The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-24 00:00:00

THE BALTIC.

The following are extracts from the letters of a
seaman serving in the Baltic :

" Her Majesty's ship Belleisle, Bomarsund, Aug. 14.
"Dear Daniel, —Have you noticed that I have shifted
ships ? The reason I ask is, I have not received as yet
anything from you directed to the Belleisle. The last
letter I received was dated July 3. I have sent you my
small account every fortnight, excepting this last. I
missed the opportunity last Tuesday ; the letter-bag was
sent away, and but very few knew it.
"The fighting is still going on here. The Edinburgh
and Amphion are now throwing shell on the top of the
large battery, a battery that is built in front of the
town ; its foundation is a rock along the edge of the
water. The round tower was taken this morning, and
it is reported 40 prisoners with it. This was taken with
very little loss of life on our side ; through the whole of
the affray yesterday we hear of only one being wounded
—that a Frenchman. The affair has been most capitally
managed ; guns have been got ashore from the ships,
and have been placed under the brow of a hill, where
neither of the forts could get a gun to bear upon
them, although they were a very short distance from
them It is rumoured here that to-morrow is appointed
for the grand attack on the other forts and the town,
but whether it is true or not remains to be proved ; there
is not a doubt of its being carried ; the Russians have
not the least chance, but they stand to their work well ;
they are out-manoeuvred on every point.
" Our ships lay off, and pitch shell into their forts with
ease and sureness, and the enemy cannot get a gun to
reach them (our ships). They have been throwing shell
from their batteries at intervals throughout the day, I
suppose at our troops. I say I suppose, because I do
not know what they are doing on the other side of the
island, where Admiral Plurnridge has the command. I
can only give you what I see doing here. I hear plenty,
but three-fourths turns out to be false. Do send me a
line, Daniel, for I want to know if you have received
what I have sent. Direct Belleisle ' instead of Bos-
cawen.' There are three more forts yet to be taken ;
two of them are round towers, all very strong.
" 15th, 7.30 a.m.—Everything is quiet here at pre-
sent, except a shot now and then from the forts thrown
in the direction of the troops, but it is that sort of
quietness which precedes a storm. It is expected that
the bombardment will begin at 10 a.m., but I shall
have to give this in before that time. You
may expect to hear of its being taken with little
trouble and little loss, for the troops have erected
a battery during the night, and they have their
mortars there already ; this battery will command the
town batteries, and they cannot get a gun to bear on
them, so you see they have not the least chance. The
ships have had but little to do with this affair, except
throwing in a shell now and then to quiet them. I can-
not tell you what is doing in Led Sound, or any other
place, but just where we tire lying, and I am afraid not
much of that. I write in haste. Excuse everything ;
lam well and happy. I hope this will find you all the
same.—l remain, yours, &c.,
"The mail is detained till to-morrow, so I have a
chance of giving you a little more information. This
has been a warm day here for many ; there has been
a continual pouring in of shot and shell on the top

of the Ru,simi tort ; we all expected to have seen
it down before this (it is now 6.30 p.m.) ; but there
it stands, and there the Russians still fight their
guns manfully. There have been but few ships en-
gaged in the affair, and they only working their pivot
guns. It looks like a miserable piece of work. There
is no doubt that admirals and generals know best, but
the tars have a notion that if some of the heavy ships
had been hauled in, and had given them a few broad-
sides, they would have shaken their masonry for them, but
as it is they have shaken it pretty well. The three bat-
teries that the troops have built ashore are still throwing
in shell upon them. Some people expect great things
to be done to-night, but time will show us. As might
be expected, there hag been some loss of life on our side,
but I cannot tell you what the loss is at present.
" 16th, 6-45 a.m.—We have heard of nothing serious.
occurring during the night. It is reported that onset
the round batteries has hoisted a flag of truce, but it needs
confirmation. There are, or were, three round towers,
but one of them was captured and blown up. It is
reported the Russians threw shell into it from the large
fort, which we were still engaging, which set fire to it.
It was on fire some hours before the explosion took
place. The Russians still fight on manfully ; the forts
they are now in must be very strong.
e 45 a.m.—Shot and shell are still flying onl oth
sides ; the fort still keeps :
up its fire manfully. as
afraid to keep my letter any longer ; there is no chant
"
for the fort to hold out much longer."