The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-12 00:00:00

THE MARCH TO t ALAKLAVA.
"CAMP of BALAELAVA, CRIMEA, Sept. 29.—1 hope
you received my last communication with the details of
the battle of the Alma, but it was written very hurriedly,
and entrusted to the best messenger to be had—by one
who is not put upon the staff to report everything
couleur de rose. Up at daylight, a hasty breakfast
snatched, packing my things and gathering rations, then
not coming to a hault till near sunset, sleeping on the
bare ground, you may easily fancy there is very little
opportunity for writing.
" In the regiment to which I have attached myself
only four: officers escaped without being hit, and scarcely
a man but had a bullet or two through his ciathes. One
officer was killed on the field ; two have since died.
Three, including the colonel, have gorse to Scutari
severely wounded ; 208 men so badly wounded that they
have bad to be sent away. From cholera and sickness,
from fatigue and exposure, others have since been sent
to the ships and to hospital, so you may guess how our
numbers are lessened.
" I take advantage of the halt to-day to send fou a
longer communication, which I hope Will arrive safely.
"Sept. 24.—The army stirring before daybreak. The
vast number of fires in the valley, the more distant dis-
appearing in the morning mists, produces a curious
effect when seen from the hills. The Light Division
moves at 6 a.m., and descends to the valley on its right.
From the irregularity of the ground and the scattered
distribution of the several divisions, a long time elapses
before the force is formed for advancing. Heavy artil-
lery heard at intervals in the direction of Sebastopol.
At last, about 8 o'clock, the Rifle brigade throws out
the skirmishers to their support, and the Light Division,
with its artillery, and the First Division, on its right,
move forward together. The ether divisions follow.
The main road to Sebastopol continues near the coast,
and is in excellent order. Signs of cultivation increase,
but no houses are seen. The hills are inure broken, their
summits rounded, and a few trees appear on their sides.
The road runs between the hills, and the Light Division
marches along the green slope on one side, and the brigades
of Guards and Highlanders on the corresponding slope of
the opposite side, while the Artillery attached to the two
divisions rolls heavily but easily along on the road be-
tween the two. The other divisions are close be-
hind, and some are seen ascending, and others
descending the successive hills, while a bright sun and
clear atmosphere brings out forcibly every colour, and
j throws a brilliancy over the whole scene. No one could
wish for a more magnificent military spectacle, but sad
reflections arise on observing the diminished extent of
ground covered by some of the regiments forming the
Light Division.
" The advance has to be carefully conducted, and
halts are frequent. These halts render the marching
still more fatiguing. Another white, unfinished look-
out tower comes into view. It stands close to the edge
of the cliffs, above which the masts of the larger vessels
of war as they move along with us are plainly seen, and
appears as if it were originally intended as a Martello
tower, the construction of which had been suddenly in-
terrupted. A large body of troops is now seen coming
to our right—the glistening of their bayonets shows that
,t is the French army, as they always march with them
fixed. Both armies soon afterwards came up, and there is
a general stop, while a few advance to reconnoitre. The
look-out tower is mounted by some ; others extend, and
observe to the left. The position of the armies is now
on the edge of the plain, over which they have been
marching ; before is a deep valley, and to the right is a
small bay of the sea, which extends smooth and blue,
until it is lost in the general ocean beyond. Far off,
mountains, can be seen indistinctly a group,
hbei
gyhoenrdanoth r mountain ridge, and backed by still
dif-
ferent in colour and outline from everything around it.
.The glass shows that it is a mass of buildiugs, and the
position proves that we are now taking our first view
of
wards a portionwhich of
altihoeurgreeffatorststroanrgo
ehnlodwoftutrhneedEux .
The to t o
re-
connoitring has been satisfactory, and the armies de-
scend the steep sides of the mountain. Great labour
and dexterity are required in getting down the guns
and waggons, but the work is achieved, and all are now
passing quietly through the beautiful valley of the Bel-
beck. Here are fine trees, good comfortable houses,
hedges, and walls of English neatness, while all around
appears to be comfort and plenty. On entering one
house, a magnificent grand piano of Erard's is open,
the music still upon it, and some fair performer ap-
pears to have been abruptly disturbed, for a recently
lucked peach, and soma slight-articles of female attire
have fallen close to the music-stool. A large house a
little distance up the valley is pointed out as belonging
to the Governor of the Crimea. This is to be occupied
as the head-quarters. The main army, however, ad-
vances and occupies the hills on the opposite side of the
er par
valley—the cavalry, for the sake of the water, remain in
the plain. lVat
fruit atnides,
v andeets othersbiesgape on a
other fatigues are sent out, and all return' aden with the
most delicious
apples,
melons, and pears in abundance.
" Sept. 25. —Twice during the nightwas the advanced
grrs,t,ion and
division alarmed, and aroused to stand to their arms.
But no attack followed. Cossacks are said to have been
seen in various directions around the camp, but they
keep a respectful distance. The army starts early, and
for some miles threads its way through intricate and.
close woods of dwarf oak. Great dexterity, and much
information, that could not be derived from ordinary
Sources, are required to move so large a body of men,
with its trains of artillery and commissariat waggons,
through such ground. The plan of the expedition is now
manifest ; the othdr side of Sebastopol is to be gained,and
Balaklava will become the base of operations. It is said
that there is only one fort at Balakla.va, which can easily
he taken on the land side. A perfect communication
and stores.
from
o*rhe Russians are
will then be established between the army and its fleet,
and no difficulty experienced in landing the siege guns
leads For
Sebastopol such an event
tos asi m thispi topo
evidently quite unprepared.
"About midday the light division comes upon the road
which th
aecn apital
of the Crimea. Had the arrival taken place
hour
sooner, a large body of the enemy must have fallen into
our hands. As it was, the cavalry in advance and a
battery of artillery were up in time only to see the rear
of a retreating body, supposed to be about a thousand
strong. A few rounds were fired, but it did not appear
that much execution was done, though great confusion
was evidently caused, as shown by the desertion of every-
thing that was not capable of most easy conveyance.
Soros ammunition waggons left were blown up ; the ex-
plosiop, and the tower of white smoke, which curled in
a largp -cloud upwards, had a fine effect. All regretted
that we had been so detained in moving through the
woods.
side of the mountain, with a far extending plain at its
" We now moved along a road cut in the precipitous
o, fe
himselfuniform,n ee d
tthhee
bp aa spteorps ool.f
his
Rumour
a i
rn
het i
chief
ytf a
personagefir yi g a pt p
oot
fi
t hi
amongn e e n
retreating
s , pt the
ep ef
ur sg, rt
aai
vrt
tei
yos s stores
of harness and saddlery, strewed over the road
, evi-
n
Russian soldiers and one or two officers were made pri-
psoairdtanthceat hPadi

soners.
" It was nearly dark when, having traversed the
valley and crossed a well-constructed stone bridge, the
light division encamped on the hills above a small vil-
lage ; and long after dark masses of troops and com-
missariat arabas, and baggage ponies with ammunition,
and all the etcetra of camp equipage and followers,
were still pouring in in the same direction.
" Sept. 26.—Another fine morning. Of all the pro•
vidential advantages with which the English and
French armies have been blessed, none perhaps has
been greater than the fine dry weather which has
continued, with the exception of the first night, ever
since
ntihg eh
tl asnede imn
eg of t
das
ifh e t
of forces inthe
show
to
what Crimea.ao discomfort,
ITh o
rfe
suffering, and sickness the invading army might be ex-
posed by bad weather alone. Bivouacking in large
open plains, without any protection, or any means of
counteracting the ill effects of rain and cold, disease
must have spread through the ranks and dispirited the
whole force. But with the exception of that first night,
the temperature has continued warm, the air dry, and
in short the weather has been all that could be desired. I
It is true that cholera has continued among the troops,
but the fatigue and continued marching they have ne-
cessarily been exposed to, have rendered the comparative
small number of cases a matter of surprise rather than
ptherwise.
" After crossing over some hills, and passing two or
three Russian villages, the part of the army in advance
arrived on a large plain, surrounded by rugged and
broken mountains. At the end opposite to that at
t which the troops entered could be seen a village, and