The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-24 00:00:00

repel an attack from a column of the enemy's infantry. he led them, •and his escapes seem almost miraculous.
The two picquets joined, and for a time held the road The Russians now altered the plan of attack. They no
igainet all their assailants, who foil in heaps under the longer pressed upon the wall in front, but, swarming up
pool murderous fire of war men. But the check to the Rus- by the two-gain battery, poured down upon the right flank
-liens was only momentary ; they had now got between in tremendous force.
their heights on our right, and At this moment there were not less than 40,000 of the
t:h'Oerr baantdtelro;°°onotraheea hillu p
threw shot and shell among our enemy, to oppose whom there were only about 12,000
men, with terrible effect. The picquete were preparing to English. Aides-de-camp were instantly despatched for
retire from the wall, when fortunately two regiments of reinforcements from the French, and the English fell back
she 2d Division, the 41st and 49th, came into action, and upon their line of tents. The wall was abandoned, and as
Passing the wall opened a destructive file fire on the Rue- our men retired the enemy mustered in force for a grand
Clans on our right, near the Two-gun Battery. The enemy attack.
returned it quite as rigorously ; but their small, inefficient The 30th and 41st remained to engage the enemy, and
weapons stood no chance against our Minie rifle. The Rue- most nobly they behaved, fighting their ground inch by
eians fell in ranks ; yet still they never moved their ground, inch, and strewing the field with Russian corpses. The
or showed a sign of retreating. The 41st and 49th then enemy advanced by the old post road from Sebastopol ;
leployed into line, and prepared to charge ; and the on an eminence in the centre of this a battery of six field
instant they did so the enemy fell back in die- pieces was placed. Unfortunately, it was so placed,
reeler. It is strange, but it is quite true, that the Russian with thick brushwood at each side, that the enemy's
troops will keep their ground in beautiful order, under the skirmishers were enabled to approach unseen, and
most fearfal volleys which can be poured upon them, but pick off both men and horses. Our fellows of
she moment our men prepare to go in with the bayonet the 30th and 41st made many attempts to dislodge
they break and disperse like children. The 41st and 49th i them, but the place was so crowded with them in
accordingly charged up the hill to the right, and in the i all Directions that it was useless. While this fighting was
course of 5 minutes recaptured the Two-gun Battery, driv- going on a body of Russian infantry dashed up the road
ing out the enemy like sheep before them. This maven- towards our guns. The danger was seen, and such horses
:'age, however, was only temporary. The instant our men las still survived the fire were hastily harnessed to each of
were in the battery, the Russian artillery, on the hill the guns, which were withdrawn. The remaining two guns
above it, threw shot and shell into the very centre of our with their ammunition waggons fell into the hands of the
troops, cutting them down by files. The enemy's infantry enemy. Some of the artillerymen clung round the guns,
tt the same time rallied, and swarming up the hill poured and fought the Russians for them hand to hand. One ser-
ie such a terrific fire of musketry that our regiments were jeant in particular was seen defending himself with his
%gain compelled to retire down the hill, and defend the sword alone amid a hundred enemies for fully five minutes.
wall along the post road. When the battle was ever his body was found with 17
It was now nearly seven o'clock, and most of the troops in bayonet and ballet wounds on it, and two Russians killed
the English camp were moving up to the scene of action. with his sword lay on the ground beside him.
By the time I have mentioned, all oar chiefs were as- Our troops were now slowly falling back, file-firing, and
aemblecl near the camps of the 2nd and Light Divisions. disputing every inch of ground, until the reinforcements
Lord Raglan was there looking unusually anxious, with cams up. The Russians had got into the brushwood, and
fir George Brown, Sir George Cathcart, the Dake of Cam- were picking off every officer of raak, who, of course, like
bridge, Sir De Lacy Evans, Major General Strangways (of all English officers in the moment of danger, were coaspi-
the Artillery), Brigadier-Generals Buller, Adams, Torrens, swans in the frent of their mei, giving out tie necessary
oldie, Beutieck, Pennefather, and several other officers orders as if at a review. It was at this time that poor Sir
Hof high rank from the English and French armies. George Cathcart was shot through the heart and fell dead
All this time the 41st, 47th, 49th, 55th, 20th, and SSth from his horse. Within five minutes afterwards Brigadier-
Regiments, from tie 2d, 4th, aid Light Divisions, were Generals Torrens and Gold* also of the 4th Division,
ranged inside the wall on the old post road, firing over it were mortally wounded, the former through the chest, the
into the bodies of Russian infantry with the most terrible latter through the stomach. Here also Brigadier-General
effect. Bentinck was wounded through the arm, Sir George Brown
The rattle of musketry was deafening. through the arm, and Captain Butler, brother of the hero
About this time our batteries of artillery came hotly of Silistria, who was on the Duke's staff, and standing
tato the fight against the enemy's battery on the hill, near him at the time, was shot through the brain. Our
which was doing us a considerable amount of mischief. men had fallen back so far that the two-gun Lancaster
Under the splendid management of General Strangways battery, which was erected to command the harbour and
they soon so far tamed the fortune of the day as to leave shipping in Sebastopol, fell into tie enemy's hands. They
their infantry attacking oars beyond the wall entirely spiked and dismounted both tie guns, and pushing forward
without support. Advantage was instantly taken of the on our left tried to cut off the whole body of our men
'change to advance the 20th and 47th Regiments to the from the advancing French succour,.
right for the purpose of retaking the Two-gun Battery. The fight was now quite among the tents of the 2d and
These two regiments splendidly upheld the fame of the Light Divisions. All the canvas of the tents was cut aid
English troops. In spite of a tremendous cress fire, they blown to pieces by the storm of shot and shell. But at this
advanced at the aeint of the bayonet, and as they neared spot the tide of fortune turned. The enemy were now cone-
the battery poured in one tremendous volley and charged. pletely out of the bush which had screeued and sheltered
he less than a minute the Russians were driven out, with them on their advance, and upon fair ground they stood
fearful loss. 'Yet, hardly were they clear of the battery, no chance with our men. Our regiments halted, extended
when the Russians rallied again, and, returning round the their line to the left, and commenced a tremendous file-
spot, poured in volley after volley into the columns of fire. The enemy, in disorder, hardly returned a shot, but
the gallant 20th and 47th, and at the same time the stood their ground, and fell by hundreds and hundreds.
Russian artillery reopened en the battery is such a Thrice they moved up stolidly to break our line on the
,nanner as neither friend nor foe could hold it. Under left, and were met each time by terrible volleys of mug-
these cirenmstaacee the 20th and 47th were compelled ketry, until they closed in, when our fellows charged and
to fall bask, and the enemy again occupied the T wo• massacred them at the point of the bayonet. The fortune
gun Battery far a moments This tarn of possession was, of the day still hung doubtful. The enemy were getting
,aowever, but brief ; oat fellows again dashed up at up all their strength for a final effort, when Canrobert
it, and again they literally massacred all in the place. came up with three regiments of Zonaves, five regiments
the battery itself, and all its approaches, were now of French Infantry, and a strong force of Artillery, and
covered with English and Russian corpses and wenaded. commenced a terrible attack on the enemy's right flank.
The latter were few in the extreme, as whenever the This occurred at about eleven o'clock, and from that Imo-

enemy occupied the contested post, they bayoneted all our
fellows who gave the least sign of life. This is no battle-
field rumour, bob a fact, for the truth of which I can my-
self ♦ouch ; for, later In the day, when the battle s3omed

ment the Russian chance was hopeless. Yet, though
under the French fire they were literally falling by bat-
talions, they never showed the least sign■ of trepidation or
disorder. On the contrary, they formed up in the most

;oing against us, I saw the Russians killing the wounded
svh remained on their part of the ground.
When the 20th end 47th regained the battery the Rue-
sian artillery recommenced in each a manner as to make
it quite untenable. This part of the Russian guns wan on
the hill on the other side of the Tchernaya, overleokieg
our battery, but so admirably was the situation selected
that it was quite impossible that our mon could attempt
to storm. If they had been east-iron they must have been
lastroyed. Accordingly our artillery was advanced for
the purpose of endeavouring to silence the enemy's guns.
the 20th and 47th again retreated from the Tree-gun Bat-
tery, and our field-guns were advanced to the wall near
the post road. Beth parties then commenced a tremend-
lons cannonade. The Russian infantry drew hack as our
suns moved up. Our regimeats remained under the wall
to support them. From this time until eight o'clock it
was a mere artillery battle. The Guards came up to take
their share in the battle on our side, bat this accession of
strength was raore than counterbalanced by tbo arrival of
t division of Russian infantry and artillery, about 20,000
strong, who moved up from Ink-erman to reinforce their
countrymen.
The instant these reinforcements came up the action
again became general. The Russian skirmishers and strong
supporting bodies of infantry were again thrown out on
our right, and under cover of a tremendous fire of artillery
.:rawled up the hill to the Two-gun Battery. Ag their
,non breasted the hill, they were encountered with showers
of grape from our field batteries, which mowed them down
by hundreds. Yet still they came on with perfect cool-
noes, and apparently with perfect courage. To favour their
advance the enemy's artillery was turned fall lapel ours,
and from their commanding position and advantage in
weight of metal did much execntion. It was at this mo-
ment, as the Two-gin Battery was taken again by the
enemy, that a cannon-shot struck Major General Strang-
ways, and carried away his thigh, while he was giving
some orders relative to a fresh position which our batteries
were to take up. Poor Strangways was carried to the
rear, when the mangled limb was immediately amputated,
but the brave old general only survived the operation a few
minutes.
Hardly had we sustained this loss when several other
leading officers of our artillery were out down, either
killed or mortally wounded while superintending the work-
ing of their gnus. The 20th and 47th had in the mean-
time recaptured and lost the Two-gun Battery once more.
[t is no exaggeration to say that whenever the enemy took
this little position, it cost them between 400 and 500 mon
killed on the spot ; our men were unable to hold it in con-
isequeuce of the Russian artillery on the heights, so that
our loss when we retired from the place so often was hardly
more than 15 per cent. that of the Russians.
As the enemy's reinforcements came up our Guards also
came into action.
And new a tremendous struggle ensued for this position.
The number of the enemy iu and around the battery was
et least 6,000, yet the Coldstreams charged and broke their
way through all opposition, and got to the work. The in-
stant they bad done so, the enemy seemed to redouble
their efforts to take and keep the place. Fresh regiments
came up the hill and throw themselves iato the battery
i from all points ; but the Celclstrerams held their ground,
righting with perfect desperation. The battery was new
oompletely eaciroled in front, flank, and rear, aid, as the
Coldstreams say, every man in the place gave himself up for
lost, and determined to sell his life dearly. Three times died
the Russia's throw themselves upon the battery, and by
the sheer weight of their masses eurtneunt and cross the
walls, yet each time they were driven back again. The
iThe,lo3 was frightful. So close were the antagonists, that
after once firing the musket there was no time to load.
rhe men then stood up and charged with the bayonet, or
boat each other down with the butts of their muskets.
Each time the Russians were repulsed they left heaps of
lead behind, and it was ever the corpses of their comrades
that they advanced each time to a fresh attack.
After the last repulse the Russians for some time did not
renew the oontoet. Observing that the height of the walls
prevented our men from firing over, they collected in
masses close under them, and began throwing the muskets
and bayonets of their dead comrades spearwise into the
, battery, with huge stones. For this epeeies of attack our
men also were quite prepared, and in turn hurled out the
rough fragments of rock upon their assailants. For nearly
ten minutes this stone-throwing continued withont inter-
mission on both sides. And every now and then the Rus•
slang made a desperate dash to enter by the embrasures,
but were bayonetted in the attempts till the embrasures
f were choked with corpses.
All this time the Coldstream Guards elene,a bayalmonsetaurnly-
aided, and only 500 strong, hell been keeping
7,000 of the enemy's troops. But at last they were cone-
pelled to retire. The Russians came road in rear of tits
battery, and kept up from a distance a tremendous fire of
musketry, while the follows on the outside plied the stones
thicker than ever. The Coldstreams did not abandon the
place while the least hope remained of defending it succetes
fully. They then charged out is a body on the enemy in
eight °Moors and nearly 200 men killed
[e' heirnd rear,wouu loggias
detl i n
eR tthi
lest:
ahn As . l l thes omwooomfrelt he ‘.Ol
Zeeeti•sn'sthaondtilyes"wYeerne°tfto°udntblywith as many as 20 bayonet
warmth', and their skulls completely smashed with the butt
mods of muskets. Leavieg the battery, the Coldstreatus
fought their *ay to where the Fusiliers and Grenadiers
were coming up to their assistance. The three battalions,
which then did not muster ono thousand men, tried to
charge up to where the Russian artillery was firing,
'out it was a useless attempt, as the enemy had then nearly
r),000 men upon our right flank. The handful of Guards
trove three entire Russian regiments beck at the point Of
the bayonet;
t ayoonreettre
;ib,ut, in the act of doing it, such masses of
the enemy hung upon their flanks that they were corn-
ellel
'elves. and with difficulty could extricate them-
, ~Aeplile,4 thish
et theibmnemb er,
of
regiments eennt
es undermyatb
atyh e.
fivewa l l
orh asdi been
,erent times Resaian battalions
advanced' to take it, but
after literally losing thousands under our tremendous file-
ire, fell back in disorderif
oil Behind this wall the Guards ,
rallied, and formed, a
.vho was coming down from parade,
at(' e ' to
meet the enemy,
.gunbattery on our
right flank, and., in rear of the wall
always at the head of the Guards ; whoa the Duke kept I ]
y Were to go 1

beautiful order, altered their front ao as to meet the attack
of the French, and, extending their line to the left, pre-
pared to resume their attack upon the English. At that
time, however, our men wore well prepared, and, without
any order or arrangement, flung themselves headlong upon
the enemy, charging with the bayonet. The Russians
boldly charged with the bayonet also, and for the
space of five minutes the 30th, 41st, 49th, 88th, and six
or seven Russian regiments were stabbing, besting, and JJ
firing at each other in the moat fearful manner. At
last the enemy gave way, and began retiring in good
order across towards the Inkertnan heights. Until I
saw it, I never in my life could have believed that
any troops in the world could have retired under
such a murderous fire in such perfect order. The
French and English, with a whole mass of artillery, fol-
lowed close upon the retreating battalions, pouring in val-
ley after volley of grapeshot, shell, and musketry. In
fact it was a perfect carnage. Yet in spite of this the
enemy kept their order, retreating almost at slow time,
and every five or ten minutes halting and charging despe-
rately up the hill at our men and the French. In these
charges the Russians lost fearfully. We received them
with volleys of musketry, and then dashed at them with
the bayonet. In one of these charges the 50th French
Regiment of the Line re-captured the two guns which in
the commencement of the day we had lost. By half-past
two o'clock the great mass of the enemy had completely
fallen back, leaving between 7,000 and 8,00 dead upon
the Add behind.
Abont ten o'clock, while the Russians were gaining
ground on our right, the garrison, to the number of about
12,000, made a desperate sortie upon the French trenches
en the left. A most obstinate and bloody battle ensued,
which ended i■ the enemy being completely repulsed at all
points.
Much dissatisfaction is expressed here at the want of
precaution on the part of our generals in leaving the posi-
tion on our right, when an attack was hourly expected,
undefended by redoubts or breastworks. Both generals—
Sir George Brown and Cathcart—it is said, remonstrated
against this want of precaution. Certain it is that now
the mischief has been done, and is not likely to recur
again; trenches and breastworks are being thrown up.
The fleets do nothing but lie at anchor all day. The
Bellerophon has been sent up to Enpateria and landed the
whole of her crew there, and the 400 Marines have been
sent tip to the camp. Abont 2,600 Turks have also been
landed, and the 4fith is landing while I write. These
additiens, of cosine, are better than nothing, but we want
at least 50,000 immediately, or 100,000 for next spring.
The cholera continues to rage among the Tarkish troops.
Lori Raglan and staff were in the front of the troops,
and in the very thickest of the fire. Se hot was the can-
nonade and musketry round his lordship that no one ca❑
understand how he escaped uninjured. An 8-inch shell
came rearing and hissing along the ground, passed right
between the legs of Lord Raglan's horse, and exploded be-
hind him and the staff.
Cathcart, who was only a few paces in front of Lord
Raglan, was shot through the heart, and fell from his
horse a dead man. Colonel Seymour, who was with him,
instantly dismounted, and was endeavouring to raise the
body, whee he himself received a ball which fractured his
leg. 11. fell to the ground beside his general, and a Rus-
sian officer and five er six men running in bayonetted him,
and cut him to pieces as he lay helpless. General Cath-
cart's corpse was also bayonetted in five or six places. I
have mentioned in ray letter of this morning the cold-
blooded cruelty with which the enemy treated all the
wounded who fell into their hands. In not ono solitary
instance, as far as can yet be ascertained, was a man spared.
The conduct of the Coldstream Guards should immor-
talise their name. They fought literally to the death.
They charged the enemy at the point of the bayonet eleven
times. At each time the Russians orossed bayonets and
fought fiercely, but were slaughtered like sheep by our
gallant fellows.
The throe battalions of Guards new barely master 1,000