The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-12 00:00:00

12, 1854,

among them, The Russians never look atler their
1 wounded, and on our march hero (only five miles) we
fell in with 500 wounded Russian soldiers.

The battle was fought in sight of the whole fleet.
Nothing could be more exciting-than to see the succes-
sive charges of our infantry. If we had had 5,.0.00
cavalry, we should have made prisoners of one-half of
the Russian army, and all their guns would have
fallen to us.. With. the means we had, we performed
prodigies. I have no end of trophies in .the shape of •
muskts, swords, helmets, &a., and in a few days I
hope to .add to • them considerably .frout - the spoil of
Sebastopol. A letter I took -from the pocket of a Rus-
sian officer I sent to the Admiral, thinking it might con-
tain some useful information, but the interpreter has dis-
covered it was only a love-letter from' the mistress of one
of the officers, wishing him is speedy victory over the
enemy and a quick return to her arms. This-dream, how-
ever, will not be reali,ed ; he was shot through the heart.
All the Russian soldiers wore long boots, which our
blue jackets prize, and each man took a pair. The mode
of measuring was somewhat novel. The sailors sat
down, and placed the soles of their shoes in oppos:tion
with those of the dead, when, if the length corresponded,
the Muscovit e was speedily unboote J. The Turkish
troops were very busy pillaging the dead ; an occupa-
tion which most of us were employed in, more or less.
I did net, however, come across any sables in my ex-
plorations. We, however, shall have grand "looting"
at Sebastopol, when my China experience may avail Ole.
This is a horrible way to talk, and, no doubt, will shoci,.
you much ; but it is one of the concomitants of grim
war, and, perhaps, ono of the most agreeable. We
have found the peasantry very useful, and they willingly
come forward with their waggons, which we hire for the
transport of baggage, stores, &c. They are for the
most part drawn. by bullocks, but there are many
drawn by dromedaries. The Russians burnt everything
on our road.

" BALIXLAVA, Sept. 25.--Yesterday we advanced qp
to Sebastopol, about three miles from here, and sent: in
a flag of truce to summon the place to surrender, but
they say they won't go. We returned to ohrground
again, and are now busy getting siege guns ashore, for
out they must come ; they cannot be allowed rto remain
in comfortable quarters now, while we lay out in
the open air, especially •as -the heights are getting
very cold now. This is a beautiful country. Since
we landed we have been surrounded with vine-
yards and erchards ; every description of fruit is
now ripe—grapes, peaches, apples, pears, almonds,
and vegetables in abundance. Many of our men killed
themselves by making a too free use of them. As we
approach the towns and villages the inhabitants desert
them, and as soon as we come to a halt our men disperse
through them in search of plunder, and such a scene you
could not imagine as is to be seen here in a few minutes.
Thousands of men loaded with tables, chairs, sofas,
chests of drawers, pier-glass, geese. ducks, cabbages,
fowls—in fact, everything that can be imagined. Our
men lay on beautiful feather beds and costly sofas in the
open air ; arm-chairs and mahogany tables to grub off ;
and, in fact, the scene presented is so supremely ridicu-
lous that it excites laughter in those who disapprove of
such wanton and reckless extravagance and devastation.
Even houses are wantonly destroyed ; and some beasts,
destitute of manly feeling, will even rob poor wretches
who, through age, poverty, or infirmity, have not been
able to escape. There are a few such and some young chil-
dren left here, and I am glad to know, by general order
of last night, that Lord Raglan is determined to repress
plunder and give protection to such of the inhabitants
as choose to remain in the towns or return to them now.
Lord Raglan thanked us for winning on the 20th in a
stunning manner. When I have time I will send you a
copy of it, but it is sure to be in the papers before you
get this. General Sir do Lacy Evans also thanked us in
a most eloquent manner, and said he never saw a bat-
tery stand such a fire before. .He said he had no occa-
sion to send us orders, for where wo were most wanted
we were sure to be found ; we gave him three cheers,
and he gave us an extra grog."