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

TSB BATTLE OF INKERMAN.

(Front a Special Correspondent, of the Morning Herald.)
BRITISH CAMP, Nov. 7.—We have again had a pitched
battle with the Itassians—a battle which, for duration and
loss of life, is only to be equalled by the tremendons con-
flicts of Napoleon at Austerlitz and Leipsic. In a word,
the enemy, with an overpowering force, attacked the right
of our entrenched camp at daybreak on the morning of
Sunday, the sth of November. Their immense superiority
of nxmbers enabled them to carry several strong positions,
and penetrated into the centre of the canape of the Light
and 2d Divisions; but the opportune arrival of reinforce-
ments enabled the Allies to recover their lost ground, and
eventually repulse the attack with such loss to the enemy
as is, perhaps, unparalleled in the history of inodern

warfare.
The English have lost no less than seven general officers
killed and wounded, an unusually large proportion
e off other
officers, and about 2,400 men. The French, who
reinforced
at Alma,
us, and turned the fortune of the day, have
lost,a
about 1,400. The loss of the enemy is literally appalling.
No words can convey an idea of the manner
in which they
have been slaughtered. Between 15,000 and 20,000 of their
dead remain upon the field, in some places three and foie
deep. While the battle was raging on the right, a sortie
was made from Sebastopol on the left of the French line.
It was repulsed after a tremendous engagement, in which
our allies lost about 1,000 killed and wounded, ant the
Russians nearly 3,000.
Z, The fighting lasted about eight hours, No terms of praise
are too high for the desperate mirage which the enemy
showed in this assault upon our lines. Their conduct and
coolness, under fire, literally seems inexplicable.
On the morning of the 4th the enemy approached Bala-
klava in two bodies, about 35,000 or 40,000 strong ;—of
course, as they nearly always are, day and night, the de-
fenders of the batteries had to get ander arms, and fired
several shells into the enemy's columns. The latter gave
not the least sign of a. wish to attack ; on the contrary, be-
yond moving out of range and remaining drawn up in or-
der of hates, they barely appeared to notice ns.
The night of the 4th passed much the same as other
nights in camp; that is, we talked over what the trenches
had done that day, the general prospects of the siege, the
large force of the enemy in our roar, aid the probability of
an "!alerts" from the besieged garrison. To our surprise
the enemy appeared inclined to let us have a quiet night,
and only a gun now and then was fired from Sebastopol.
A little after three, en the morning of Sunday the sth,
when a heavy fog shrouded everything from view,
the various garrisons of the redoubts at Balaklava
were reused out by the noise of large masses of
troops approaching. This time scouts were instantly
sent out, and returned with the intelligence that a
large army was moving against them, though, ow-
ing to the darkness and the thickness of the fag, it
was impossible to say on what paint the attack week" he
directed. To the surprise of all, the right of our position
at Balaklava was not even threatened, and this was the
only point from which danger is really to be apprehended.
The left or north of the Balaklava defences are remark-
ably strong, as they rest on the steep plateau of land on
which our camp is fixed, so that any army advancing
against Balaklava on the left, would be exposed to a tre-
mendous flanking fire from the redoubts in rear of our
lines. Yet it seemed from the sound as if it was on this
point that the attack of the enemy was directed, and all
our doubts were set at rest by the batteries on the left of
Balaklava, and also those in rear of the camp, opening fire.
What they fired at—beyond a noise—it is difficult to say,
for the morning was dark, cold, and foggy; so foggy, wits:
that particular white wet mist of a winter's morning, the
it was impossible to see ten yards beyond the muzzles of the
guns. Yet the noise of the cavalry and artillery could be
plainly heard, and in its direction our batteries sent shell
after shell. At about half-past three the Russian artillert
returned the fire. From the flashes of their guns they
appeared to have advanced into an eagle of the plain,
between a fire from our camp lines on their right, ane
our Balaklava batteries facing them. Directly the
vague indirect flashes of their guns were made out,
our artillery fired in that direction, and the enemy ap-
peared to be trying to return it. The cannonade was
hot enough, and lasted about half-an-hour, yet I
scarcely think a man fell on either side. The fog was so
thick that aim was out of the quentiou, so the guns were
fired on " spec," and to show the enemy we were prepared
for them. At about four o'clock a cloud of skirmishers
advanced to the brow of the hills en which the roar of our
camp lines rest. The Russian skirmishers never approached
nearer to this breastwork than 500 or 600 yards, and at
this very safe distance a hot fire woe kept up by them in
the direction of the breastwork. The Zousves, of .:nurse'
returned the musketry, but with just the same results as
those which followed the cannonade —T-Z., no results at all.
Both sides were almost out of range, and most decidedly
out of sight ; in fact, as your readers have foreseen, tin
whole attack upon the rear of our lines was a mere feint
to draw off attention, while a serious and desperate
attempt was made to force our camp, and turn the
whole of our position on the right, near Tchernaya.
In the camp the continued cannonade in the rear hal
excited some disturbance. The troops were got tin le,
arms; but, knowing the strength of the position in th
rear, none wore moved. The fire meanwhile had mucl
lackenod, when suddenly, and near five o'clock, to th
surprise, and I think also a little to the consternation o
all in camp, a most tremendous cannonade was opened fron
the heights near Inkerman, full upon the right of our po
sition. As I have said, the two gun battery on the hill
over the Tchernaya was held by a strong party of the 55th
With the first filing in the rear they had turned out, an,
were watching the cannonade from a distance, when sem,
of the men remarked a peculiar rumbling noise on the base
of the steep hill. The fog and darkness were so dense the
it was quite impossible to distinguish anything ten feet
below the battery. Yet still the noise round the hill cell-
tinned. I have already described the high steep hill
facing the battery and overlooking it. No one suspecteo
or believed it possible that the enemy could get guns ill
this in a single night, so the place had boon but little re-
garded. Yet it was from, this spot that the Russians
opened the fire from about ten guns full on the Two-gun
Battezy and the Light and 2d Divisions, which lay about
half-a-reile in the rear. The instant the cannonade began,
and the first emotions of utter astonishment and surprise
were passed, the 55th piequet kept close under the earth-
jfrork of the battery, and the shot flew over them, doing,
but little injury. The enemy had, some way or other,
managed to get up their guns during the night, but having
to point them in the dark and fog, took but a blind aim,
yet nevertheless their shot and shell flew in all direction,
for the space of nearly 20 minutes, while the cannonade it
rear of the line at Balaklava was also redoubled, so that it
seemed impossible to say which would prove the true and
which the feint attack, or whether they were both true or
both feints. The latter opinion was adopted by many,
who said that the enemy would never dare attack us is
our entrenchments, bat rather distract our attention while
a sortie was made from the town upon the trenches. As
if to confirm this surmise, the instant the cannonade it.
the rear recommenced, all forts, redoubts, and batteries
round Sebastopol opened with a tremendous roar, which
seemed to shake the earth.
Of course, the troops remained tinder arms, but did not
attempt to move ; every one knew that before the real at-
tack commenced the artillery would cease and the sharp
crackling fire of musketry begin. Until that was heard,
there was no knowing on -which of the three points the
enemy intended to advance. The report of the muskets
was therefore anxiously listened for, and it soon was
heard.

The picquet of the 55th had been all this time
under cover of the walls of the Two-gun Battery enlytilaile:
right. The fire of the Russian artillery, though
°*)
rooted on the battery, had done little nr
ao harm, sail h
men still lay under sever when the gen, asaso4.,rth:
instant they had done so, and the men of the 55th were
enabled to hear What was moving in their own immediate
neighbourhood, the noise of an immense body of men'
advancing was heard close upon the batteries. The
picquet instantly prepared to defend the place, and
then in the hour of need the great deficiencies of the bat-1
tory were discovered. In the first place it had ao guns,
and in the second place no steps were made to enable the
infantry to firs ever its high parapet. Had there been
either one or the other, the Russians would never have
taken the place. As it was, our men were obliged to
cowlslows to tie two narrow embraamree, and fire through
thew"l they best could. Before they had taken their
atPlaces
these ports a single minute, all the kill close
round t
Iva battery was f
°and to bo snrreuesied by the ad-
vancing
shy, The fog prevented our fellows seeing far,
but the noise t
Russians
Were
,al toe plainly that some 5,000 or 6,000
already close at hand.
Rnsians caught
The instant tbe
sight of the battery
through the fog, though
exertions in climbing the hill, seemed utterly spent by their
them credit
they rushed forward with a A
dash we hardly gave
of numbers,
for. Nothing daunted 4
by the immense disparity
aanmbera, the 55th waited till t
they closed within 10 feet, itn
gave one tremendous 4
volley, which stretched 200 of thetllen
msrey in the dust ; and
t
then each man, loading and firingeafast as he could, f
kept
nn each Russian
up an incessant discharge of musics:,Y p
as he approached. The Russians halted
eaPunia:ineditrtees they
again and then, with wonderful courage, rallied ufor moment,
and
Li
a close and deadly fire. In less thya..n
again attempted to storm the batter they
rushed on and poured over its banks, and through its
em-
brasures, in over-pe veering numbers. There wa:a viats
of desperate struggle, during which oargallaut 55th ;omen!
hand to hand and foot to fooith their numerousassail
ants. It was hot a moment, and in till,' next they repulse,
the attack and preserved the battery. But their number,
diminished every instant, while those of the enemy in.
creased. Suddenly the Russians made another charge,
and this time with more effect.
The rennants of the 55th picquet abandoned tho battery
just in the nick of time, for the 11th regiment of Russian
**infantry had crossed the Tehernaya at another point, am'
Vero trying to take our mon in rear and flank.
The bravo 55th fell back among the biih,3s, flghtint
to
the last, till they came to another picquet wide'
the wall, en the old poet .. road p
which,
had lost half its men like
, and. were fighting desperately to i

repel an attack from a column of the onesay's infantry.
The two piequets joined, and for a time held the road
against all their assailants, who fell in heaps under the
cool murderous fire of our men. But the check to the Rus-
sians was only momentary ; they had now got between
3,000 and 10,000 men uP their heights on our righit, and
their battery on the hill threw shot and shell among our
men, with terrible effect. The picquets were preparing to
retire from the wall, when fortunately two regiments of
the 2d Division, the 41st and 49th, came into action, and
passing the wall opened a destructive tale fire on the Rus-
sians on our right, near the Twe-gun Battery. Tie enemy
returned it Tete as vigorously ; but their small, inefficient
weapons stood no chance against our Istinie ride. The Rus-
sians fell in ranks ; yet still they never moved their ground,
or showed a sign of retreating. The 41st and 49th then

leployed into line, and prepared to charge ; and the
instant they did so the enemy fell back in die-

order. It is strange, but it is Tate true, that the Russian
troops will keep their greind in beautiful order, under the
most fearful volleys which can be poured upon them, but
the moment our men prepare to go in with the bayonet
they break and disperse like children. The 41st and 49th
accordingly charged up the hill to the right, and in the
course of 5 minutes recaptured the Two-gun Battery, driv-
ing out the enemy like sheep Mere them. This advan-
tage, however, was only temporary. The instant our men
were in the battery, the Russian artillery, on the bill
above it, threw shot and shell into the very centre of our
troops, cutting them down by files. The enemy's infantry
at the same time rallied, and swarming up the hill poured
in sash a terrific fire of nansketry that our regiments were
again compelled to retire down the hill, and defend the
wall along the pest road.
It was now nearly seven o'clock, and most of the troops in
the English camp wore moving up to the scene of action.
By the 'time I have mentioned, all our chiefs were as-
sembled near the camps of the 2nd and Light Divisions.
Lord Raglan was there looking unusually anxious, with
Sir George Brown, Sir George Cathcart, the Duke of Cam-
bridge, Sir De Lacy Evans, Major General Strangways (of
the Artillery), Brigadier-Generals Buller, Adams, Torrens,
Geist* Bentiack, Pennefather, and several other officers
of high rank from the Bnglish and French armies.
All this time the 41st, 47th, 49th, 55th, 20th, and 88th
Regiments, from the 2d, 4th, and Light Divisions, were
ranges inside the wall on the old pest road, firing over it
into the bodies of Russian infantry with the most terrible
effect.

The rattle of musketry was deafening.
About this time our batteries of artillery came hotly
into the fight against the elemy'a battery on the hill,
which was doing us a considerable amount of mischief.
Under the splendid management of General Strangways
they soon se far turned the fortune of the day as to leave
their infantry attacking oars beyond the wall entirely
without support. Advantage was instantly taken ef the
ehange to advance the 20th and 47th Regiments to the
right for the purpose of retaking the Two-gun Battery.
These two regiments splendidly upheld the fame of the
English troops. In spite of a tremendous cress fire, they
advanced at the point of the bayonet, aid as they neared
the battery poured in one tremendous volley and charged.
In loss than a reinue the Russians were driven out, with
fearful loss. Yet, hardly were they clear of the battery,
when the Russians rallied again, and, returning round the
spot, poured in volley after volley into the columns ef
the gallant 20th and 47th, and at the same time the
Russian artillery reopened on the battery in such a
nanner as neither friend nor foe could hold it. Under
these eircumstaaces the 20th and 47th were compelled
to fall back, and the enemy again occupied the Two•
;nn Battery for a alomeeta This turn ef possession was,
however, but brief ; oar fellows again dashed up at
it, and again they literally massacred all in the place.
The battery itself, aid all its approaches, were now
covered with English and Russian corpses and weuaded.
The latter were few in the extreme, as whenever the
enemy occupied tie eentested post, they bayoneted all our
fellows who gave the least sign of life. This is no battle.
tield rumour, but a fact, for the truth of which I can my-
self 'reach ; for, later in the day, when the battle seemed
going against us, I saw the Russians killing the wounded
vele) remained on their part of the ground.
When the 20th and 47th regained the battery the Rus-
sian artillery recommenced in such a manner as to make
it quite untenable. This part of the Russian guns was on
the hill on the other side of the Tchernaya, overlooking
our battery, but so admirably was the situation selected
that it was quite impossible that our men could attempt
to storm. If they had been oast-iron they must have been
destroyed. Accordingly our artillery was advanced for
the purpose of endeavouring to silence the enemy's guns.
The 20th and 47th again retreated from the Twe-gun Bat-
tery, and our fieid-guns were advanced to the wall near
the post road. Bath parties then commenced a tremend-
dons cannonade. The Russian infantry drew hack as our
guns moved up. Our regiments remained under the wall
to support them. From this time until eight (o'clock it
wait a mere artillery battle. The Guards came up to take
their share in the battle on our side, but this accession of
strength was more than counterbalanced by the arrival of
a division of Russian infantry and artillery, about 20,000
strong, who moved up from Inkerman 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
crawled up the hill to the Two•gun Battery. As their
mon 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-
ness, and apparently with perfect courage. To favour their
advance the enemy's artillery was turned full upon ours,
and from their commanding position and advantage in
weight of metal did much execntion. It was at this mo-
ment, as the Two-gen Battery was taken again by the
enemy, that a carmen-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 less when several other
leading officers of our artillery were out down, either
killed or mortally wounded while superintending the work-
ing of their guns. The 20th and 47th had in the mean-
time re-captured and lost the Two-gun Battery once more.
It is no exaggeration to say that whenever the enemy took
this little position, it cost them between 400 and 500 men
killed en the spot ; our men were unable to hold it in con-
sequence 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 reinfercemeats came up cur Guards also
came into action.
And new a tremendens struggle ensued for this position.
The number of the enemy in nail around the battery wife
at least 5,000, yet the Coldstream* charged and broke their
way through all oppositien, and got to the work. The in-
stant they had done so, the enemy seemed to redouble
their efforts to take and keep the place. Trash regiments
came up the kill and threw themselves into the battery
from all points ; but the Coldstream' held their ground,
fighting with perfect desperation. The battery was now
completely encircled in front, flask, and rear, and, as the
Coldstream: say, *very man in the place gave himself up for
lost, and determined to sell his life dearly. Three times did
the Russians throw themselves upon the battery, and by
the sheer weight of their masses surmount and cross the
walls, yet each time they were driven back again. Tho
Tx/a was frightful. So close were the antagonists, that
aft-ez once firing the musket there was no time to load.
The men then stood up and charged with the bayonet, or
beat each other down with the butts of their muskets.
Each time the Russians were repulsed they left heaps of
iu.a behind, ',JI it. was over 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 contest. Observing that the height of the walls
prevented cur men from firing ever, they collected in
masses close under them, and began throwing the muskets
and bayonets of their dead comrades spes.rwise into the
battery, with huge stones. For this ?species of attack our
men also wore quite prepared, and in tarn hurled out the
rough fragments of rock upon their assailants. For nearly
ten minutes this stone-threwing continua without inter-
mission on both sides. dad every now and then the Rus-
sians made a desperate dash to enter by the embrasures,
but were bayonetted in the attempts till the embrasures
were choked with corpses.
All this time the Coldstream Guards alone, almost =-
aided, and oily 300 strong, had been keeping at bay nearly
7,000 ef the enemy's troops. Bat at last they were com-
pelled to retire. The Russians came renal in rear ef the
battery, and kept up from a distance a tremendous fire ef
musketry, while the fellows on the outside plied the "boxes
thicker than ever. The Coldstream' did not abandon the
place while the least hope remained of defending it suttees.
Sully. They then charged out in a body on the enemy in
their rear, lenviig night ()freers aid nearly 200 men killed
end wounded in the battery behind them. All the wounded
vere instantly bayonetted by the Russians. Some of the
,fficers' bodies were found with as many as 20 bayonet
werinds, and their skulls completely smashed with the butt
ends of muskets. Leaving the battery, the Coldstreams
fought their way to where the Fusiliers and Grenadiers
were coming up to their assistance. The three battalions,
eleicla then did not muster ono thousand men, tiiocl to
:barge up to where the Russian artillery was firing,
hut it was a useless attempt, as the enemy had then nearly
;5,000 men upon our right flank. The handful of Guards
trove throe entire Russian regiments heck at the point of
'he bayonet; but, in the act of doing it, such masses of
he
enemy hung upon their flanks that they were com-
pelled to retire, and with difficulty could extricate them-
;elves.
All this time the regiments under the wall had been
ceeping the numbers of the e
ns
under
advancedi to take it, but
at bay ; five or six dif-
'erent times Russian battalions
,flor literally losing
thousands
ire, fill back in disorder. Behin(tierthoit:r tremendous file-
. Pawl, to meet the enemy, and formed, as if on wall the Guards
vho was coming down from the two-gun battery on our
right flank, and in rear of the wall. The Duke kept
t
always at the head of the Guards ; they were to g

; he led them, and his escapes seem almost miraculous.
The Russians now altered the plan of attack. They no
longer prowl upon the wall in front, but, swarming up
by the two-gun battery, poured down upon the right flank

in tremendous force.
At this moment there were not less than 40,000 of the
enemy, to oppose whom there were only about 12,000
English. Aides-de-camp were instantly despatched for
reinforcements from the French, and the English fell back
upon their line of tents. The wall was abandoned, and as
our men retired tie enemy mustered is force for a grand

attack.
The 30th and 41st remained to engage the enemy, and
most nobly they behaved, fighting their ground inch by
inch, and strewing the field with Russian corpses. The
enemy advanced by the old post road from Sebastopol ;
on an eminence in the centre of this a battery of six field
pieces was placed. Unfortunately, it was so placed,
with thick brushwood at each side, that the enemy's
skirmishers were enabled to approach unseen, and
pick off both men and horses. Our fellows of
the 30th and 41st made many attempts to dislodge
them, but the place was so crowded with them in
all directions that it was useless. While this fighting was
going on a body of Russian infantry dashed up the road
towards our guns. The danger was seen, and such horses
as still survived tie fire were hastily harnessed to each of
the guns, which were withdrawn. The remaining two guns
with their ammunition waggons fell into the hands of the
enemy. Some of the artillerymen clung round the guns,
and fought the Russians for them hand to hand. One ser-
jeant in particular was seen defending himself with his
sword alone amid a hundred enemies for fully five minutes.
When the battle was ever his body was found with 17
bayonet and ballet wounds on it, and two Russians killed
with his sword lay on the ground beside him.
Our troops were now slowly falling back, file-firing, and
disputing every inch of ground, until the reinforcements
came np. The Russians had got into the brushwood, and
were picking off every officer of rank, who, of course, like
all English officers in the moment of danger, were conspi-
cuous in the front of their men, giving out the necessary
orders as if at a review. It was at this time that poor Sir
George Cathcart was shot through the heart and fell dead
from his horse. Within five minutes afterwardsßrigadier-
Generals Torrena and Gold* also of the 4th Division,
were mortally wounded, the former through the chest, the
latter through the stomach. Here also Brigadier-General
Bentinck was wounded through the arm, Sir George Brown
through the arm, and Captain Butler, brother of the hero
of Silistria, who was on the Dake's staff, and standing
near him at the time, was shot through the brain. Our
men had fallen back so far that the two-gun Lancaster
battery, which was erected to command the harbour and
shipping in Sebastopol, fell into tie enemy's hands. They
spiked and dismounted both the guns, and pushing forward
en our left tried to cut off the whole body of our men
from the advancing French succours.
The fight was now quite among the tents of the 2d and
Light Divisions. All the canvas of the tents was out and
blown to pieces by the storm of shot and shell. But at this
spot the tide of fortune turned. Tie enemy were now com-
pletely out of the bush which had screened and sheltered
them on their advance, and upon fair ground they stood
no chance with our men. Our regiments halted, extended
their line to the left, and commenced a tremendous file-
fire. Tie enemy, in disorder, hardly returned a shot, but
stood their ground, and fell by hundreds and hundreds.
Thrice they moved up stolidly to break our line on the
left, and were met each time by terrible ♦olleys of mus-
ketry, until they closed in, when our fellows charged and
massacred them at the point of the bayonet. The fortune
of the day still hung doubtful. The enemy were getting
up all their strength for a final effort, whoa Canrobort
came up with three regiments of Zonaves, five regiments
of French Infantry, and a strong force of Artillery, and
commenced a terrible attack on the enemy's right flank.
This occurred at about eleven o'clock, and from that mo-
ment the Russian chance was hopeless. Yet, though
under the French fire they were literally falling by bat-
taliose, they never showed the least signs of trepidation or
disorder. On the contrary, they formed up in the meet
beautiful order, altered their front so 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 were 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, diet, 40th, Stith, and six
or seven Russian regiments were stabbing, beating, and
firing at each other in tie most fearful manner. At
last the enemy gave way, and began retiring in good
order across towards tho Inkerman 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 vol-
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 fivo or ten minutes halting and charging despe-
rately up the hill at our men and the French. In thee()
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 lines of the enemy had completely
fallen back, leaving between 7,000 and 8,000 dead upon
the field behind.
About 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
on the left. A most obstinate and bloody battle ensued,
which ended in 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 goserals—
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 reour
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 Eupatoria aed landed the
whole of her crew there, and the 4,00 Marines have been
sent up to the camp. About 2,000 Turks have also boon
leaded, and the 48th is landing while I write. These
additions, of course, are better than nothing, but we watt
at least 50,000 immediately, or 100,000 for next spring.
The cholera continues to rage among the Turkish troops.
Lord Raglan and staff were in the front of the troops,
and in the very thickest of the fire. So hot was the can-
nonade and musketry round his lordship that no one can
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 ii front of Lord
Raglan, was shot through the heart, and fell from hie
horse a dead man. Colonel Seymour, who was with him,
instantly dismounted, and was endeavouring to raise the
body, when he himself received a ball which fractured his
log. Ho fell to the ground beside his general, and a Rus-
sian officer aid five or 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 •r six places. I
have mentioned in my letter of this morning the cold-
blooded cruelty with which the enemy treated all the
wounded who fell into their hands. In not one solitary
instance, as far at 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 crossed bayonets and
fought fiercely, but were slaughtered like sheep by our
gallant fellows.
The three battalions of Guards now barely mister 1,000
men.
To-day a flag of truce was ',sent into Sebastopol. The
bearer of it carried a letter from the Allied commanders to
the commender-in-chief of the Russian forget's. It stated
that General Canrobert and Lord Raglan had seen with
detestation and disgust the merciless cruelty with which
the enemy bayonetted our wounded oa the field, and re/
quieted to know if the war was to be carried on in this
barbarous and exterminating manner, as then the Allies
would know hew to act ? The letter also contained a hint
that in case of our prisoners being ill-treated, the Russians
would de well to remember that we had many of their
countrymen in our hands, whose treatment would be regu-
lated by that which our nen received from them. An
answer is to be given to this letter tomorrow, and it is
generally believed that it will be for war to the knife, and
no quarter for either side.
A Russian major was captured at the close of the battle.
He had been observed on many oceasiens stabbing and
hackine, our unfortunate wounded with his sword, and
directions were given to a party of the Guards to take him
alive, if possible. This they effected, after a slight resist-
ance on his part, and after his having offered in vain a
bribe of some gold pieces to our men to allow him to escape.
He is to be tried by court-martial to-morrow, and the de-
positions and sentence forwarded to whoever of the many
generals now in Sebastopol is the commander-in-chief. If
they consent to punish him he will bo given up to them.
If they decline to interfere, he will be shot, as the laws of
civilised warfare denounce the killing of defenceless
wounded as murder.
Neither the Grand Duke Constantine nor Prince Alex-
ander were actually present on the field. They remained
all day oa the slope of the heights on the north side of the
harbour, beyond Inkerinan.
Our mon came into action first just as they turned oust
of the tents, that is, without knapsacks, and in the grey
groat coats and forage caps in which they were sleeping.
Their fighting in this dress was particularly unfortunate,
Its the enemy were clad in a precisely similar manner, so
that in the fog the Russian troops could not be distil.-
geished from ours at a little distance. This, I am informed
on high authority, led to some fatal mistakes. In one ar
two instances parties of our men fired on their own com-
rades, and in others allowed Russians to pass unmolested,
believing them to be English, The grey Coats also led to