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

THE SUN LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING OCTOBER 10, 1664.

MONEY MA RKET

ANT)
COMMERCIAL INT ELL TGENCIT'S•

ZITY, TWO o'CLOCK.
The cotton market at Liverpool yesterday was
steady. Sales 7,000 bales. Shares were neglected.
The forbearance which creditors are exercising
towards the firms that have been placed in difficul-
ties is exemplified in the case of Mr. Edward Oli-
ver, of Liverpool. Having purchased on credit a
large amount of shipping, it has been found expo.
dient, with a view of diminishing the aggregate

liability, for the sellers to take back their
property, and cancel the bills of exchange
given in lieu. This may entail a loss upon
the original owners, the more especially as
they could, perhaps, have diminished their stake
in shipping at the favourable opportunity which
presented itself some months back, and which at
present does not exist. Since, however, there is
but a choice of evils, it is to be presumed that the
wisest course has been adopted, for, under the
arrangement, there may be some indemnification
which Mr. Oliver's assets will meet. The effect of
the recent suspensions has been to render every
one extremely cautious, and very properly so.

The demand for money was more active in the
City yesterday, and this is explained by tho pay-
ment to-day of the last instalment upon the B
series of Exchequer Bonds. The amount is
460,0001. Besides the above, however, the rail-
way "calls" of the current month are heavy, not
far short of two millions sterling, and nearly a
million is payable upon foreign companies,
the larger proportion of the shares in which are
held by English capitalists. Already 12,042,0651.
have been called this year, which is about.
1,000,0001. more than during the whole of the
year 1853, and 4,000,0001. over 1852. There
seems, therefore, to be employment for at least a
portion of our surplus means, and the consolation
is that it will be better thus placed than in foreign
loans and bubble schemes such.as a period of mone-
tary facilities is certain to nourish.
The telegraphic despatches of Oct. 6 from Memel
state :—" The conflagration has at last been sub-
dued. The destruction of property has been about
2,000,000/., and all .business suspended, the Cus-
tom-house, Bank, and Court of Justice being
burnt. The shipping, however, is reported as all
safe. It blew a gale at west last night, but to-day
it is more moderate."
The New York accounts are somewhat more
favourable ; but until the suspected banks are
placed on a sounder footing, suspicion will
still lurk. In a report by a local writer it is
stated :

"It would be very difficult to estimate the losses of
the past six months by fire and flood, by disease and
death. Not a section of the country has escaped. All
have suffered more or less. We have had within our
own limits, we believe, every misfortune but war. The
inflictions of Divine Providence we could have borne
with resignation, but we have had others which have been
too much for our philosophy to put up with. We allude to
the enormous frauds and defalcations, which have done
more to injure private and public credit, than all the
other calamities of the year combined. We shall
ultimately recover from all these difficulties, and we
should congratulate ourselves that the effect has been no
worse. In the face of these depressing and depreciating
causes, prices have been wonderfully sustained. Fancy
stocks have fallen heavily, it is ture, but no more than
circumstances warranted ; and those who have not
been governed in their operations by the signs of the
times, have been serious sufferers. It did not require
a great degree of foresight to see the effect of certain
causes. We !do not allude to causes for depression in
any particular fancy stock, but to thew general move-
ments of financial affairs. Speculators in stocks for a
' fall have been particularly fortunate this year, and
their success has been the result of a variety of events,
very few of which were foreseen by the most far sighted.
Sufficient had transpired, even before the Schuyler ex-
pose, to justify the most extensive operations for a fall
in the market value of fancy stocks. Every event of any
importance which followed that stupendous swindle,
strengthened the position of sellers, and many have no
doubt leaped a rich harvest out of the wreck and ruin
going on about them. There is sow a lull in the great
maelstrom of speculation. Its waters are now quiet,
and when again agitated it will be doubtless by a reverse
movement. There is a brighter day coming for the bulls.
"The excitement that has obtained during most of
the month in uncut rent money, has almost entirely
subsiee 1, and rates of discount are lower. The large
amount of currency that has been driven home for re-
demption is felt at the West where circulation is much
needed. Notwithstanding all the talk that has been
made about " 'Western money," it now stands better
with the people than Eastern money. There is a want
of confidence in the New England system of banking
that is daily gaining ground, and the public is begin-
ing to distinguish a secured from an unsecured cur-
ency."
The English Funds have been very quiet again,
and there is not even a fractional variation in
prices as compared with yesterday. Consols have
been 95 to 1 for transfer, and 951 for account.
Exchequer Bills are 43. to 7s. premium, and India
Bonds Gs. to 10s. premium.

The Foreign Market is exceedingly dull. The
Turkish Scrip brings 24. to premium. Sardinian
Bonds have been at 88k. Dutch Two-and-a-Half
per Cents. have been marked 611 to 62, and the
Four per Cents. 92.
The following are the nominal prices of foreign
stocks :—Grenada Deferred Bonds, 51 to 61 ;
Mexican, 241 to 25 ; Peruvian, 71 to 73 ; ditto
3 per Cents., 51 to 53 ; Portuguese 4 per Cents.,
40 to 42 ; Russian 5 per Cents., 95 to 97 ; ditto
41- per Cents., 84 to 86 ; Spanish New Deferred,
18g to 18i ; ditto 3 per Cents., 37A to 38 ; ditto
Certificates, 5 to 5i ; ditto Passive, 4g to 43,
The Railway Share Market is a trifle firmer as
far as can be judged by the limited business doing.
For the Mines and Banks there is a steady
market.

BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY.—CLOSING PRICES.
From the Ofi:ial List.)

Business done.
3 per Cent. Consols Annuities 954
India Bonds, £lOOO .
Ditto, uuder £lOOO lO p
Bank stock
Ditto for the Account
Consols for Account 17th Oct.
Exchequer bills, 24d.
£l000
£5OO 4 7 p
Sinai 4 7 p
PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY.

Bra.z ilian Bonds, 5 per Cent 9S. x d
Ditto Small .••• 99
Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cent. ....... .... ...... 6Si
Turkish Scrip 6 per cent
;)iv,denas on the above payable In London.
Dutch Exchange, 2. per Cent. 12 Guil
Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates
THREE O'CLOCK.

Consols
Ditto October Aoconnt 9sf

MARKET NEWS-(THIS DAY.)

HAY MARKETS.

SurrariELD.-31eaTow hay, 2/ 108 to 4/ 10s ; clover
ditto, 41 4s to 6/ 09 ; and straw, 1/ Gs to 11 128 per load.
Trade rather dull.
CUMBERLAND.—Meadow hay, 2/ 12s to 4/ 15s ; clover
ditto, 410 s to 5/ 15s; and straw, 1/ 85 to 1115 s per load.
A fairaverage supply and a sluggish demand.
WHITECHAPEL.—Meadow hay, 2/ 12s to 41125; clove*
ditto, 31 15s to 6' ; and straw, 1/ 6s to 1/ 13s per load.
Supply good,.and trade rather dull.

81261

20
20
10
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20
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St.
10
St.
25

20
20
50
20

10
5
20
20

100
20
25
25
25

20i
100
20

20
20
20
20

20
60
20
25

SHARE MARKETS.
(THIS DAY.)

BRITISH RAILWAYS.

Closing erice,
this day.

Business done
this day.

2i
100
42,31

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1.00
all
all

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'57, convertible

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all
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Gd. Junct. of France
Gd. Tk of CanadaA is.
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Do. St. Lawrence &
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Do. Ccrt. of Debon.,
con. into Stk. till '63
Do. Comp. 6 p. c., do.
Gt. Central of Prance
Gt.' Indian Peninsula
Do. New 5 per cent.
Ct. Westeniof Canada
Shares
Do. Bds., payable's7,
with option till '55
Do. do., '62, p. '56
Do. do., '76, p. '6O
Do. do., '73, without
option

11 91
11 91
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Do. 6 per cent.
Lake Contd. & Basle
Lucca & Pistoj a g p.c
prof
Great Luxembourg
Constituted Shares
Do. Obligations
Lyons and Genova
Lyons & Mediterran
Madras
Do. New
Maria Antonia.
Do. do. New
Melbourne Dk. di By
Namur & Liege (with
interest)
Do. (ex interest).....
Northern of France
Do .20/. Shs.late Char-
leroi and Erquelines
guar. 31 p. c. & red.
at 2241, dur. 88 yrs.
from 1 Jan. 1854
Do. 201. 3 p. c 13cle'
(fmy.B.&Ams.Shs.)
NorwegianTrunkPref
Paris and Lyons
Ditto Bonds
Paris and Orleano.•• •
Paris and Rouen— •••
ParisCaen & Cherbrg.
Rouen and Havre"—
Royal Danish ......
Royal Swedish
Sambre and MocBc.• •
Do. 54 p. cent. Pref.
Southern of France
St. Andrew's and
Quebec (A)
West Flanders
Do 54 per c. Prof
Western of France._
'West. of Switzerland
Wiesbaden

ld Par'
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JOINT-S!

Australasia
British Colonial Bank
and Loan Company
British N. Amorican
Chartd. Bank of Asia
Chrtd. Bnk. of India,

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20
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6 6(IP

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Australia, St China
Colonial
Commercial of Lond
English Scottish and
Australian
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Australia

BANKS.

82 - 84

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21i - 22

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63 7i 8
57i

87i
70
123
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71i i i
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12
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London and County..
London Joint Stock..
Lond. & Westminster
Natiolial Provincial

1011 2 1f

241 i
70i i

of England
Do. New
National of Ireland
Now South Wales
Oriental Bank of
Corporation
Provincial of Ireland
Do. New
Royal Anstraln.Bkg
& Gold imp Co
iouth Australia
Union of Australia
Do. New
Union of Dondonst,„

43 = 45

42i - 4331

... -
...
43 - 45
67 - 69
71 - 81

per cor.

23 i
3

34i 5

8 I

21f
35
28i i

THE BATTLE OF ALMA.

gOTHER ACCOUNT.

The following is a highly interesting account of
the glorious victory achieved on the banks of the
Alma :

BANKS OF THE ALMA, SEPT. 19.—Last night orders
were given by Lord Raglan that the troops shou!d strike
tents at daybreak, and that all tents should be scut on
hoard the ships of the fleet. Our advance had been de-
termined upon, and it was undcrtood that the Russian
light cavalry had been sweeping the country of all sup-
plies up to a short distance of our lines and outlying
pickets. At three o'clock in the morning the camp was
roused by the revel!, and all the 30,000 sleepers woke
into active life. The boats from the ships lined the beach
to receive thy tents. The commissariat cificers struggled
in vain with the very deficient means at their disposal to
meet the enormous requirements of an army of 26,000
men for the transport of baggage, ammunition, and food,
and a scene, which to a❑ unpracticed eye would seem
one of utter confusion, began and continued for several
hours, relieved only by the steadiness and order of the
regiments as they paraded previous to marching.
"The French, in advance on our right, were up be-
times, and the camp fires of the allied armies, extending
for miles along the horizon and mingling with the lights
of the ships, almost anticipated the morning. The order I
of march was as follows :

Cavalry,
Bth, 11th, 17th.

Light Division. Artillery. i Snontl Division

First Artillery. Third Division.

Cavalry.

Commissariat Train.

Fourth Division

Fourth Division.

Roar Guarj.

"7,000 Turkish infantry, under Stillman Pasha, moved
along by the seaside ; next to them came the divisions
of General Bosquet, Canrobert, Forey, and Prince Na-
poleon. Our order of march was about four miles to the

right of their left wing, and as many behind them.
" The right of the allied forces was covered by the
fleet, which moved along with it in magnificent order,
darkening the air with innumerable columns of smoke,
ready to shell the enemy should they threaten to attack
our right, and commanding the land for nearly two
miles from the shore.

" It was 9 o'clock in the morning ere the whole of our
army was prepared for marching. The day was warm,
and our advance was delayed by the wretched transport
furnished for the baggage, an evil which will, I fear, be
more severely felt in any protracted operations. Every-
thing not absolutely indispensable was sent on board
ship. The naval officers and the sailors worked inde-
fatigably, and cleared the beach as fast as the men depo-
sited their baggage and tents there. At last the men
fell in, and the march of the campaign began.
"The country beyond the salt lake, near, which we
were encamped, is perfectly destitute of tree or shrub,
and consists of wide plains, marked at intervals of two
or three miles with hillocks and long irregular ridges of
bills running down towards the sea at right angles to the
beach. It is but little cultivated, except in the patches
of land around the unfrequent villages built in the
higher recesses of the valleys. Hares were started in
abundance, and afforded great sport to the men when-
ever they halted, and several were fairly bunted down
among the lines of men. All oxen, horses, or cattle
had been driven off by the Cossacks. - The soil is hard
and elastic, and was in excellent order for artillery.
"After a march of an hour a halt took place frr 50
minutes, during which Lord Raglan, accompanied by a
very large staff, Marshal St. Arnaud, Generals Bos-
quet, Forey, and a number of French officers rode along
the front of the columns. The men spontaneously got
up from the ground, rushed forward, and column after
column rent the air with three thundering English cheers.
It was a good omen. As the Marshal passed the 55th
Regiment he exclaimed, English, I hope you will fight
well to-day !"Hope !' exclaimed a voice from the
ranks, sure you know we will!' The troops presented
a splendid appearance. The effect of these grand
masses of soldiery descending the ridges of the hills
rank after rank, with the sun playing over forests of
glittering steel, can never be forgotten by those who
witnessed it. Onward the torrent of war swept ; wave
after wave, huge stately billows of armed men, while
tke rumble of the artillery and tramp of cavalry acoom-
panied their progress. At last the smoke of burning
villages and farm-houses announced that the enemy
in front - were aware of our march. It was a sad
sight to see the white walls of the houses blackened
with smoke—the flames ascending through the roofs
of peaceful homesteads--and the ruined outlines of
deserted hamlets. Many sick men fell out and were
carried to the rear. It was a painful sight—a sad
contrast to the magnificent appearance of the army in
front, to behold litter after litter borne past to the
carts, with the poor sufferers who had dropped from ill-
ness and fatigue.
"Presently, from the top of a hill, a wide plain was
visible, beyond which rose a ridge, darkened here and
there by masses which the practised eyo recognised as
cavalry. It was our first sight of the enemy. On the
left of the plain up, in a recess formed by the inward
sweep of the two ridges lay a large village in flames ;
right before us was a neat white house unburnt, though
the outhouses and farm-yard were burning. This was
the Imperial Post-house of Bulganac, just 20 miles
from Sebastopol.
"A small stream ran past us, which was in object of
delight to our thirsty soldiers, who had now marched
more than eight miles from their camp. The house was
deserted and gutted. Only a picture of a saint, bunches
of herbs in the kitchen, and a few household utensils
were left ; and a solitary peahen stalked sadly about
the threshold, which soon fell a victim to a revolver.
After a short halt for men and horses by the stream
the army pushed on again. The cavalry (about 500 men
of the Bth Hussars, the 11th Hussars, and 13th Light
Dragoons) pushed on in front, and on arriving about a
mile beyond the post-house we clearly made out the Cos-
sack Lancers on the hills in front. Lord Cardigan
threw out skirmishers in line, who covered the front
at intervals of 10 or 12 yards from each other. The
Cossacks advanced to meet us in like order, man for
man, the steel of their long lances glittering in the sun.
They were rough-looking fellows, mounted on sturdy
little horses, but the regularity of their order and the
celerity of their movements showed they were regulars,
:rod by no means despicable foes. As our skirmishers
advanced the Cossacks halted at the foot of the hill.
Their reserves were not well in sight, but from time to
time a clump of lances rose over the summit of the hill
and disappeared. Lord. Cardigan was eager to try their
strength, and permission was given to him to advance
somewhat nearer; but as he did so, dark columns of
cavalry came into view in the recesses of the hills, and
it became evident that if our men charged up such a
steep ascent their horses would be blown, and that they
would run a risk of being surrounded and cut to pieces
by a force of three times their number. Lord Lucan
therefore ordered the cavalry to halt, gather in their
skirmishers, and retire slowly. None of the infantry or
artillery were in eight of us, as they had not yet topped
the brow of the hill. When our skirmishers halted the
Cossacks commenced a firs from their line of videttes,
which was quite harmless. Few of the balls came near
enough to let the whiz be heard. Two or three officers
who were riding between the cavalry and the skirmish-
ers, Lieut.-Col. Dickson, R.A., Captain Fellowes, 12th
Lancers, Dr. Elliott, R.A., were looking out anxiously
for the arriyal.of Captain Maude's Horse Artillery,
when suddenly the Russians, emboldened by our
halt, came over the brow of the hill, and slowly
descended the slope in three solid squares.
We had offered them battle, and they had lost their
chance, for our cavalry now turned round and rode
quietly towards the troops. Our skirmishers, who had
replied smartly to the fire of the Cossacks, but without
effect, retired and joined their squadrons. At every 50
paces our cavalry faced about to receive the Cossacks
if they prepared to charge. Suddenly one of the Rue-
d in cavalry squares opened—a spirt of white smoke rote
out of the gap, and a round shot, which pitched close to
my horse, tore over the column of our cavalry behind,
and rolled away between the ranks of the riflemen in the
rear, just as they came in view of the cavalry. In an-
other instant a second gun bowled through the 11th Hue-
ears, and knocked over a horse, taking off his rider's leg
above the ankle. Another and another followed, tear-
ing through our ranks, so that it was quite wonderful so
many crivairy escaped. Meantime Captain Maude'm ar-
llery galloped over the hillock, but were halted by
Lord„Raglan s order at the base, in rear of the cavalry
on the left flank. This was done probably to entice the
Russians further down the hill. Meantime our cavalry
were drawn up as targets for the enemy's guns, and
had they been of iron they could not have been more
solid' and immoveable. The Russian gunners fired
admirably ; they were rather slow, but their balls came
bounding along, quite visible as they passed, in right
lines from the centre of the cavalry columns. After
some thirty rounds from the enemy our artillery
opened fire. Their round shot ploughed up the co-
lumns of the cavalry, who dispersed into broken
lines, wheeling round and round and with great adroit-
ness to escape the six and nine pound balls. Our shells
were not so successful, but one, better directed than the
rest, burst right in the centre of a column of Light In-
fantry, whom the Russians had advanced to support
their cavalry. Our fire was so hot, the service of the
guns so quick, that the enemy retired in about fifteen
minutes after we opened on them. While this affair
was going on the French had crept up on the right, and
surprised a body of Russian cavalry with a round from a
battery of nine-pounders, which scattered them in all di-
rections. We could count six dead horses on the field
near the line of fire. It is not possible to form an accu-
rate notion of the effect of our fire, but it must have
caused the Russians a greater loss than they inflicted on
us. We lost six horses, and four men were wounded
Two men lost their legs. The others, up to yesterdays
though Injured severely, were not in danger. One
o
rode
the wounded men, a sergeant in the 11th libucsargiece of
coolly to the rear with his foot dangling y P
skin to the bone, and told the doctor he had just come
to have his leg dressed. Another wounded trooper be-
haved with equal fortitude, andi refusedsleg
was broken into the use of a litter
chrry him to the rear though
splinters. It was strange,
in visiting the scene where
the horses lay dead, that the first feeling produced
on the spectator, when the horror of oeeing the poor

animals ripped open by shells from chest to loin,
'as thiugh it were done by a surgeon's knife, had
sub •ided, Was that. Sir E. Landseer, in his picture of
Wa-,' must have seen one of the animals before us—.
the glariaz ere-ball, the distended nostril, the gnashed
teeth, are all true to life. When the Russians hail
retired beyond the heights, orders were given to halt
and bivouac for the night, and our tired men set to
work to gather the weeds for feel. A 4 soon as the ra-
tions of rum and meat were served out, the casks were
broken up, and the staves served to make fires for cook-
ing, aided by nettles and long grass. At night the
watch fires of the Russians were visible on our left.
Great numbers of stragglers came up during
the night,
most of them belonging to the 4th division. It was a
cold night, and if I could intrude the recital of the sor-
rows of a tentless, baggageless man, wandering about
in the dark from regiment to regiment in hope of find,
ing his missing baggage, I might tell a tale amusing
enough to read, but the incidents in which were very
distressing to the individual concerned. The night was
cold and datnp, the watch fires were mere flashes, which
gave little heat, and barely sufficed to warm the rations ;
but the camp of British soldiers is ever animated by the
very soul of hospitality ; and the wanderer "was lucky
enough 'to get a lodging on the ground beside a kindly
colonel, who was fortunate enough to have a little
field-tent with him, and a bit of bread and biscuit to
spare after a march of 10 miles and a fast of 10 hours.
All night arabas , were arriving, and soldiers who
had fallen out or got astray came up to the sentries
to find their regiments. Sir George Brown, Sir D.
Evans, the -Brigadier-Generale and staff officers went
about among their divisions and brigades ere the
men lay down, giving directions for the following day,
and soon after dusk the regiments were on the ground,
wrapped up in great coats and blankets to find the best
repose they could after the day's exertions. It was
munch regretted that our cavalry force was sa miserably
deficient, for if we had been even two to three we could
readily have disposed of the vapouring Lancers on the
hill, who had irritated-the men very much by their de-
risive cries when our skirmishers retired. It %lies ad-
mitted that as a military spectacle the advance of our
troops and the little affair of artillery, as well as the
management of the cavalry, formed one of the most pic-
turesque and beautiful that could be imagined. No
pencil could do it justice, for the painter's skirl fails to
impart an idea of motion, and the writer has not yet
been born who can describe with vividness and force,
so as to bring the details before the reader, the events
'of even the slightest skirmish.
"HEIGHTS ABOVE ALIIA, SEPT. 21.—The order in
which our army advanced was in columns of brigades
in deploying distance, protected by a line of skirmishers,
of cavalry, and of horse artillery. The ad vantage of the
formation was, that our army, in case of. a strong at-
tack of cavalry and infantry on the left or rear, could
assume the form of a hollow square, with the baggage
in the centre. Our great object was to gain the might
of the position, so that our attacking parties could be
sheltered by the vertical fire of' the fleets.
"We had, in feet, altered our base of operations. As
we marched forward to Bolganae, we allowed the
enemy to deprive us of our old basis of operations, in
order that we might get a new one. For this purpose
the baggage was brought •up and covered by the 4th
division, and the Cossacks were allowed to sweep the
country in our rear far behind us. Our new principle
in fact was to open communication with our fleets, and,
as far as possible, obtain their material and moral aid.
In advancing towards the sea obliquely, on the morning
of the 19th, we were met by 17 squadrons of cavalry,
deployed to meet our handful of horse, and it was neces-
sary to make a demonstration of artillery and infantry
to extricate our men from the difficulty into which they
had been plunged by advancing too far in front of their
supports. However, the enemy were driven back by our
guns, which made beautiful practice, and the cavalry
maintained theirgrouud, having retired in splendid order
before a force which refused to meet them when they
might have done so, by a charge down front the elevated
position they occupied, with :fair chance of an encoun-
ter ere our artillery could come up. Our line of march
on the 20th, as I have said, was towards the right of our
former ba.e, and brought us in contact with the French
left, under Prince Napoleon, it being understood that
Sir De Lacy Evans's division on the extreme right
should act in concert with that of his Royal Highness
the Prince, which was of course furthest from the sea

As soon as we had ascertained the position of our
allies accurately, the whole line, extending itself
across the ohampaign country for some five or six
miles, advanced. At the distance of two miles we

halted to obtain a little time to gather up our rear,

and then the troops steadily advaneed in grand line;
like the waves of the ocean, with our left frittered away
as it were into a foam of skirmishers under Col. Law-

rence and Mrjor Norcott of the Rifle Brigade, 2d batta-
lion, covered by squadrons of the 11th and Bth Hussars,
and portions of the 4th, 13th Light Dragoons, and 17th
Lancers. This was a sight of inexpressible grandeur,

and for the first time, one was struck with the splendid
appearance of our Infantry in line in the distance. Red
is the colour, after all, and the white slashings of the

breast of the coat, and the cross-belts., though rendering

a man conspicuous enough', give him an appearance of
size which other uniforms do not produce. The dark

French columns on our right looked very small compared
to our battalions, though we knew they were quite as
. .

strong ; but the marching of our allies laden as they
were with all their packs, 86c., was wonderful—the pace
at which they went was really killing.' It was ob-
servable too, that our staff was more conspicuous and
more numerous than tho staff of our bravo friends. No-

thing strikes the eye at such a distance as a cocked hat
and bunch of white cock's feathers, and several of our
best officers very wisely doffed the latter adornment,
thinking that they were quite conspicuous enough by
their advanced position on horseback and by the number
of their staff around them.

"The scheme of operations concerted between the
generals, and chiefly suggested to Lord Raglan, it was
said, by M.M. Marshal St. Arnaud and General

Canrobert, was that the French and Turks on czar

right were to force the passage of the river, a rivulet
of the Alma, and establish themselves on the heights
over the stream at the opposite side, so that they could
enfilade the position to their right and opposite to our
left and centre. The Alma is a tortuous little stream,

which has worked its way down through a red clay soil,
deepening its course as it proceeds seawards, and which
drains the steppe•like lands on its right bank, making at
times pools and eddies too deep to be forded, thougn it
can generally be crossed by waders who do not fear to
wet their knees. It need not be said that the high banks

formed by the action of the stream in cutting tbrOugh the
soil are sometimes at one side, sometimes at another,
according to the sweep of the stream.
" At the place where the bulk of the British army
crossed the banks are generally at the right side, and
vary from two and three to six or eight feet in depth to
the water ; where the French attacked the banks are
generally formed by the unvaried curve of the river on
the left-hand side. Along the right or north bank of
_

the Alma are a number of Tartar h;uses, at times nume-
rous and close enough to form a cluster of habitations

deserving the name of a hamlet, at thaws scattered wide
apart amid little vineyards, surrounded by walls of mud
and stone of three feet in height. The bridge over which
the post road passes from Bulganac to Sebastopol runs
close to one of these hamlets—a village, in fact, of some
50 houses. This village is approached from the Korth by a
road winding through a plain nearly level till it comes near
to the village, where the ground dips, so that at the distance
of 300 yards a man on horseback can hardly see the
tops of the nearer and more elevated houses, and can

only ascertain the position of the stream by the willows
and verdure along its banks. At the lett or south side

of the Alma the —ground assumes a very different cha-
racter—smooth where the bank is deep, and greatly ele-
vated where the shelve of the bank occurs, it recedes for

a few yards at a moderate height above the stream,
pierced here and there by the course of the winter's
torrents, so as to form small ravines, commanded, how-

, .
ever, by the heights above. It was on these upper
heights that the strength of the Russian position con-
sisted. A remarkable ridge of mountain, varying in
height from 500 to 700 feet, runs along the course of
the Alma on the left or south side with the course of the

stream, and assuming the form of cliffs when close to the
sea. This ridge is marked all along its course by deep
gullies, which run towards the river at various angles, and
serve no doubt to carry off the floods produced by the
rains'and the melting of the winter snows on the bills and

table lands above. If the reader will place himself
on the top of Richmond-hill, dwarf the Thames in ima-
gination to the size of a Hampshire rivulet, and imagine
the lovely hill itself to be deprived of all vegetation and

protractf;d for about four miles along the stream, he
may form someknotion of the position occupied by the
Russians, while the plains on the north or left bank of
the Thames will bear no inapt similitude to the land over
_ _

which the British and French armies advanced, barring
only the verdure and freshness. At the top of the ridges,
between the gullies, the Russians had erected earthwork
batteries, mounted with 321 b. and 241 b. brass guns, sup-
ported by numerous field pieces and howitzers. These
guns enfiladed the tops of the ravines parallel to them,
or swept them to the base, while the whole of the
sides up which an enemy, unable to stand the direct
fire of the batteries, would be forced to ascend,. were
filled with masses of skirmishers armed with an excellent
two-groove rifle, throwing a large solid conical ball with
force at 700 and 800 yards, as the French learnt to
their cost. The principal battery consisted of an earth-
work of the form of two sides of a triangle, with the
apex pointed towards the bridge, and the side
th
s
covering both sides of the stream, corresponding wi
the bend in the river below it, at the distance of 1,000
yards, while, with a fair elevation, the 32-pounders threw,
as we saw very often, beyond the houses of t he village
to the distance of 1,400 and 1,500 yards. This was
constructed on the brow of a hill about 600 feet` above
the river, but the hill rose behind it for another 50 feet
before it dipped away towards the road. The ascent of
this hill was enfiladed by the fire of three batteries of
earthworth on the right, and by another on the left, and
these batteries were equally capable' of covering the
village, the stream, and the slopes which led
up the hill
erkm awnseh reip some 25 which only
told
to their position. In the first battery were 13 32-pounder
It
tro well.awssa
sgusan
isdln otfht exquisite
other
qßuius tsei
a batteriesws
had
100
guns on the hills
guns in all.
g i
32d me nt ) . w
eachan 0
d 40f, otohoe
ImenG th , (40 battalions of
31st, 32d, and 52d intan
Regiment).
1,000 strong
were opposed principally to the 16th and
Regiments,
judging by the number of dead is ' front
of us. I have
not been able to ascertain b
y whom they were com-
manded, but there is
a general report
commanded the army in that Menschikoff
h' c l
Gortschakoff, a relative
ah ofet that the left was under
odoff, the military Governor of
Inthe diplomatist, and that the
right was under 13
Sebastopol. It see m 9
be appointed to strange that an Admiral should
command an army, but strange things
do happen in Russia. It is also affirmed that the
car-
riage
of Menschikoff was taken,
and in it was found a
copy of a despatch addressed to the Emperor, in which
the Prince stated that 40,900 men might take Sobao•

tope!, but that 80,000 men could be held in cheek for
weeks by the position of the Aline. Large masses of caX,,id,
principally Lancers and heavy Drage'ets, maxima d
on the hills on the 4.)f theßussiaiS, and afll t.
descended the hills, .crossed, the strerl, eind th catty
our left and rear. As we eame,slear the xises.o eft
wing was thrown back, in order pop supppit
force of cavalry, arid a portionNif oi#l. artMery was
pushed forward in the same direction. Our danger in
this respect was detected by the quick eye of Sir George
Brown, and I heard him give. the order for the
_move-
ment of the artillery almost as soon as he caught sight
of the enemy's cavalry, and just AS we were coming to
the village: As I have already said, our plan of opera-
tions was that the French should establish themselves
under the fire of the guns on the heights, on the extreme
of the enemy's left. When that attack was sufficiently
developed, and had met with success, the British army
was to force the right and part of the centre of the
Russian position, and the day was gained. When we
were about three miles from the village, the French
steamers ran in as close as they could to the bluff of the
shore at the south side of the Alma, and presently we
saw them shelling the heights in splendid style, the shells
bursting over the enemy'd squares and batteries, and
finally driving them from their position on the right,
within 3,000 yards of the sea.
The French practice' commenced about 124 o'clock,
and lasted for about an hour and a half. We could see
the shells falling over the batteries of the enemy, and
bursting right into them ; and then the black masses
inside the works broke into little specks, which flew
about in all directions, and when the smoke cleared
.away there were some to be seen strewed over the
ground. The Russians answered the ships from the
heights, but without effect. A powder tumbril was
blown up by a French shell ; another shell fell by acci-
dent into an ambuscade which the Russians had pre-
pared fur the advancing French, and at last they
drew off from the 'sea-side, and confined their efforts
to the defence of the gullies and heights be-
yond the fire of the heavy guns of the steamers.
At one o'clock we saw the French column's struggling
up the hills, covered by a cloud of skirmishers,
whose fire seemed most deadly. Once, at sight of a
atlmfroeangtetiin them,g mass of R.uesian infantry, in a mrn"
w
manding position above the, who fired rapid volleys
the French paused, but it was only to cola
lect their skirmishers, for as soon as they had formed
they ran up the bill at the pas de charge, and broke the
Russians at once, who fled in disorder, with loss, up the
bill. We could see men dropping on both sides, and
the wounded rolling down the steep. At 1.50 our line
of skirmishers got within range of the battery on the
hill, and immediately the Russians opened fire at 1,200
yards with effect, the shot ploughing through the open
lines of the Riflemen, arid falling into the advancing
columns behind. Shortly ere this time dense volumes
of smoke rose from the river, and drifted along to the
eastward, rather interfering with the view of the
enemy on the left of our position. The Russians
had set the village on fire. It was a fair exercise of
military wellexecuted—took place at the right
time, arid succeeded in occasioning a good deal of annoy:
ante. Our troops halted when they seared this village,
their left extending beyond it by the verge of the stream
—our right behind the burning cottages, and within
range of the batteries. It is said the Russians had taken

therang.e of all the principal points in their front, and
placed twigs and sticks to mark them. In this they were
assisted by the post sign boards on the road. The Rus-
sians opened a furious fire on the whole of our line, but
the French had not yet made progress enough to justify
us in advancing. The round shot whizzed in every di-
rection, dashing up the dirt and sand into the faces of the
staff of Lord Raglan, who were also shelled severely,
and attracted much of the enemy's fire. Still Lord
Raglan waited patiently for the development of the
French attack. At length an aide-de•camp came to him
and reported the French had crossed the Alma, but they
had not estabiished themselves sufficiently to justify us
in an attack. The infantry were, therefore, ordered to

e down, and the army fora short time was quite pas-
sive, only that our artillery poured forth an unceasing
fire of shell rockets and round shot, which ploughed
through the Russians, and caused them great loss.
They did not waver, however, and replied to our ar-
tillery manfully, their shot falling among our men
as they lay, and carrying off legs and arms at every
round. Lord Raglan at last became weary of this
inactivity—his spirit was up—he looked around, and
saw men on whom he knew he might stake the honour
and fate of great Britain by his side, and anticipat-
ing a little in a military point of view the crisis of
action, he gave orders for our whole line to advance.
Up rose these seried masses, and passing through a fear-
ful shower of round, case shot, and shell, they dashed
into the Alma, and floundered' through its waters,
which were literally torn into foam by the deadly hail.
At the other side of the river were a number of vine-
yards, and to our surprise they were occupied by Russiati
riflemen. Three of the staff were here shot down, but
led by Lord Raglan in person they advanced, cheering
on the men. And now came the turning point of the
battle, in which Lord Raglan, by his sagacity and mili-
tary skill, probably secured the victory at a smaller sacri-
fice than would have been otherwise the case. He
dashed over the bridge, followed by his staff. From
the road over it, under the Russian guns, he saw
the state of the action. The British line, which he
had ordered to advance, was struggling through the
river and up the heights in masses, Erin indeed,
but mowed down by the murderous fire of the bat-
teries, and by grape, round shot, shell, canister, case
shot, and musketry, from some of the guns of the central
battery, and from an immense and compact mass of
Russian infantry. Then commenced one of the most
bloody and determined struggles in the annals of war.
The 2d Divsion, led by Sir D. Evans in the most dashing
manner, crossed the stream on the right. The 7th Fu-
siliers,led by Colonel Yea, were swept down by fifties.
The 55th, 30th, and 95th, led by Brigadier Pennefather,
who was in the thickest of the fight, cheering on his men,
again and again were checked indeed, but never drew
back in their onward progress, which was marked by a
fierce roll of Minid musketry, and Brigadier Adams,
with the 41st, 47th and 49th, bravely charged up the
hill, and aided them in the battle. Sir George Brown,
conspicuous on a grey horse, rode in front of his Light
Division, urging them with voice and gesture. Gallant
fellows ! they were worthy of such a gallant chief. The
7th, diminished by one-half, fell back to-form their
columns lost for the time ; the 23d, with eight officers
dead and four wounded, were still rushing to the front,
aided by the 150, 33d, 77th, and 88th. Down went
Sir George in a cicud of dust in front of the battery. He
was soon up, and shoutei "23d, I'm all right. Be sure
I'll remember this day," and led therm on again, but in
the shock produced by the fall of their chief, the gallant
regiment suffered terribly, while paralysed for a moment.
Meantime the Guards on the right of the Light Divi-
sion, and the Brigade of Highlanders, were storming
the heights en the left. Their line was almost as re-
gular as though they were in Hyde-park. Sad.
deuly a tornado of round and grape rushed through
from the terrible battery, and a roar of musketry
from behind thinned their front ranks by dozens.
It was evident that we were just able to contend
against the Russians, favoured as they were by a great
position. At this very time an immense mass of Russian
infantry were seen moving down towards the battery.
They halted. It was the crisis of the day. Sharp, an-
gular, and solid, they looked as if they were cut out of the
solid rock. It was beyond all doubt that if our infantry,
harassed and thinned as they were, got into the battery
they would have to encounter again a formidable fire,
which they were but ill calculated to bear. Lord Rag-
lan saw the difficulties of the situation. He asked if it
would be possible to get a couple of guns to bear on
these masses. The reply was ' Yes,' and an artillery
officer, whose name I do not now know, brought up two
guns to fire on the Russian squares. The first shot
missed, but the nextt and the next, and the
next cut through the ranks so cleanly, and so keenly,
that a clear lane could be seen for a moment through
the square. After a few rounds the columns of the
square became broken, wavered to and fro, broke, and
fled over the brow of the hill, leaving behind them 6 or
7 distinct lines of dead, lying as close as possible to each
other, marking the passage of the fatal messengers.
This act relieved our infantry of a deadly incubus, and
they continued their magnificent and fearful progress up
the hill. The Duke encouraged his men by voice and
example, and proved himself worthy of his proud com-
mand and of the Royal ram from which he comes.
" Highlanders," said Sir C. Campbell, ere they came
to the Charge, " I am going to ask a favour_ of you ;
it is, that you will act so as to justify mbeoinnnasetk-lng—Dtpohneeril:
mission of the Queen for you to
wearll
at. a they e
ay obeyed
bound.
l
pull a trigger till you're
7aef% 'di
andu- tvvi
tal
:thiritaystl dhyeoasrrdsoef odsfehatodhtebueßnhdiunesdr'
mans !" They charged,
Fshceßl
rumeiceesoltfsnchtidhe uinni
lattws:'
us
hhrirdhguni e icwhseshLGhdi
asei
tmugnhtdhaheer;eognducuSgssatt otuivbrhneaaln dos
ioenr
tmvh eae
nkt h e right of th e battery
The
s
n
hdetro Divisionot into
etrhoewlne left, and
tahnedhiet is said the
them.
tiliriedagatoincs
otivgerthhts.e.
AflyTfieughwe
Scots Fusilier GuardsoCkowitiere the first to enter. The
masses,
faint struggles from the
g scatteredinfantry,aennderatlhs,edrama,n eienemy
y a few rounds
threefle d tog
gunse
,
f
h
wounded behind them. The
battle ntotct prisoners,
Atu aml Alma viandmusketry,
was 41)or. It is won with a loss of nearly
covered
OvpoeerOu
rekilledin
their
rd fewcwa
cavalry,
audlnarydy
se, d nhifeowußer
uhseadiediea.htThe list will
reantraedaetquwaaste
*buoTt
force of cavalry we could have captured many guns and
multitudes of prisoners.
The Russian dead literally covered the ground.
Within the trenches and redoubts the earth, where the
corpses allowed you to see it, was slippery with blood.
The Russians who crowded the field in all the center•
tions of the last agony were principally, soldiers of the
16.;1 and 32d Regiments. They were mostly very
small-sized men, though stout, muscular, and active
looking. From their appearance there was scarcely a
dozen aboie the age of 25, and the majority was much
Younger. Not a single officer was among the dead, at least
none that we could recognise 'as such. They wore short
grey great coats, blue coatees, blue trousers, with a nar-
row red bawl, and stout leather boots, reaching almost
to their knees. Their stoat white leather cross belts
On their heads were handsome black leather
.b
were 'scrupulously clean, as was all the rest of their uni-
form.
helmets, bound with brass, and brass chin plates, with
a spiked top. In front was a large handsome Imperial
eagle, man also bore
Inscrip-
tion, and number of the regiment.
of his
regimental number marked on the cloth
eagle, also in brass, surmounted with a Russian
the
and almost worthless,
The stocks were of a
at least compared to our IVlvierL
their barrels about six
light dry wood, colouredbo
uni-
form. Their firelocks were
boield
our men break them in their
were wretched. I saw
light and ser.
They bad large convenient knapsacks
of
hands.
inches longer than ours, but not rifled. Their bayontts
hide,rough-looking,
viceable. All these were instantlybroken open by out.
undressed cow