable guns will be removed
to another position, and the work abandoned. This even-
ing, between four and five o'clock, an immense convoy of
about 600 waggons entered Sebastopol from the north side.
It is presumed to be a convoy of powder, of which it is
confidently believed that the enemy are at last short. As
well as could be judged, not 20 men attended the convoy
on its arrival, so it would seem much more probable that.
the Russians are at last-short of troops. However, thugs
are speculations which we can only solve when we gain
possession of the place.
This evening, also, one of our large convoys came in—
viz., the Himalaya, from Suez, with part of the 10th Hus-
sars from India. For the first time since he has been out
here the Himalaya entered the harbour of Balak lava, which
gho almost fills. She mint be towed out stern forernobt,
as the harbour is not sufficiently wide, to admit of her
swinging round.
I am sorry to say we lost another officer in the trenches
hst night, Lieut. H. B. Preston, of the Bitb, having been
killed by a round shot in the advanced work. He was
struck in the cheat, 'and died almost instantly.

APRIL 16.

Last night was rather an exciting one in consequence of
the French at about 9 o'clock making another attempt to
spring their mine. This was'partially successfti, that is to
say a 6001 b. cbarge under one of the bastions was fired, bu t
the other two did not take. The one sprung was under tie
right hand angle of the battery, and seems and is saidto have
been very badly plats id. Most of the charge escaped by the
sap or entranceto the mine, without doing much damage to
the work. Alarmed at the explosion the battery opened a
heavy fire, which continued for nearly 3 quarters of an hour,
And was returned by the French twice as hotly. The
enemy, therefore, ceased their cannonade, evidently under
the belief that the wine which had failed was the only
con-
one
laid. Our rnottsrs, with those
throw of the
SFrench,
with their
then
tinued throughout the night l
usual destruetiy-: effects. The Fussier' mortars replied at
intervals, but they were few and far between. Some of
again went in and thi ew shells
light,ahia)allt firedthat
our vessels of war, it-is said,
into the sea forts ; but as yet I have not heard of aniyy, o
of the names of any, likely to be so engaged.
inentU.snring their
The Cossack Battery, under the IhkermaAnt
often ; but this, up till four this rnoivruiereng,w.
as
completelyththe
success_ tw o
un-
usualhour
the es tiu.
rreenienh the
made night
a l a
lib ot m
attemptbard
iTahnisd ttihmeeatlhieeyd
campwere
ere alike startled
remainingfu l, andSellniailete:po.
by the tremendous concussion and
exploded with fearful violence. y roars as both charges
wards there was a dead silence,or a moment or two after
smoke and eorth hung like while the huge cloud o
works, and then, as the nature
pall over the Flagstaff earth
the enemy, and as if they feared of the explosion broke upon
about to take place, a general assault was
all
Never since the co their batteries opened out at once
Witnessed such a
caninmenck ment of the siege have . we
nee, mom
4... _ . cannonade as broke from the Russian
11 their
. batteries the guns were discharged

altueskttorolleys null the tewa restated stini.t-m404. laWa
a circle of fire.
The.tremendous natttre of the cannonade elicited a pro.
portienate reply from us, and the alarm grew so general.
Ab_at_the troops were turned out under arms, and remained
so. fur some considerable time, until the fire slackened.
Early this morning I was on the heights, anxious to as•
certain the precise fate'of the Flagstaff, but, much to my
diaappoititthent, I found itkiwas still firing occasionally,
though only about ten per cent, of its volleys a week ago.
In the centre of the work is a gap of about 80 feet long,
before which-lies a scattered heap of stones and dirt. This
is the spot under which the centre charge of I,ooolb. of
powder was placed, and this is where-the greatest amount
of damage has been done. At this place the embrasures for
.12 guns-have been conipletely blown away, with half the
earth from the upper tier of guns." Of the charges under the
right and left bastions, that under. the right failed, but
-under the left a considerable degree of mischief appears to
have been effected. The- embrasures there are rent and
- ;
damaged, and of course their tuns must have been over-
turned, and, their ways injnr, d. The enemy, it is said,
have made attempti to repair it since the mine was sprung
this morning.; but it would be mucheaSier now to throw
.up anew work than repair the old. •
While I was surveying it the French had about 50 or 60

onns from their different batteries pouring their iron hail
rul into its remains. From the upper parts of the work
' some five or six guns were still manned, and attempting in
vain to reply effectively. One of these was silenced while
I was looking on. Two days more of such work as the last
and the Flagstaff Battery will cease to exist among the
defences of Sebastopol. Every hour it grows weaker, its
defenders more exposed, and its guns fewer in number.
During the night the mortars continue the work the long
guns began, so that it-is utterly impossible to attempt re-
pairs with anything like hopes of success. If all the other
Russian batteries were in the same state now as the Flag-
staff, the allies would be in Sebastopol before to-morrow.
The Barrack Battery still shows a good front, though it
is suffering
much, and is evidently fast en route after the
Flagstaff. The Redan is reported as silenced and untenable,
and most certainly
during to-day it has been silent enough,
barely firing a dozen guns. Its front seems much cut, in
ucriauesra too,
both oesn boaototsetraieesrarobinny
adutgrohe
eMntealdakbeinooeff
fact is more like a ridge'
of rubbish than a row of embra-
Tsuorewse.r
hTa
vhee, ionfj
was opened. The centre of the semi-
our advanced battery
circular earthwork is almost cut in two, but the flanking
batteries are yet serviceable, and return some of our guns,
though not to any extent. It can hardly be said that this
work is fit for storming, as no amount of breaching will
ever fill up the deep ditches in its front, and as these have
to be crossed somehow, it would hardly be safe to storm
while they have a gun left to serve.

A shot from a flanking.battery near this tower entered
our advanced work, and blew up one of our small maga.
zines. I have not yet ascertained the casualties caused by
this accident, but am informed that they wore sligjlt, and
no injury was done to the work. The guns in it fired
away a, usual two minutes after the explosion.
The Aftlanelon, in spite of the incessant efforts which the
enemy have made to repair it, is almost useless. It ap.
pears to mount only one gun, and (luring the whole of this
clay it has only fired that one three times. This would
appear to bear ont the suspicion that the Russians are
short of ammunition, as if this gun could be fired once it
could have been fired ICO times to-day, but for some reason
or other the enemy appear either not to work their ord-
nance, or not to have the means of doing so.

Beyond the Mamelon the Russian works at the head of
the harbour and.the French works atlnkerman keep up a
smart fire, in which the French most certainly gain no ad-
vantage; on the contrary, I am informed their batteries
are much hurt, and, if the contest lasts much longer, will
be almost silenced.

Foi t Constantine and the forts north of the harbour for
the first time took part in the contest to-day, firing clear
across the harbour and town into our own and the French
lines. Their shot appeared to be of an immense weight,
and their guns of considerable range, as no undue elevaticn
apparently WWI. given. About 100 rounds Were fired from
this side of the harbdur. Our officers take it as a gentle
hint that even after storming the south side will be un-
tenable while the north remains in their hands.

Part of the 10th Hussars landed and joined the cavalry
camp near Kadekoi. Both men and horses seem in fine
condition. The latter are the small, high-spirited Aidatie
stallions, which among our other horses are likely to give
a deal of trouble.

Fever still prevails to a considerable extent among the
troops round Balaklava, especially the Highlanders. The
79th have been burying three men per day for the last
month, and now only muster 350 effective men.

Arsu,l7.
The bombardment was rather slack last night, in con-
sequence of the want of shell. In place of them an im-
mense number of rockets were thrown. The fire was re-
sumed this morning, and continues with unabated vigour.
The fire of the enemy is even less than last night.
The assault is now pretty sure to take place in a few
days.