The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-16 00:00:00

THE CAPTURE OF BOMARSUND.

The Invalids Russe gives the following, under
the head of additional details respecting the defence
of the fortifications of Aland:—
"In completion of the details already given relative
to the the capture of the fortifications of Aland, an ac-
count has just been received from Lieutenant-General
Rokassovsky, commander of the troops in Finland, con-
taining a detailed narrative front_ the Honorary coun-
cillor Westerius, formerly superintendent of the maga-
zine cf provisions of Aland, who was at the principal
island during the whole time of the siege of the fort.
M. Westerius was sent by the commander on the 7th of
August to purchase from the inhabitants of the neigh-
bouring village forage and provisions for the support of
the place. In returning on the next day to Skarpans,
he perceived that the route to the forte had already been
intercepted by the enemy, and, wishing at all events to
avoid being made prisoner, M. Westerius concealed
himself until the 19th of August, in the villages
and woods of Aland, and ultimately succeeded in
reaching Finland, having passed across the lines of the
cruisers in a fishing boat. Having on the 28th August
reached Helsingfors, he gave to the authorities the fol-
lowing account of the siege and defence of the fortifica-
tions of Aland :—ln consequence of the bombardment
of the principal fort of Aland on the 21st June last by
three English ships of war, the commanaer of Aland
ordered the construction of a fresh land battery on the
south-west coast of the bay of Lumpar, which was
effected in the course of the month by the soldiers of
the garrison of Aland, under the command of Captain
du Kransold, chief of the detachment of artillery of the
island. At the same time there were sent from the fort
five guns of the rampart, for which the ,/erkmen bad
made new carriages, under the orders 4?f Sub-Lieu-
tenant Pistchouiine, of the artillery garrison of Aland,
and in accordance with the directions of Captain eln
Kransold. When this battery was ready, a certain
number of picked men, taken from the Finland batta-
tion of the line No. 10, from the garrison cf artillery
of Aland, were ordered to work the battery, under
the command of Lieutenant Schimanovsky and Sub-
Lieutenant Pistchouline. Detachments of the 3d and
4th companies of the battalion of Grenadier Riflemen,
under the command of the Guard de Eurnjelm, Adju-
tant of the Governor of Abo, were ordered to defend this
battery. Ultimately, after the entry of the Anglo-
French fleet, to the number of more than $0 vessels, in-
to the bay of Lumpar, it was demolished, the guns were
destroyed, and all the men were sent to the principal
fort, and a portion of the riflemen were stationed in the
three towers. All this was entirely completed on the
6th of August.

" According to the statement of M. Westerius, the
garrison of each tower was composed of about 90 men of
the Finland battalion of the line No. 10, and about 25
men of the artillery and engineers, with three officers ;
and, in addition, in the tower C, were Captain of Ar-
tillery de Tesche ; Lieutenant de Salberg, of the bat-
talion of the line ' • Ensign de Bolfras, and Sub-Lieu-
tenant Couradi, of the battalion of Grenadier Rifle-
men. In the tower U, Lieutenant of Artillery Zvereff,
Second Captain de M4lart, and Sub-Lieutenant de
Bluhm, of the battalion of the line. Also in the tower
Z, the Lieutenant of Artillery Chatelain, and Captains de
• Knoning and Perernilowsky, of the battalion of the line.
• "At the same time—that is to say, during the month
of June, according to the instructions of the comman-
dant, there were constructed, under the superintendence
of the head of the engineers, in the principal fort, a
masked earth battery, covering three .Paixba.o guns, all
the openings being walled round, internal as well as ex-
ternal, the latter not being armed with guns.
"During the construction of the battery of Lumpar
four pieces of the garrison field artillery of Aland, under
the command of Captain of Artillery Sehvetoff, were
divided into two detachments, one of which took post at
the limit of the force of Schvetoff, and the other near
Mougstekt, each supported by detachments of Grena-
dier Riflemen. There iexisted on these two points old
batteries in ruins, which the soldiers reconstructed. In
the night bet Ween the sth and 6th of August these
four pieces were taken from their positions and
placed in the fort, with men to work them and troops
to defend them. In the evening of the 7th of August,
24 artillery horses were sent to Gerad, the officer of the
Crown at Aland, that they might be fed by the
inhabitants.
" Such was the situation of the fortifications when, on
the 24th of July, there arrived seven of the enemy's
vessels in the Bay of Lumpar. This number succes-
sively increased, and amounted in a few days to more
than 30. At the same time the enemy surrounded the
fortifications on the other sides. His vessels remained
quietly at anchor, and were only occupied in sounding
until the 7th of August. On that day it was remarked
that the enemy's vessels were being towed into the bays
of Lumpar and Wargata, and it was presumed that
troops intended to land were on board, and this idea was
confirmed the next day ; that at 2 o'clock in the morn-
ing the enemy landed troops upon two points—viz., to
the west of the village of Ivanwik, and to the east of
that of Hutta. The Riflemen advanced from these points
in large masses, and the two troops assembled together
at Finby, situated three ewes from the fortifications.
There the bivouacked, and-the head of the French troops
took his position in tho village.
" According to probable reports which reached me on
the same day as the landing of the troops at Aland, the
enemy began the assault upon the tower C, but was re-
pulsed with loss. He then began to construct his bat-
teries, and to bring his guns to the siege by means of
rollers placed in a particular manner. Subsequently in
the night between the Bth and 9th of August he opened
a fire upon the tower, endeavouring at the same time to
erect a new battery nearer to it, but what he had suc-
ceeded in raising during the night was destroyed at day-
break by our balls. Eventually, having discovered an
appropriate positism, where he was sheltered, the enemy
constructed a battery, and when it was finished he fired
day and night upon both sides of the tower, with a view
to make a breach, so that it vas seriously and danger.
ously damaged in every part. Upon this the garrison
which defended it, foreseeing probably the impossibi-
lity of holding out much longer, decided upon re-
turning to the principal fort, but was prevented by the
enemy, who unexpectedly made an assault upon it, sur-
rounded it, and cut off all retreat. Both officers and
soldiers (as I have beard) were desirous of forcing a
passage at the point of the bayonet, but they could• not
overcome the advantage of superior numbers, and were
forced to surrender. A few hours afterwards the tower,
which was much shaken, tumbled to pieces. Among its
battalion
ttethalearis, obnatyhoeof
nartillery
dhieer Captainleg,uaan de
rddsE, nrseTiegeesnievhdeede
Biwno
injury
1 usf woundedrrays
,con
nf
tt
thee
ee
shoulder from a blow with a sword.
" After the capture of the tower C, the enemy raised
batteries against the tower -U, the bombardment of
which was commenced on the 12th of August, and was
continued without intermission during 3 days. That
tower, in which two large breaches were made by the
balls, without reckoning the other damage done to its
interior by shells, having only the means
of firing four
times more, was at length forced to capitulate.
" I am not aware of the cause of the reduction of the
tower B. I only know that the garrison capitulated on
the 15th of August, at 11 o'clock in the evening.
" I have not received precise information as
tothe
but the
reasons for the capitulation of the principal fort,
following
h however, I do not
the subject, the authenticity of
hw ,have collected upon
guarantee. While the r!
are the reports whichhilc
hoops bombarded the
rbi
na
cyi
poafl
fort,L u
do-
ing ar
kept up an irresistible firy against
overthrowing the roofs
towers, the Anglo-French
to its interior,
serious injury
destroying the embrasures. The
d
and chimneys, and surrendered on the 16th of
said that the cause of this surren-
August. It is
after having lost the tower, it was
that, •
der was for it to repulse simultaneously
possible
no longer landand by sea, and that it was
ke by .
garrison of the fort
the attacks
destitute of the means of silencing the enemy's powerful
Before the reduction of the principal fort, its
artillery.
it had effected during several days,
in-
cessant operations
ces ' not in a condition either for further action,
garrison was so exhausted by the watches and the in-
that it was
or for offering a longer resistance. It it is said that on
our
rside the number of killed was 53, and that of the
wounded 68, and that the enemy lost from 500 to 600
men. The garrisons of the principal fort and of the three
towers were embarked in Anglo-Prench vessels. Stich
of the prisoners as were sent to be sent to England
were despatched on the 17th August, and the others,
among whom was General Bodisco and his wife, were
sent to France on the 18th of August. It was also re-
ported that, with the consent of the enemy's chief offi-
cers, the wives of some of our officers hale accompanied
heir husbands."