The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-06 00:00:00

THE BATTLE OF ALMA.

The following is au imperfect account of the
battle on the River Alma, on the 20th of Septem-
ber, and for which we are indebted to the Copirte
Zeitung's Correspondent :
" The right wing of the Russians rested on Bakchi-
Serai, and the refs on the Alma. On the day before the
battle, Prince Menschikoff was reinforced by 20,000
men from Sebastopol. The number of the Russians in
their two entrenched camps was 30,000 men ; the total
number therefore engaged in the battle was 50,000.
Prince Menschikoff's head-quarters were at Duvankai, a
village situate between the Belbeck and the Katcha. On
the 19th the allied troops from Eupatoria began to pass
the dried-up bed of the Alma at several points, and ad-
vanced as far as Eehba. On the 20th, about midday, they
arrived at Katschuk, where the Russians, under Prince
Menschikotl, had taken up their position on the heights
above the plain ofKalantai. Prince Napoleon, with a part
of his own division and the 4th division of the English,
attacked the right wing of the Russians ; while Lord
Raglan, with English and Turkish divisions, attacked
androuted the left wing. General Canrobert's divi-
sion occupied the road from Simpheropol to Bakchi-Serai,
and engaßed the Russian reinforcements from Kertsch,
5,000 strong, under General Komutoff. On the retreat
of the enemy from" the Alma to behind the Katcha,
along the sea coast, the guns of the ships were used
with great advantage. On their flight the enemy lost
a part of their cannon. The Russian cavalry covered
the infantry in passigg the Katcha. Prince Menschikoff,
it is said, only escrped being taken prisoner by the

swiftness of his horse. The allies marched to Millia
during the night of the 20th, and entrenched themselves
on the river lielbeck. It is said that during the engage-
ment a great number of Poles deserted to the allied army.
The total loss of the Russians in killed, wounded, and
prisoners, is estimated at'6,ooo. A letter fron Constanti-
nople, of the 24th, sayslo,ooo. They retreated to within
the entrenchments of Sebastopol, and Menschikoff re-
moved his head-quarters to within the fortress. The en-
thusiasm of the allied troops was indescribable. The
Tartar inhabitants of the villages on the western coast of
the Crimea petitioned the generals of the allied army to
be allowed to organise an auxiliary corps. All the ships
of the allies were decorated with flags on the 20th.
Lord Raglan and Marshal St. Arnaud issued general
orders after the engagement, in which they praised the
courage and firmness of the troops. ' But six days
have passed since we landed, and already the enemy is
flying in all directions from an army accustomed to vic-
tory.' This is a passage from Marshal St. Arnaud's
order."

It appear: from the accounts which have reached
the French Government that the battle was fought
within a very short distance of the sea coast. The
French army, consisting of either 3 or 4 divisions,
occupied the right, and was consequently nearest
the sea. The English occupied the centre, and the
Turks the left. The French army being nearest the
sea, fully one-half of it was•protected by the fire
from the steamers, so that the extreme right and
centre of the French line did not suffer much.
The French division which suffered most was on
the left of the French line, and next to the Eng-
lish. It was commanded by General Thomasson,
who, as you are aware, was desperately wounded,
and who is said to have since died of his• wounds.
The brunt of the battle fell upon the English-
men, who have not only had the post of honour,
but, it is feared, have been the greatest sufferers.