The Sun.
London, England, 1853-11-25 00:00:00

THE BATTLE AT OLTENITZA.

The following is an authentic account of the gal-
lant action at Oltenitza. It is from the special
military correspondent of the Morning Chronicle,
and is dated Turtukai, Nov. 4 :

"TURTUKAI, Nov. 4, FIVE P.M.

"The Russians attacked the Turkish entrenchment
made at the quarantine station opposite this town, at 1
p.m. on this day, in force. They brought 12 guns as
batteries de position,, and some six or eight horse artil-
lery guns. The cannonade was replied to by the guns
in the entrenchment, nine in number, and from the bat-
tery at the east end of the island, as well as from 01(83
on this side of the river. The cannonade lasted, without
intermission, till a quarter to 4 p.m., when the action
ended. The infantry of the enemy made two most
fierce attacks on the entrenchment, advancing in column,
covered en tirailleur. The first attack of infantry took
place at a quarter-past 2 p.m. on the Turkish left, but,
after reaching within 50 yards of the entrenchment, they
were repulsed, and obliged to retire into a wood from
whence they had emerged. The second, and perhaps
the most serious attack, was on the right, the Russians
advancing, covered by horse artillery. They wee most
gallantly repulsed, and retired in disorder. Their guns,
after each attack, renewed their fire most energetically.
The Turks fought with an obstinacy quite admirable. It

has been a repulse to the Russians which may be of
iiliortance in a moral point of view throughout £he
War.

•• The Turkish entrenchment was commanded by
General Halil Pacha. He had three battalions of in-
fantry and two companies (about 2.400 men), 9 pieces
of artillery, and 150 irregalar cavalry. Three of his
ammunition waggons were exploded by the enemy.
"The loss on the side of the Russians was very great,
as we could see the ground they retreated over strewn
with dead or dying. People differ in their estimates,
from 400 to 3,000, as to the number killed and wounded
on the Russian side.
"It is hard to say what force the Russians had, but
it was very large. A person of consequence here said
he counted twenty battalions of infantry—eight or ten
perhaps is nearer ; and add two regiments of cavalry, of
four ,quadrons each, with some 1,000 Cossacks, and you
will have the best idea that can at present be formed of
their force.
"No reports have as yet arrived from the entrench-
ment, so that no estimate of the Turkish loss can be
made. It must be comparatively small, for they were
behind the parapet they had themselves made the pre-
vious evening.
" Early this morning the moon, a new one, rose, ac-
companied by the morning stars, and if the writer of
this note had been superstitious, he would have drawn a
good augury from it. It reminded one of the Turkish
standard—red field, with a crescent and star in it, as
you know.
"The batteries from this side fired, but I think not
with much effect physically, though doubtless it sup-
ported the spirits of the attacked.
" HALF-PAST NINE, P.M.
"Yesterday troops crossed hourly to the quarantine
station, with their entrenching tools. Boats laden with
gabions landed them close by. The field of the teleseep3
shows grey mites carrying grist to the mill, in the shape
of gabions. At the station, gabion after gabion may be
seen placed, gradually extending the parapet from the
station to the left bank of the Argisch river. On the
other flank the entrenchment runs down to the Danube.
" About one p.m. the Cossacks advanced on, the
chaseurs covering the working party. A few shots were
interchanged, and by two p.m. four squadrons of cavalry
and two guns debouched from the village of Oltenitza,
with about 500 or 600 Cossacks in skirmishing order.
They were making a reconnoissance, for as soon as they
had received about six or seven shots from the Turkish
artillery in the entrenchment, with a few from the right
bank of the Danube, they retired out of shot, and re-
mained on the same spot watching the Turks till night-
fall. A second regiment of cavalry, with two guns,
1 kewise male its appearance by a wood on the road to
Oltenitza, as well as a regiment of infantry with the
baggage.
On the part of the Turks, a field battery of artillery,
and a number of boat-loads of infantry, were sent as a
reinforcement.
This evening the usual cheers by the Turkish troops
at sunset was very marked and hearty, given as it was
from either bank, and by boat-loads of the reinforcing
troops.
" En passant, it may be mentioned that the Turkish
troops have every confidence in their present efficiency,
in comparison to what it was during the last war with
Russia ; as well, indeed, as in the talent of the general
who commands them—a feeling which gains ground
daily. That distinguished officer was heard to remark,
what appears to be the unmitigated truth, that things
were changed now. Formerly the Turks drew the
sword to make conquests, and in doing so doubtless com-
mitted great barbarities ; but now it was drawn in de-
fence of liberty and civilisation."
" This day (Nov. 4), I hope, will be memorable, as
on it was fought as gallant an action as history can re-
cord. During the morning not a soldier of the Russian
force was to be seen. The whole country was scanned
by eager eyes straining themselves through every ima-
ginable species of telescope, binocle, jumelle, &c. They,
however, failed in detecting aught but an empty village
and an open plain. Later a cavalry picket was disco-
vered, which led people to suppose that they were not
quite alone—a supposition most fully realised afterwards;
for at about twelve, or half-past, the Russians gradually
led out their forces on the plain. Twelve guns were
placed as a battery of position, at about 1,200 or 1,300
yards from the quarantine station. Two bodies of in-
fantry--it remains to he known whether they were regi-
ments or battalions—placed themselves under cover in a
wood on the right of the guns—their right. On their
left rear were two more bodies of infantry, and on their
left two more: It is-doubtful, as has been said, whether
these were regiments of three battalions, the usual con-
tinental organisation, or simply single battalions ; and
on this fact rests the possibility of forming an estimate of
their force. In the former case the infantry would
amount to 10,800 men—a number, it is imagined, far too
great ; and in the latter to 3,600—a number far too little.
This calculation takes a battalion at 600 each. But
supposing them to be of 1,000 each, it would give 6,000
men, which is not an improbable number.
"On the Russian left were three regiments of cavalry
echelloned out of range, each having two guns. There
was likewise a body of Cossacks, to the amount perhaps
of 600. The batteries were worked by some 300 gunners,
giving a total of—at the medium calculation of the in-
fantry-8,900 men in the field.
"The Turks, if their report is to be trusted, had in
the entrenchment 3 battalions and 2 companies, amount-
ing to 2,400 men ; add the gunners, 150, and the irre-
gular cavalry as many more- -2,700 men.
" On looking at the above numbers, with the recollec-
tion of the troops as they were in the field, the Russian
force appears undervalued. Be that as it may, at 1 p.m.
the Russian artillery opened its fire, and was replied to
by the guns of the entrenchment, the guns of the battery
at the eastern end of the entrenchment before described,
and by the guns on the right bank of the river. The
cannonade was kept up most vigorously on either side.
The Russians had their battery of position accurately
espaced, each gun being placed at an equal distance from
its fellow—the fruits of good drilling. Their practice, as
far as could be judged from this bank of the river, was
most excellent, their shells bursting beautifully. They
opened at a long distance, it is true ; but the guns were
no popguns to gallop with cavalry, but 12-pounders, such
as are usually employed in similar circumstances. The
remainder of the artillery appeared to consist in the
cavalry guns, or horse artillery, but attached in pairs to
regiments of cavalry, as was formerly the case in most
European armies. Two of these guns took up as flanking
a position as the Argisch river would permit them, but
could not have caused much damage as enfiladers. On
the Turkish right the other four guns opened on the
entrenchment. At 2.10 p.m the Russian artillery
exploded one of the Turkish ammunition-waggons, or
limber-boxes. At 2.15 p.m. the infantry made their ap-
pearance from the Turkish left, emerging from under cover
of the wood, which they had most judiciously occupied.
This attack was seconded by the advance of the infantry
on the (Turkish) right of the battery of position, and by
the other regiments from the village ; the chief attack,
the serious one rather, being on the left flank of the en-
trenchment, where it met the river—the only portion
not properly completed. Their advance was steady ;
the Turks plied the firelock vigorously ' • and after the
enemy had got up to perhaps fifty yards, they turned,
and beat a retreat to their snug quarters in the wood.
They must have been very severely handled, as they were
close under the muzzle of the musketry, whose every
bullet surely found its billet. Just as they advanced, a
second and a similar explosion took place in the entrench-
ment-----sadly inopportune, as was doubtless thought by
the Turk. The Russian artillery redoubled its fire, and
the cannonade recommenced fiercely. It should have
been stated that the battery of position had come up to
about 650 yards, their shot reaching occasionally to the
hitherward side of the Danube. About 3.10 p.m. a
second attack of infantry was launched at the unfortu-
nate little entrenchment, encompassed on three sides, as
it appeared, by its enemies. Skirmishers were duly
thrown out, and on a close approach were recalled. Be
it understood that the infantry advanced in columns on
both occasions close on quarter-distance—very ridicu-
lously it is thought, though of course the world must
bow to the superior knowledge and experience of such a
military nation as Russia. The columns had not
advanced many paces when they appeared overwhelmed
with the infantry fire of the entrenchment, and
the artillery fire of a battery on the right bank. They
were thrown into the most complete disorder, and retired
utterly discomfited. Again their artillery opened, and
drove tunnels into the entrenchment, and continued
firing for half an hour. On the retreat of the infantry,
through the glass their dead could be seen in numbers
strewing the ground. There could be no mistake about
it, as there were hundreds of pairs of eyes that saw them,
with or without the assistance of the telescope. A
hearty cheer from the entrenchment gave vent to the
good spirits of its gallant defenders. It was echoed by
one from this side by the united voices of the chief's staff
and posse comitatus. The Turkish force was commanded
by Held Pacha, as lieutenant-colonel in the service, who,
upon his presenting himself to Omer Pacha, was made
a full colonel. One of General Prim's aides-de-camp,
Colonel Detente, was present in the action, and escaped
unhurt. The commander received a slight wound in
the hand. The report of the killed on the Turkish side
is only 20; but this was an hour or two after the action,
and many, who were then simply wounded, have since,
poor fellows, left this scene of troubles. Widows, alas
for the horrors of war ! have been made, as already cry-
ing women may be seen in this town. To-morrow may
be pregnant of events. May the God of battles protect
the Turks, as he has been pleased to do this day !
This morning (sth), it is stated that 1,000 stand of
arms have been taken. One half of the eleventh divi-
sion of the 4th corps d'armee contains the 21st Selim-
ginski and 22d Takut—they have four battalions each
active. The numbers in the calculations above are
therefore below the reality."

FRANCE.
There are some long articles in the Paris jour-
nals of yesterday on the decree reducing the du-
ties on foreign coal and iron. The Debats, which
is an ardent advocate for a liberal system in inter-
national commerce, does not regard the reduction
as sufficient, but at the same time admits that in,
certain cases it will operate beneficially. The As-
semblee Nationale, which is an organ of the Pro-
tectionist party, disapproves of the principle on
which the decree is founded, but consoles itself
with then eflection that if it was intended to aim.
a blow at the monopolists it will fall harmlesst
The Pays defends the principle of the decree, buf
tranquillises the coal owners and ironmasters oe
France by assuring them that their interests arh
still fully protected. The Constitutionnel, whice
is the chief Protectionist organ, gives the decree
without comment. The public will probably form
an opinion independent of the viows of the liberal
and anti-liberal journals on this question. They will
see in the decree an indication of a more enlightened
policy than liashitherto been practised, and a guaran-

tee for further and it •ogressive reductions, ifit should
be found that those wid,•lt have just been made are
not sufficient to grvf ;-,tiut-' to consumer, and to
prevent the manufacturing interest
.puerally from
being cramped and hampered by the protection
afforded to a particular class of persons. As it is
the reduction in ;he duty on coal will be service-
able to a large nutuber of manufactures,
and that
on steel will, to say the least, lead to a competition
which must materially serve several branches of
industry by a reduction in price, and an improve-
ment in quality. Nor is it quite true that the re-
duction of the duty on iron in its first state of
fusion will not increase the importation, and con-
sequently lower the prices charged by the native
producers. Even with the former rate of duty,
large quantities of iron have been ixtroduced into
this country for various purposes for which French
iron was not adapted. Some millions have been
expended, for instance, for English iron for the
manufacture of gas pipes, it being found that, even
with the enormous price paid for English iron,
there was an economy, as the pipes made from it
are so much less liable to leakage than those made
with French iron. That the present reductions in
the tariff may not do all that requires to be done for
the benefit of the mass, may be perfectly title • but
if they do not materially lower prices, they will pre-
vent the market from being entirely in the hands of a
monopoly, and they will have the effect of stimulating
the French producers in the way of competition.
By decree of the Emperor Lieut.-General de
Miller, Minister of War of Wurtemburg, and
Lieut.-General Baron de Baumbach, aide-de-camp
of the King of Wurtemburg, who received the Or-
der of the Legion of Honour in 1812, have been
raised to the grade of Grand Officer ; Baron do
Maucler, Chef du Cabinet of the King, has been
made a commander ; Colonel Hamel, Equerry to
the King, and M. Lohstein, chief of the political
direction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Wur-
temburg, have been raised to the grade of officer;
and Captain Count de Beroldingen, aide-de-camp
of the King of Wurtemburg, has been made a Che-
valier of the Legion of Honour.
It was reported in Paris yesterday that the
French Government still contemplates a loan, as it
will be very difficult to meet the enormous ex-
penses incurred till spring. On Wednesday the
Council of State voted 8 millions of francs to pay
the legacies left by the Emperor Napoleon, by the
will which he made at St. Helena.

Lord Malmesbury has postponed his return to
England, in consequence of having received an
invitation to visit the Emperor at Fontainebleau.
He went there yesterday.
Petry has offered its aid to the cause of Turkey.
The well-known democratic song writer, Pierre
Dupont, has composed a song against the Russians,
which has been translated into Turkish, and for-
warded to Constantinople.
The Promethee, with General Baraguay d'Hil-
hers and staff on board, arrived on the 9th at
Messina. She had been delayed on her passage
from Marseilles by a heavy north-west wind. She
may be expected to have arrived at Constantinople
on the 14th or 15th inst.

We read in the Moniteur :—" The Government
of the United States has just given satisfaction to
a new series of claims brought forward by French
shipowners and merchants, on the occasion of the
seizures improperly made by the Custom-house of
San Francisco, in 1849 and 1850. Indemnities
have consequently been granted by the American
treasury to MM. Foussat, Guillevin, Porte and
Jouvet, and Boye and Raveau, shippers of the
Java, of Bordeaux. A supplementary indemnity
has also been given to MM. Foucault and Co.,
owners of the Abeille, of Havre. The amount of
these indemnities was immediately transmitted
through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the
Caisse des Depots et Consignations, which is
charged to pay it to the different parties. The
claims of the owners of the Louise-Marie, of Havre,
and the Java, of Bordeaux, as also that of M.
Mulot, of the Edouard, have so been definitively
liqui dated."

-Thira was not much business transacted at the
Bourse yesterday; prices, however, were firm. The
Three per Cents. opened at 74f. 25c., rose to 74f.
30c., fell to 74f. 10c., and closed at 74f. 25c. for the
end of the month. The Four-and-a-Half per Cents.
closed at 100 f.; Orleans Railway Shares, 1,165 f.;
Rouen, 1,036 f. 25c. ; Havre, 492 f. 50c. ; Paris and
Strasburg, 816 f. 25c. ; Paris and Lyons, 905 f. ;
Lyons to the Mediterranean, 762 f. 50c. ; Western
of France, 692 f. 50c. ; Bordeaux and Cette, 590 f.;
Great Central, 511 f. 25c. ; Shares of the Bank of
Credit Mobilier, 696 f. 25c.