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

ftopol, but that 80,000 men. could -be held in check for
weeks by the position of the AL-na. Large masses of cavalry,
principally Lancers and heavy Dragoons, manoeuvred
on the hills on the right of the Russians, and at last
descended the hills,s crossed the stream, and threatened
our left and rear. As we came near the river our left
Wing was thrown back, in order to support our small
force of cavalry, and a portion of our artillery was
pushed forward in the same direction. Our danger in
this respect was detected by the quick eye of Sir George
Brown, and I heard him give the order for the move-
ment of the artillery almost .as soon as he caught sight
of the enemy's cavalry, and just as we were coming to
the village. As I have already said, our plan of opera-
tions was that the French should establish themselves
under the fire of the guns on the heights, on the extreme
of the enemy's left. When that attack was sufficiently
developed, and had met witlo success, the British army
was to force the right and part of the centre of the
Russian position, and the c:ay was gained. When we
were about three miles fronr the village, the French
steamers ran in as close as they could to the bluff of the
shore at the south side of the Lima, and presently we
saw them shelling the heights, in splendid style, the shells
bursting over the enemy s squares and batteries, and
finally dri% ing them from their position on the right,
within 3,000 yards of the sea.
The French practice 'commenced about 12i o'clock,
and lasted for about an hour and a half. We could see
the shells falling over the batteries of the enemy, and
inside the works broke iato little specks, which flew
bursting right into them. ,• and then the black massee
about in all directions, and when the smoke cleared
away there were some to be seen strewed over the
ground. The Russians awl wered the ships from the
heights, but without effect. A 'powder tumbril was
blown up by a French shell ; a:either shell fell by acci-
dent into an ambuscade whist; the Russians had pre-
pared for the advancing Frond, and at last they
drew off from the sea-side, and' confined their efforts
to the defence of the gullies and heights be.
yend the fire of the heavy gums of the steamers.
At one o'clock we saw the French columns struggling
up the hills, covered by a cloud of skinxiishers,
whose fire seemed most deadly. Once, at sight of a
threatening mass of Russian infantry, in a com-
manding position above them, who fired rapid volleys
among them,
the French paused, but it was only to col-
lect their skirmishers, for as soon- as they had formed
they ran up the hill at the pas de charge, and broke the
Russians at once, who fled in disorder with loss, up the
hill. We could see men dropping on both sides, and
the wounded rolling down the steep. At 1.50 our line
of skirmishers got within range of the battery on the
hill, and immediately the Russians opened fire at 1,200
yards with effect, the shot ploughing through the open
lines of the Riflemen, and falling into the advancing
column's behind. Shortly ere this time dense volumes
of smoke rose from the river, and drifted along to the
eastward; rather 'interfering with the view of the
enemy on the left of our position. The Russians
had set the village en fire. It was a fair exercise of
military skill—was well execated—took place at the net
time, and succeeded in occasioning a good deal of annoy:
ante. Our troops halted when they neared this village,
their left extending beyond it by the verge of the stream
—our right behind the burning cottages, and within
range of the batteries. It is said the Russians,had taken
the range of all the principal points in their front, and
placed twigs and sticks to mark them. In this they were
assisted-by the post sign boards on the road. The Rus-
sians opened a furious fire on the whole of our line, but
the French had not yet made progress enough to justify
us in advancing. The round shot whizzed in every di-
rection, dashing up the dirt and sand into the faces of the
Staff of Lord" Raglan, who were also shelled severely,
and attracted much of the enemy's fire. Still Lord
Raglan waited patiently for the development of the
French attack. At length an aide-de-camp came to him
and reported the French had crossed the Alma, but they
had not established themselves sufficiently to justify us
in an attack. - The infantry were, therefore, ordered to
lie down, and the army for a short time was quite pas-
sive, only that our artillery poured forth an unceasing
fire of shell rockets and round shot, which ploughed
through the Russians, and caused them great loss.
They did not waver, however, and replied to our ar-
tillery manfully, their shot falling among our men
as they lay, and carrying off legs and arms at every
round. Lord Raglan at last became weary of this
inactivity—his spirit was, up—he looked around, and
saw men on whom he knew he might stake the honour
and fate of great Britairk by his side, and anticipat-
ing a little in a military point of view the crisis of
action, he gave orders for our whole line to advance.
Up rose these seried masses, and passing through a fear-
ful shower of round, case shot, and shell, they dashed
into the Alma, and ' floundered' through its waters,
which were literally torn into foam by the deadly hail.
At the other side of the river were a number of vine-
yards, and to our surprise they were occupied by Russian
riflemen. Three of the staff were here shot down, but
led by Lord Raglan in person they advanced, cheering
on the men. And now came the turning point of the
battle, in which Lord Raglan, by his sagacity and mili-
tary skill, probably secured the victory at a smaller sacri-
fice than would have been otherwise the case. 'He
dashed over the bridge, followed by his staff. From
the road over it, under the Russian guns, he saw
the state of the action. The British line, which he
had ordered to advance, was struggling through the
river and up the heights in masses, firm indeed,
but mowed down by the murderous fire of the bat-
teries, and by grape, round shot, shell, canister, case
shot, and musketry, from some of the guns of the central
battery, -and from an immense and compact mass of
Russian infantry. Then commenced one of the most
bloody and determined struggles in the annals of war.
The 2d Divsiou, led by Sir D. Evans is the most dashing
manner, crossed thestream on the right. The 7th Fu-
siliers, led by Colonel Yea, were swept down by fifties.
The 55th, 30th, and 95th, led by Brigadier Pennefather,
who was in the thickest of the .9ght, cheering on his men,
again and again were checked indeed, but never drew
back in their onward progress, which was marked by a
fierce roll of Minhs musketry, and Brigadier Adams,
with the 41st, 47th and 49th, bravely charged up the
kill, and aided them in the battle. Sir George Brown,
conspicuous on a grey horse, rode in front of his Light
Division, urging them with voice and gesture. Gallant
fellows ! they were worthy of such a gallant chief. The
'7th, diminished by one-half, fell back to-form their
columns lost for the time ; the 23d, with eight officers
dead and four wounded, were still rushing to the front,
aided by the 15th, 33d, 77th, and BElth. Down went
Sir George in a cloud of dust in front of the battery. He
was soon up, and shouted "23d, I'm all right. Be sure
I'll remember this day," and led them on again, but in
the shock produced by the fall of their chief, the gallaat
regiment suffered terribly, while paralysed for a moment.
Meantime the Guards on the right of the Light Divi-
sion; and the Brigade of Highlanders, were storming
the heights en the left. Their line was almost as re-
gular as though they were in Hyde-park. Sud-
denly a tornado of round and grape rushed through
from the terrible battery, and a roar of musketry
from behind thinned their front ranks by dozens.
It was evident that we were just able 'to contend
against the Russians, favoured as they were by a great
position: At this very time an immense mass of Russian
infantry were seen moving down towards the battery.
They halted. It was the crisis of the day. Sharp, an-
gular, andsolid; theylooked as if they were cut out of the
solid rock. It was beyond all doubt that if our infantry,
harassed and thinned as they were, got into the battery
they would have to encounter again a formidable fire,
which they were but ill calculated to bear. Lord Rag-
lan saw the difficulties of the situation. He asked if it
would be possible to get a, couple of guns to bear on
these masses. The reply was `Yes,' and an artillery
officer, whose name I do not now knoiv, biought up two
guns to fire on the Ruisian squares. The first shot
missed, but the next, and the 'next, and the
next cut through the ranks so cleanly, and so keenly,
that a clear lane could be seen for a moment ,through
the square. After a few rounds the cOlumns of the
square became broken, wavered to and fro, broke, and
tied over the brow of the hill, leaving behind them 6 or
7 distinct linesnf dead, lying as close as possible to each
other, marking the passage of the fatal messengers.
This act relieved our infant. yof a deadly incubus, and
they continued their magnificent and fearful progress up
the hill. The Duke encouraged his men by voice and.
example, and proved himself worthy of his
proud con.-
Hamad and of the Royal. race from which ha comes.
"Highlanders," said Sir 'C.' Campbell, ere they came
to the charge, " I am going to ask a favour of you ;
it is, that you will act so as to justify me in asking per-
of
bound.tthe
R The
wear a bonnet ! Don't
mission of the Queen fur -'on to
pull a trigger till . US.
chieftain's wish ; Sir Colin had his horse shot under
sians !" They charged, and 'well they. obeyed their
him,
Russiansbut rushed
emdn
out,
tyooouk'rethewibtahtitneray
;arad
of dead behind
them. The Guards bad stormed the right of the battery
ere the Highlanders got into the left, and it is said the
Scots Fusilier Guards were the first to enter. The
Second and Light Division crowned the heights. The
and left multitudes
French turned the guns on -the' hill 'against the flying
masses; which the cavalry in vain tried 'to cover. A few
faint straggles from the scattered infantry, a few rounds
of
aleandrimngustkheertrey, am the enemy fled to the
south generals, drums, three guns,
700 prisoners, and 4,000 wounded behind them. The
battle of Alma was won. It is won with a loss of nearly
3,000 killed and wounded on our side. The list will
cannon
east,-
appear in a . few days. The Russians' retreat was
covered by their cavalry; but •if we had had an adequate
force of cavalry we could have captured many guns and
multitudes of prisoners.
The Russian dead literally covered the ground.
Within the trenches and redoubts the earth, where the
corpses allowed you to see it, was slippery with blood.
The Ilussians who crowded the field in all the oontor•
tions of the last agony were principally soldiers of the
16th and 32d Regiments. They were mostly very
small-sized men, though stout, muscular, and active
looking. From their appearance there was scarcely a
dozen above the age of 25, and the majority was much
younger. Not a single officer was among the dead, at least
none that we could recognise as such. They wore short
grey great coats, blue noatees, blue trousers, with a nar-
row red band, and stout leather boots, reaching almost
to their knees. Their stout white leather cross belts
were scrupulously clean, as was all the rest of their uni-
form. 'On their heads were handsome black leather
helmets, bound with brass, and brass chin plates, with
a spiked top. In front was a large handsome Imperial
eagle, also
in brass, surmounted with a Russian inscrip-
tion, and number of the regiment. Each man also bore
the regimental number marked on the cloth of his
almost
uni-
form. Their firelocks were old and
The stocks werworthl es s,
e of a
at least compared to our Minie.
barrels about six
wood, coloured over—their
light dry
r • Their bayonets Hied 't he
'inches' IOW( thin 'Durk bu
in their
our men break them
were wretched. I saw
hands. They had large convenient knapsacks of
undressed _ ,
_.
cow hide, roug h-looking, light and see-
vi ble All these were instantly broken open by oar
oea .