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

tached a strong column of cavalry, (Dragoons of the
Guard) down to the plain, followed and supported by a
brigade of infantry, marching in close column. Atten-
tion ; now the drama is about to begin. Grouped on
the poop, in the tops, on the yards, in the shrouds,
breathless with excitement and emotion, we had a capi-
tal view of the field ; nothing escaped us ; we could dis-
tinguish the uniforms of the regiments, the arms they
carried—everything, in fact. Oh, the glorious and
beautiful spectacle ! two armies were about to join battle
under our eyes. Our friends, our brethren in arms, at
last were on the point of finding themselves face to face
with the enemy so long wished for, so long desired.
France was about to cross swords with Russia—how
great the duel ! And now the Russian cavalry deploys ;
it executes beautiful manoeuvres,, the harmony and the
precision of which we admire. It skirmishes with our
outposts ; several volleys of artillery are fired at it ; it
replies, and the Russian infantry, forming in squares,
marches resolutely to support it. But our front stirs not ;
the English troops are not yet in line, and it is impossible
for the Marshal to venture a general engagement to-day.
At 4 o'clock the English arrive, but it is too late for a for-
ward movement. The army pitches its tents and pre-
pares for a bivouac. Thereupon Menschikoff exults,
and promises himself to demolish us finely to-morrow.
At a quarter-past four Canrobert's division, which has
succeeded in stealing a flank march, makes its appear-
ance in the east of the plain. All the Russian squadrons
deploy on the right, make a great circle, and charge
hotly on our division. The division halts, forms three
squares, flanked by its artillery, and awaits the attack.
How 'iny heart beats—if they should be crushed by that
mass of 3,000 horsemen launched on them at full gallop!
But no ! a terrible fire of cannon and musketry receives
them, horses fall to the ground, a still greater number
escape without riders in all directions, and the mass of
cavalry flies in disorder, and seeks a refuge behind the
infantry, where it reforms. Bravo, bravo, the fire has
begun ; the Muscovite has turned tail ! Soon Canro-
bert has reached about half-way along our front ; he
defieirthe enemy. The cavalry, ashamed of its first de-
feat, tries for a revenge. Its columns aro reformed,
massed together closer than before, and the charge be-
gins more rapid and more furious than the first. But a
close discharge stops amid breaks the rolling mass ; the
earth is strewed with corpses, and the routed Dra,
goons fly to recover themselves behind the Muscovite
squares. No doubt the general who commanded the
infantry was horribly enraged at seeing the fine cavalry
of the Guard disbanding themselves in so disgraceful a
fashion under the eyes of both armies, for this time he
received the fugitives with a general discharge, which
surprised us much, and, I own, made us laugh heartily.
But it was now 7 o'clock, and both parties withdrew to
their own encampment.
Sept. 20.-3 fine sky, smooth sea, and radiant
Our troops strike their tents, and are in motion
at six o'clock. The English are in line, and occupy the
left of our army. The Turks are at tau extreme right
resting on the sea. From our vessel we CO'll,l Sto all
the Russet% positions. Canrobert's attempt time day
before to turn their right has put Menscliikaff on his
mettle against this manceuvre, So we find that,
sine.: the night before, a movement has been
made towards the rig lit to strengthen it. The centre of
t6e hessian army is in used in the valley which faces the
bridge over the Alma ; its left, which has been with-
drawn about three•quartere of a mile from the set, covers
the heights which look over the river, and which are a
cmtitruation of the peaked hills near the mouth of the
river ; its right covers all the heights which conirnand
the val;ey to the east, and jastly, its advanced guard,
with all the riflemen, occapy the village on both the
banks of the river. A formidable artillery protects the
front and the flanks on every eminence in front of the
valley, and in front of the river they have strong re-
doubts. Menschlkoli occupies the tower of a telegraph
station, from which he has a view of the country for
nine miles round. The Marshal and Lord Roden have
agreed on the same dispositions as the night before, ex-
cept that this time there was no longer any question of
throwing the Russian army into the sea, it had with-
drawn itself at least two miles ; but the point was to
surround and envelope it in the valley in which it was
massed. It was settled that the English, who formed
the right wing, should march to the east, and then
turning round with a sweep to the right, should out,
flank the right wing.. Ott our right the Turks and the
division of General Bosquet were to follow the sea, and
outflank the Russian left wing, which had left a consi-
derable space occupied between it and the shore, and
were then to turn round on the Russian left and rear.
The Marshal was to attack the front by the village and
the bridge leading to the valley where the strength of
the Russians was massed, but he was to time his move-
ment so as to occupy the attention of the enemy, and
allow time for our two wings to outflank him. These
were the dispositions agreed on, and towards 7 o'clock
our army commenced to move without attempt at con-
cealment. At. 10 o'clock there was a general halt ; the
,oldiers were ordered to take a meal, and an hour's rest
was allowed them. The Russians remained quiet,
waiting the shock in their formidable positions. One
thing surprised us on board very much—that Mena-
chilsoff had completely abandoned the defence of
the peaked heights which defended his left. A
few guns and a handful of soldiers defending the ravines
which pierced that wall of 100 feet high, would have
been enough to stop all our army. We learnt afterwards
from the prisoners who were taken that he had aban-
doned the defence of this line whiCh covered his left, re-
garding, it as absolutely impassable even for goats. He
did not know our Zouaves From 10 to 11 o'clock
Menschikoff, having no idea of our plan of outflanking
him on both wings, and not seeing the cross-movement
of the English, which was covered by the mountains in
the east, thought again, as he had done the night before,
that we were hesitating, dispirited, and disconcerted by
the obstacles before us. 'Decidedly,' said he to the of-
ficers of his staff, these French have had enough. I
shall be obliged to go and help them to re-embark a little
quicker.' At 11 o'clock the Marshal launched his right
along the side of the river, and we could see the Chas-
seurs, the Zouaves, and the Turks coming along at a
run—it is clear that the Marshal supposes that the
English have had time enough to make their movement
to the left. Then we see all our centre in motion, and
advancing in good order on the village. At noon it ap-
proaches that position, which is covered by a cloud of
Russian skirmishers. The cannon roars, and the fire
spreads everywhere. During this time we see our right
pass the river at its mouth ; other columns push higher,
passing the river any way they can. Very soon we are
astonished to see our men climbing these inaccessible
peaks, clinging to everything, and swarming along like
ants. After 20 minutes' climbing, we see theta rising
on the crest of the hill, crowning every elevation, and
before Menschikoff could have believed his eyes we had
10,000 men outflanking him on his right. tThen he
bethinks him of drivingeback the danger, and launches
against Bosquot's cavalry 30 pieces of artillery and
several columns of infantry. It is too bite, though.
Our troops give way not a foot, six pieces of our ar-
tillery have succeeded in passing the bridge, and
advance to support Bosquet. The formidable artil-
lery of the Russians pierces us and makes lanes
through our ranks ; but our brave fellows stand their
ground, and soon reinforcements arrive. Our centre
carries the village' and all the Russian riflemen are
driven out or killed. Soon we are so strong on the left
of the Russians, and their attention' is so fixed on their
centre, menaced by the Marshal, that they leave us un-
disturbed masters of the heights towards the sea. Bos-
quet profits by this to push ahead and to occupy the
noel to Katcha with his division, so as to bar the retreat
by that. All goes well in that quarter, but there are no
signs of time English on the left wing. The Marshal
cannot advance too far, because our centre would be un-
covered on the right. At 2 o'clock all the village is
ours, wed the left bank is conquered ; at 3 o'clock we
attack the Russian centre, a battery is taken in a re-
doubt, we press the left of the Russians, and we force
them to concentrate all their efforts on the centre and
the left. For three hours three of our divisions and an
English division had all the Russian army on their
hands. At last, at half-past 3, there is a great move-
ment visible on the right of the Russians. It is the
English troops making their appearance. They advance
rapidly, but, in approaching, obstacles, arising from the
nature of the ground, no doubt prevent them from taking
the Russian army in flank, and they make a flank march,
so as to get in front of the valley and of the Russian
masses. They are in two parallel lines. The Russians
resolve to attack them, and all at once three enormous
columns, which formed the Russian order of battle en
the right, formed close column, fixed bayonets, and
rushed at a run on tke first line of the English. This
resists ; the second line rushes to its support, and then
the lines in front, which unroll themselves like long ser-
pents, lap over at the extremities, enclosing the Rus-
sians between them. In this order of attack, the Eng-
lish, by stretching out a little, have the great advantage
of being able to surround the enemy. a
" If the centre of the English army had been pierced,
all was over—the English army would have been de-
stroyed ; but these brave fellows bore the check without
breaking, and at this very moment a French battery of
Horse Artillery came up and took the Russian mass on
its left flank. Then came a frightful pell-mell ; there
was no mere firing ; they stabbed one another with the
bayonet. At the end of a quarter of an hour the, Rus-
sian mass was destroyed, and the English lines,ireform-
ing in close order to close up the numerous gapN rushed
on the Russian right. From that time all eyelet down
before us, and the Russian army would have been anni-
hilated. Our artillerymen pursued them until six
o'clock, firing on the mass without cessation, and Bos-
quet saluted them as they passed with a heavy camp,
and encamped for the night on the field so glpriously
won. On the morrow (the 21st) the first care was to
relieve the wounded and bury the dead. The allies
hail 1,000 killed and 2,000 wounded. The Russians had
8,000.
" One can scarcely form an idea of the wonderful
manner in which our soldiers fight, accustomed .to
African warfare, and attacking-with surprising ;resolu-
tion, but with a marvellous intelligence too. Are they
before a battery—quick—you see them break up into
skirmishers, killing from a afar, but without pr4senting
a mark for the enemy to fire at. The same llefore
square ; but when it comes to the charge, when they have
thrown disorder intoa column, you see them form quickly
in a lump and charge with the bayonet. The brave
English are still the iron columns which advance in-
trepidly to the slaughter without hurry and without re-
ceding a foot, When Lord Raglan saw our divisions of
the right climbing the gigantic walls of the heights
which shut in the river he applauded and shouted,
They are not men, they are lions and tigers.'
" The brave English are enchanted with them allies,
e gtoorodyejsutedrgdeasy owfhberreavveerryihtehyluskawwae
u rwe dh owaerl ,
havean d they,labo
Frenchman they saluted him with frantic cliFerine•
Prince Napoleon has displayed wonderful caolneiss and
ardour, so that the night after the battle one 'of the
Zouaves summarized the general opinion of him' by de-
claring that lie was finished trooper, and ought for
sure to have served in the Old Guard.' y
esterday and
to-day we have collected and embarked the wounded,

sun.