The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-22 00:00:00

THE WAR IN CIRCASSIA.

REDOU T KALEH, GEORGIA, June 2b —The Samp-
son has been at Soucham Kaleh for a week, and is
not yet returned. The Highflyer is at Redoubt
Kaleh, but was at Churuksu on Monday, the 19th
of June, Selim Pasha demanding an interview with
her commanding officer. It was then ascertained
that Selim Pasha had just retreated upon that
place from Agounghiet, a frontier town, with
12,000 men. At Dugourghiet he had received
notice that the Russians and Georgians, number-
ing 50,000, were about to attack him. Early on
Friday morning, as the Turks were commencing a
retreat, down came the enemy, and a most fierce
battle was fought ; the Turks lost 1,000 men and
11 guns ; the Russian loss is put at 10,000 ; they say
they were two days in removing the wounded from
the field. Out of 400 Turkish cavalry 14 of them only
are now at Churuksu. The Bashi-Bazouks fired and
ran, and were fired on by Selim Pasha ; but some of
them fought well. Sehm Pasha had a horse shot
under him, and 10 holes in his coat. He is a brave
and fine fellow. He says the Russians will attack
Redout Kaleh next. The fortified works at that
place are rapidly attaining completion. The Marine
artillerymen of the Sanspareil when there did some
capital work at the outpost at the confluence of the
rivers • and now the Highflyer's men are busy plac-
ing a Chain across the south river, and, when that
is done, are to place a boom across the north river.
The southern stream has been made navigable arti
ficially by the Russians, who have connected it
with the Rhiou (Phasis), preferring Redout to Poti
as a port, the latter place being some distance from
the river's mouth, and at some seasons of the year
difficult of apprcach, more particularly owing
to what the Yankees call " snags," or large floating
pieces of timber, swept from the interior. Every-
thing from Russian Georgia came to this place.
Sugar appears to have been the principal import.
At Redout Kaleh there is great activity in making
defences ; stockades, blockhouses, and earthworks
are showing themselves at all points. These are
now carried on by Lieut. H. B. Roberts, Marine
Artillery officer of the Highflyer, who directs the
operations of 2,000 Turks, who work well when
kept to it ; but at times, in spite of their " Yoos
Bashis" (literally, captain of a hundred, or centu-
rion) and " ba-Bashis" (corporal, or captain of
ten), they gradually drop off to some secluded place
with their chibouques, their numbers becoming
" beautifully less," and at length their officers
begin to follow their example. Then comes an
appeal to their Meralai (General), and then they
again come trooping to work. They readily learnt to
making gabions, and greatly prefer that work to
digging and cu tang sods. The parapet has been raised
to eight feet, and a similar one is making on the north
side of the river. A correspondent says,—" There
is yet plenty to be got through to make the place
perfect, according to the rules of fortification,
but, even as it is, I would rather be with 2,000
in the defence than 6,000 in the attack. It is very
troublesome to get the Turks mustered in a morn-
ing, and one must be always with them to make
them stick to it. The other day, when a long line
of parapet was completed by a great effort, the
Turks rushed with their spades on the banquette,
and, putting them to their shoulders after the man-
ner of so many tophek (muskets), took imaginary
pot-shots at "Moskoo," and afterwards all sat
smoking in the rear of the rampart, admiring
greatly the result of their day's performance, and
apparently wondering how the deuce they could
have done it. It is very troublesome, too, when,
as frequently happens, the progress of the works is
interrupted by several of them taking it into their
heads to leave off work, and, sticking a sword or a
piece of stick into a portion of parapet just com-
pleted, commence their prayers and genuflexions
and head-bowings towards Mecca (the stick is
supposed to represent the head of Mahomet) ;
then they are tremendously in the way and cannot
be disturbed.