The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-01 00:00:00

THE CAPTURP. :OF BOMARSUND.

1 north, opened a very severe fire upon that point, and by
caused
ule
,cri,
keeleavn
eb. preparingybnoetuii
nrwgae
r four o'clock he had made a large breach in the tower,
which capitulated the same evening.
" In the night the breach battery bad been estab-
lushed at 380 rnetree from the body of the place, and we
pounder guns taken from the ships.
rutttvno edraeermw
elders,hi
i:ial it
and-finding
eyes,ntdlt eg
lito adinin z,iiigg,followinghstothetaoctnilsgtpfihuentaruktwei,li
estrho under3rto:-
his hands, the enemy threw bombs end shells, and we
had 14 men killed. Our fire, nevertheless, did not
atlhaerianieddesa.dtet.isceanarapiages
" Bomarsund, Aug. 21, 1854. !
stiosttahne moment
iwiolstseirtil,ehbeirdeaochuitnga
wbahtitteeryfl Sagh.ouledoolopieine,l
thethe staff, enemaYn, el
"Monsieur le Marechal—The troops of the expedi-
Gwohu'eyno,
n,atchtileofono,f-
tered the fort together. The colonel took with him
tionary corps embarked at Calais on the 16th of Julyl
! Colonel Saan, of the 2d Light Infantry, who was in the
and following days were united at the north side of the
trenches with a battalion of his regiment, and some come
Isle of Gothland. From the simple fact of the presence !
1 panics of the 12th battalion of Chasseurs. Alter the
en-
of all the naval forces in the Bay of Ledsund, which is :
surrender of the place a serious dim:l:hence arose in the
situated at the southern extremity of the Isle of Aland,
it became very difficult to conceal from the enemy the
object it was proposed to accomplish ; but it must also
excited wished to jump out of the fort, but the attitude of
be stated that these dispositions had the advantage of :
intercepting all communication between Aland and Abo, ranks of the Russian garrison. Those who were most
and of depriving the place of succour which, without
that, it might have received from Finland.
our troops prevented thee). Order was reeestablished ;
" The general-in-chief having been informed of the the garrison, prisoners, defiled before the united
arrival of the fleets at Ledsund, by the admirals with -! French and English troops, and were embarked in the
whom he Lad previously requested an interview, in order
evening.
the better to comprehend the design of the operation, " Bornarsund, with the three towers which formed its
also repaired thither. But the whole of the transports advanced posts, included a garrison of 2,400 men ; it
were not able to proceed with equal celerity ; the St. was armed with 180 pieces of cannon, and was supplied
Louis, the Tilsit, and some frigates, bearing the nzaterid with a considerable amount of provisions.
of the army and the personnel of the engineers and the " The intention of the Emperor of Russia was to make
artillery, were delayed. These vessels joined on the Bomarsund one immense entrenched camp for his mil-
6th August. On that and the next day, all the vessels tarn and naval forces to the first of which there were
freighted with troops entered the Bay of Lumpar, great obstacles, and which had been a constant
at the north of which is situated the fortress of Be- menace to the neighbouring states in the Baltic. After
marsund. obtaining possession of the isles of Aland, Russia
" Some days before this, and' in concert with Ad- has riot ceased to augment the fortifications of Rimer-
mirals Napier and Parseval, the general-in chief had suud ; and if, from that which exists and that which ,
reconnoitred the most favourable places for effecting a was in course of execution, we may judge of the projects '
landing. of that power, Bomarsund appeared destined to became
"If the collection of the fleet in the Bay of Lumpar the advanced sentinel and the principal port of Russia in
rendered it very difficult to deceive the enemy as to the Baltic.
our projects, it did not, however, indicate to him the "The destruction of Bomarsund will be a coneider-
precise point of coast upon which we intended to able loss for Russia, not less in a material sense than in
land, while it placed him under lively apprehensions as a moral aspect. We have destroyed in eight days the
to the retreat of any troupe which he might send to prestige attaching to those ramparts of granite, which
meet us,
cannon, it was said, could not overcome. We know
" The isle of Aland is broken up in the direction of now, we cannot doubt it, that there is nothing in those
north and south, by arms of the sea which penetrate into fortifications, so fine and so menacing, which is nut at
the land, and in which there are thus thrown a number the mercy of a well-directed fire.
of lakes which, joined together by converging streams, "Tide happy result, Monsieur le Marechal, is doe to
permit almost the entire imitation of sotreepothts of the the intelligence, the devotion, the courage of the officers
isle. Thus, in leaving Bomarsund, that for.ress, situated and soldiers of the expeditionary army and the adied
on the edge of tire sea, hes behind it an arm of the sea squadrons. Each one has done Iris duty. D weer, fatigue,
arid two lakes or marshes,,which defend the approaches to
[rr
it. To this first enciente, or natural defence, there is
riivatioes have been reckoned as nothie by the adinir-
ble French soldiers whom it is so glorious to cenimand.
joined a second of a more extensive radius, which reaches If the troops of the expeditionary army have responded
to Castelhern, runs from thence to Sihy, and there
unites with the sea, by a tongue of land of small extent, to the expectations of France, and justified the cenfi-
and easy to hold. deuce which the Emperor pleased to repose in thorn, I
permit me, M. le M:trechal, to pray you to call for the
"Not knowitig whether the population of the island I M. • •' ' '
ienevoterice. of his Majesty steno tie officers, sub•officeie
would be hosine to us, and •wiehring. more or less, to
concentrate hostilities within a periusetre, which we „ rel soldiers whom I consider worthy of reward, rind of
'Whom I transmit to you a list. If after General
might be able under any circurnetances to hula ; wish- Niel, who conducted the o eations of the siege
Dwi.tHhao.suoe,4 much bravery bravery. amid Pisktil, and Generals
big else to prevent the place from receiving reinforce-
ments or succeurs fermi the other parts of the island, the
General-in Chief ordered, bhand, the three points
(aafter
i der
yei
a,
icf,c:
:dee:Gaon:
,x.
t;ryo.beiry,,,
I,aci
Ferranti,
ja,i(vi i
eh,
fßoi
,t,aracwth!
he
were
eirbi
ei
(Bc:tunnel;
ictl y:e
sas,
r directoryssecondedt)ciotfetntahel
e,l.
of Castelhom, Sounbott, and Silly to be occupied: as
three l'ffeers
they alone could put us in letation with the rest of the
isle.
attention a sal df
t,
is
tI
wouldw ou would
bwei stilt,
()t o call
andl therefore it is Majesty,necessaiy for me to limit my long,desires.
" In order to distract the attention of the enemy he
had, further, in concert with the admirals, selected
three plates for landing.
) of artillery, under the command o' f Chef de battalion
Two thousand soldiers heionein to the marine infantry,
" The first, situated at the north, on the height of
Freboult, rendered us powerful assistance. It remains
under the orders of ColonelbFiegron and two companies
Hata, was to be occupied by General Harry Jones
for me now, M. Marechal, to render the warmest ac-
having under his orders 900 orb belonging to the Eng-
akeniovewdl,edngarnt eanntlys foirratmhetahsesisFtarennceehwftheiceht l
commandedfrankly rbey-
heti troops, and 2,000 infantry elonging to the French .
Marine.
"The second, on the eastern side of the hill to the
south of the Bay of Trauvik.
Vice-Admiral Parseval, but also from the English fleet
" The third, to the south-west of the Rune bill. by Vice-Admiral Napier.
General Harry Jones, by contributing byhis marines
"Once lauded at Hake, General Harry Jones was to ~
move upon the fort of Botnarsund by occupying the and sappers to the attack on the towers of Bomarsund,
tongue of land between Sal and the sea in such a man- has shown us once more what may be expected from the
ner as to secure his rear, and to close all cutlets to par- bravery and discipline of English soldiers. The greatest
ties who might wish to quit the place. Arrived near cordiality did not cease to prevail not only between the
the Lake of Perness he put himself iu relation with the officers of the two fleets and those of the expeditionary
French trobps, who, from Tranvik, were assailing the ctrps, but also between the soldiers and sailors.—Re-
enemy in the fort.
ceive M. Marechal, &c.,
"At the east of Tranvik, the 12th battalion of Chas-
D'HILLIERS."
sears sanded. They occupied all the range of heights
[Then follows the report of General Niel, which
to the north and south of this village, as well as the
details his share, and that of the troops under his
junction
of the roads, from the same point along which
capture.]
is postal communication from Castelhom to Bomarsund orders, in the cature
is carried on. The following is the report of Vice-Admiral Par-
" The 2d Regiment of Light Infantry supported the seval Desehenes, addressed to the Minister of Ma-
12th Battalion of Chasseurs. rine :
"The 3d Regiment of the line landed in the Bay of "MonsieurleMinistre—A.fterhavingsaluted with warm
Tranvik ; they proceeded towards the village, and were and cordial acclamations the arrival of the expeditionary
posted entirely upon the branches of the roads indi- corps, and having made myself the faithful interpreter of
cated above. the sentiments of the squadron towards its brethren of
"Tire 48th were to occupy definitively the points the army, in my order of the day of the 30th July, I
gained by the 12th battalion of Chasseurs and the 2d hastened to accompany General Baraguay d'Hilliers in
Light Infantry, and were ordered to assist in the en- his reconnaissance of Bomarsund, of which I had pre-
trenched camp is the landing of all the personnel and viously visited the approaches, in order to conduct our
materiel of the artillery, the engineers and the adminis- ships there, to maintain a close blockade and to prepare
trators. the way for the army.
. " The 51st were thrown to the south-east of the same "On our return to Ledsund, where the general-in-
hill, in order to act upon the Intersection of the roads, chief had acquainted me with his project, our crews
to take the enemy in the rear if he resisted upon the were set in motion without repose or truce, in difficult
heights to the south, and to wove rapidly along the poi- circumstances for navigation, in the towing of transports,
tal road in advance of Castelholm. the transhipment of materiel and provisions, and lastly of
"All the troops having landed, and rendered them- troops—a movement indispensable in order to secure
selves masters of the points assigned to them, were to order and rapidity at the moment of action.
put themselves, en route, under the command of the "These kind of expeditions have already done too
Getieral-in-Chief and proceed upon Nos aSodra, and Finby, much honour to the marine, AL le Ministre, for your
their right resting upon the edge of the sea. Arrived at excellency not to appreciate as highly as myself the ener-
Fiuby, they were to place themselves immediately iu getic labour and indefatigable devotion for which our
communication with General Harry Jones. mariners are so well known, a duty so much the more
"These dispositone, agreed to on the 7th, and com• meritorious as it is less brought out in relief.
municated the same day to the general arid superior offs- "Our the Bth, the troops landed, under the protection
eerie were executed on the Bth, as tar as the extreme of the ships Duperre and E linburgh. This operation
difficulty of the ground permitted ; a difficulty still more having been accomplished veithout difficulty we proceeded
increased by the de truction of all the paths, and by to put ashore tae sie.re mann de, tents, and provisions.
numerous obstructions with which the Russians bad A rapid march, without resistance, having promptly
cuvered the roads, brought the army to the place, a new landing place was
" The troops were put ashore at three o'clock in the constructed by our care, and sn more easy and prompt
mormeg ; by nitre o'clock they occupied the first posi- relations established between the (platter-general and the
times indicate i. Towards eleven o'clock the 3d Regi• squadron. Four French a.d four English vessels, as well
meet et the line arel the 51,4 were proceeding towards as the 'Host powerfelly armed eteaniers in the two egna•
the postal route by two different roads ; and lastly, drons, were plaeed ready to take part in the attack on the
after many fatteuee awn a great died of labour, the road fortress, having taken soundings night and (ley, under the
from Traiivik to Nova Finby were rendered practicable fire of tee Russian tirailleurs, The skilful labours of
for artillery. Au the corps, then, with the exception of the military engineers proceeded rapidly. Tue tower
the 48th Regimeirt, lel va rcsd, approached the place, which commanded B imarsund on the south-east was seen
and made a complete investment of rt. to be destroyed. by tee French artillery ; a similar tower
•"f hr enemy hail prepared souse batteries and re- to the north fell under the idiot of an English battery of
doubts, which the the from the reariue soon constraitied heavy gees. The lines of investment of the place were
hie' to abandon. drawn nearer, new batteries were about Vs be established
" The coast of Tranvik was too far off, and our means to breach the fortress, and the moment appeared to Ad-
of trairsport too smell to permit us to leave our steres mind Napier and myself to have arrived to make a dis er-
and provisions of all kinds. \Ve discovered a point sion, arid to engage the artillery of the fort, which was
nearer the camp where the French and English marines inconveniencing the tirailleurs of the army. We directed
hastened to establish new stations. Some companies, the fire of our heaviest guns upon the granite walls of
the number of which was aferwards increased, were the fortress of Bomarsund and it was not long before we
ordered to secure safely our rear. The [text day after were agreeably surprised at the effects of our fire at so
our arrival before the place, the engineers were occupied great a distance. By a happy coincidence, Monsieur le
iu making fat,Mnes and gabions. Ministre, our vessels were deeorated for the solemnity of
" General Niel and Lieut.-Colonel of Artillery De the 15th August, thus saluting the fete of the Emperor
Roehbouet reconnoitred the points upon which the first in a very unusual manner.
batteries were to be established. General Harry Jones " I repaired, in succession, on board all the -'vessels' reinforced by 500 men drawn from the infantry of engaged, and I had the satisfaction of obser4ing ovsry-
the.French marine, and he also selected the place for a where the address and coolness of our brave gunners.
battery which, in concert with ours, was to play upon They threw out of the portholes solid balls and shell
the Southern tower. . - from the deck. Havoc was not slow in showing itself
" The next day Colonel Ducrot, of the 3d Regiment in every part. The fire of the enemy-visibly slackeiled,
of the line, who, during ' the investment of the place, and from this moment the decisive result of a nearer
was always at the most advanced point, and who already attack on the part of our ships was no longer dosbt-
knew the locality, was ordered to occupy these posi- ful. It, bad been agreed- with the general commarid-
tions with his regiment. The enemy the whole day ing-in-chief, that when 'the breaching battery, which
exchanged fire with our advanced posts, and sent -to us had been finished on the 'l7th, should open its fire, we
a good deal of shot and some shells, which did but little should commence ours at a shorter distance. I beg you
harm. ~- to believe, M. le Ministre, that it is far more
"In the night of the 12th we opened a trench by lead good ships and brave men to the enemy than to re-
means of sand-bags ; and this operation, always so deli- strain and moderate their impatience.
night, between the 15th
cats, cost us a dozen men, killed or wounded. Lieut. '" It was, therefore, in the easy to
Nolfe, of the 12th battalion of Chasseurs, was unhappily and 16th of August, that, intsokrdeerfrtoom the enemy his
I occupied the Isle of Prestofinish the invest-
among the first. The tower covered us with its fire, but went of the place, and to
our tirailleurs replied to it with such precision that the last chance of retreat,.
lush marines placed at my
disposition by Admiral
to seek refuge in it.
four landing parties from the ships, under
"On the 13th, at three o'clock in the morning, a bat- Napier, andL
men who had come out of tae place were soon obliged with a detachment of 500 marine infantry, 180 Rng-
asuperior command of Lieutenant-Colonel
had been armed during the night, opened its fire. At bia, under the
n- de Vassoigue.
first, and indeed until noon, the tower kept the advah
" This occupation, resolutely conducted, and ' the
tery of four guns (16-pounders) and four mortars, which Captain utheaume, second apt command of the Zeno-
had
of us ; but after that time its fire slackened ;te
needpost of Bomarsund, produced mare effect upon
ad-
tower were knocked away ; many bombs ha fallen,tupon
theva garrison than I had ventured to promise myself ; and
the roof ; everything led us to hope that thein
thene x dayeven- we effected, on the morning of the 16th, the reduction
embrasures were almost destroyed, and the facings of the attack on the tower of Presto, the third and last
we might carry it by assault, when at seven
of the place, after some discharges from the rate. ' At
ing they held out a white flag.
the fire re- , intentions of the Emperor were accomplished under the
hour, during which nothing wait heard,
nterelpioncoeetdwedithoonutfodoatutgoeLecteihveer:
re ' most happy conditions--pert de sang verse, pour um
"Nevertheless, after a suspension of arms for one the sight of the flag of truce I comprehended that the
commenced. But these last efforts of the enemy were moat
fated to give way very soon to t .
d the next I " Soon after we had distinctly seen the our fire. Tee tower was silenced again, ands the flag of truce
M. Gigot, sub lieutenant float upon the roof of the fortress, my aide-de camp,
morning two French offieers,.
li nof Chasseurs, and M. i on, sub- ,
G•ls ' Captain Sun ville,and the captain of
re
of the 12 batta o he terrible precision of grande resultat.
Whenthese officers e
' sent by Admiral Napier,
termined men, -resolutely penetrated into the ! if it had taken place, the capitulation of the goveinor.
works. The Russian comma ,
attack, was killed by two stabs of the bayo- I was still an internal struggle among
unforeseen the ranks of the
' garrison • and it
d thirty-two Russians, unable to make their g , was not until after some pour parleys,
Isioemuteendaerta of the V. oltigeursnodferthweisshlinstg,
tfoolrloewsisetdthbiys.
net, au
escape, were brought in prisoners to the quartier- ! mingled with musket blows, that the surrender was de-
general. ! dared and accepted unconditionally. Some minutes
'
" The surrender of this tower led usto hope that we . later, Admiral Napier and myself, accompanied by the
should be able to reduce the fortress itself with out this , offieers of our staffs, entered the fort. The Commander-
new success costing our troops very dear. f in-Ceief having arrived, we left him to
proceed to take
nOn the same day we were enabled to push our ap- posses- dun, and we returned to our ships.
proaches on the right, and we were in a condition to I " I have Killee, M. 10 Ministre, • had an opportunity
bring to play the next day a fatterycomposed of four : of examining with care the works finished, commenced,
mortars and two guns throwing shell. Whilst we were or projected according to a plen perfectly obvious, and
__. engineers selected a Mil-
Coast rue ting this battery the p : eveleittly destined to make Llomarsund a fortified place
A TTSTRAWAN EMIGRATION.—SOUTHAMPTON, Ang 31. Lion for the breaching battery. . .
in !of great importence. Th I l situation of
e geographical lice
15th of August, at eight o clock the Ala d • • • •access to which
—The iron clipper ship Lord of the Isles, of 692 tons, i" On then , its magniheent port,the difficolt . t ,Ne
stars and
Captain P. Meetee, wee ge-pateheo frien this port yes- ' morning, our battery of m shelling guns threw augments its value, everything enabled us to levise
into the t; a'
teriley, far Adelaide. by Messrs. C. R. Thompson arid ! a cross-fire of heavy projectiles . place, while the .it NVIE4 the idea of the Enspernr of Russia to cre.%,4
Co., barites embarked from the Government depot 261 i fleet, at anchor, al-ondirectedthe against 33, narsund the ; vast naval establishment, a at-sal, upon the two gulfs
adult emigrants, riumberieg 303 souls. The Lord of the fire of four ships. In evening the fort replied, but : B ithnia and Finland, menacing Sweden andco a
mat Cron-
Isles is the first iron clipper-built ship which has sailed very slowly ; 11 its
ste fire was not completely ex- the Baitic tinder conditions far superior to those.
0-
destructlon t from this port with emigrants. She made the last run tinguished. stadt and'Sveaborg. The taking and the
' already
to Aust!alla in 66 lacy. In her !ue leete: she beat the "Oa the 15th, at eight o clock in themorning, Bornarened, the magnificent works of which had
their,ssuines, Ma- oo Peke The general opinion is, that she will make Geßeiet Harr-
y Jones, who had not heels able to aesist con so much titne and so roan y millions, 1 s c
~,,_
a splendid passage out. • Slee iii -considered the imitest by the fire of his artillery at the taking of the southern in my eyes, an importance far beyond the49a.potrmi9::
tailing ship afloat. I tower, &ad had dirtoted his efforts towards that ou the 1 hee demanded from the allied Power, - -
- .

The Moniteur ptAslies the official reports of
General Baran-°nay ceffiniers, General Niel, and of
Vice-Ad m iralParseval.-Desc eries, of the operations
at the capture of Bumanund

"The Minister of War has just received the following
reports from M. le General de Division, commander-in •
chief of the expeditionary corps of the Baltic, and of M.
It General Niel, commanding the engineer& of the expe-
dit►onary corps:—