The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-08 00:00:00

WAR DEPARTMENT,

October 8, 1851, 8 o'clock a.m.

Major the Lord Burghersh arrived this morning
with a despatch from General the Lord Raglan,
G.C.8., to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, of
which the following is a copy :

Head-quarters, Katcha River,
SEPT. 23, 1854.

My Lord Duke,—l have the honour to inform
your Grace that the Allied Troops attacked the
position occupied by the Russian Army, behind
the Alma, on the 20th instant ; and I hay(
great satisfaction in adding, that they suc-
ceeded, in less than three hours, in driv-
ing the enemy from every part of the ground
which they had held in the morn inL
and in establishing themselves upon it.
The English and French Armies moved out of
their first encampment in the Crimea on the 19th,
and bivouacked for the night oh the left bank oi
the Bulganac, the former having previously sup-
ported the advance of a part of the Earl of -Cardi-
gan's 'brigade of Light Cavalry, which had the
effect of inducing the enemy to move up a large
body of Dragoons and Cosaques, with artillery.
On this, the first occasion of the English encoun-
tering the Russian force, it was impossible for any
troops to exhibit more steadiness than did this
portion of her Majesty's cavalry.
It fell back upon its support with the most
perfect regularity under the fire of the Artillery,
which was quickly silenced by that of the bat-
teries I caused to be brought into action.
Our loss amounted to only four men wounded.

The day's march had been most wearisome and
under a burning sun, the absence of water, until
.we reached the insignificant but welcome stream of
the Bulganac, made it to be severely felt.

Both Armies moved towards the Alma the fol-
lowing morning, and it was arranged that Marshal
St. Arnaud should assail the enemy's left by
crossing the river at its junction with the sea, and
immediately above it, and that the remainder of
the French divisions should move up the heights
in their front, whilst the English Army should
attack the right and centre of the enemy's position.
In order that the gallantry exhibited by Her,
Majesty's troops, and the difficulties they had to
meet may be fairly estimated, I deem it right, even'
at the risk of being considered tedious, to endea-
vour to make your Grace acquainted with the
position the Russians had taken up.
It crossed the great road about 21 miles from
the sea, and is very strong by nature.

The bold and almost precipitous range of heights,
of from 350 to 400 feet, that from the sea closely
border the left bank of the river here ceases and
formed their left, and turning thence round a
great amphitheatre or wide valley, terminates at a
salient pinnacle where their right rested, and
whence the descent to the plain was more gradual.
The front was two miles in extent.

Across the mouth of this great opening is a
lower ridge at different heights, varying from 60
to 150 feet, parallel to the river, and at distances
from it of from 600 to 800 yards.
The river itself is generally fordable for troops,
but its banks are extremely rugged, and in most
parts steep; the willows along it had been cut down.
in order to prevent them from affording cover to
.the attacking party, and in fact everything had
.been done to deprive an assailant of any species of
shelter.

In front of the position on the right bank, at
about 200 yards frem the Alma, is the village of
Bouliouk, and near it a timber bridge, which had
been partly destroyed by the enemy.
The high pinnacle and ridgo before alluded to
was the key of the position, and consequently,
there the greatest preparations had been made for
defence.

Half way down the height and across its front wa&
a trench of the extent of some hundred yards, to
afford cover against an advance up the even steep
slope of the hill. On the rfght, and a little retired,
was a powerful covered battery, armed with
heavy guns, which flanked the whole of the right
of the position.

Artillery, at the same time, was posted at the
points that best commanded the passage of the
-river and its approaches generally.
On the slopes of these hills (forming a sort of
table land) were placed dense masses of the enemy',
infantry, whilst on the heights above was his grea
reserve, the whole amounting, it is supposed, tc
between 45,000 and 50,000 men.
The combined armies advanced on the same
alignement, her Majesty's troops in contiguou
double columns, with the front of two divisions
covered by light irfantry and a troop of horse ar
tillery, the 2d Division, under Lieutenant-Genera
Bir De Lacy Evans, forming the right, and touch-
ing the left of the 3d Division of the French Army
under his Imperial Highness Prince Napoleon
and the Light Division, under Lieutenant-Genera
'Sir George Brown, the left ; the first being sup
'ported by the 3d Division, under Lieutenant
General Sir Richard England, and the last by the
Ist Division, commanded by Lieutenant-Genera.
his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge.
The 4th Division, under Lieutenant-Genera
Sir George Cathcart, and the cavalry under Ma
jor-General the Earl of Lucan, were held in re
serve to protect the left flank and rear agains
large bodies of the enemy's cavalry, which,
been seen in those directions.

On approaching to near the fire of the gum
whish soon became extremely formidable, the tw,
leading divisons deployed into line, and advance(
to attack the front, and the supporting divison.
followed the movement. Hardly had this take]
place, when the village of Bouliouk, immediately
opposite the eentre, was fired by the enemy at al
points, creating a continuous blaze for three hun-
dred yards, obscuring their position and renderin;
a passage through it impracticable. Two regi
vents
Sof Brigadier-General Adams' brigade, par
uSir De Lacy Evans' division, had, in CO'l,,
nee, to pass the river at a deep and difficu
ford to the right undera•sharp
brigade ceder whilst his firs
der fire,
Pennefather and