The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-17 00:00:00

/

DEFENCE OF THE TOWN OF EUPA.TORIA.

The town of Eupatoria, situated at the northern ex-
tremity of Kalamita Bay, has of late become a place of
great importance to the Allied fleet, in consequence of
the supplies of cattle, which have been sent from it in
great abundance. The town, which was wholly unpro-
tected, has been placed under the command of Captain
Brock, R.N., who for some time past has been lousily
engaged in throwing up breastworks for the defence of
the Tartar population who inhabit it, and whose could-
less herds feed upon the steppe that surrounds it. As
the inhabitants have shown a decided predilection for
English rule, and the supplies drawn from their Books
made the retaining of the town a matter of the greatest
importance, a force of Marines, consisting of 400 Eng-
lish, 200 French, and 150 Turks, have been landed and
placed under Captain Brock's command. This force has
been subsequently augmented by the presence in the bay
of her Majesty's ships Leander, Firebrand, and Megasra,
and one French and two Turkish line-of•battle ships,
which have been detached from the Allied fleet. Ru-
mours had been rife for some time past of a large
force of the imperial cavalry having appeared in the
neighbourhood, and these were confirmed on tie after-
noon of the 11th of October by the appearance on the
steppe of large bodies of horse, who threatened the
town on the land side. A requisition for reinforce-
ments was immediately sent by the goveraor to Capt.
King, commanding her Majesty's ship Leander, by
whose orders First-Lieutenant Hamilton of that ship
landed in command of 100 seam,* and Marines and
one fieldpiece, and accompanied by Third-Lieutenant
Colin Campbell, the Rev. J. Stuart Robson, ohaplain,
Assistant-Surgeon Blake, Messrs. Mitchell and Bryne,
mates ; and Lord Edward Cecil and Messrs. Dupuis,
Buckle, and Lake, midshipmen. A party of 40 men
were landed from her Majesty's steamer Megmra, under
the charge of Mr. Irvine, the mate, and also placed under
Lieut. Hamilton's command. On the following morn-
ing the fieldpiece was placed in a commanding position
at the back of the town, where it adjoins the steppe, a
small redoubt was thrown np, and a party of bluejackets
stationed in it. In the course of the forenoon Captain
Brock, accompanied by Captain King and one of the
Marine officers and the fieldpiece, made a reconnaissance
on the steppe, when a body of cavalry, about 600 in
number, suddenly appeared, and advanced within 500
yards. They then opened their racks and chewed four
guns, which opened fire with shot and shell, some of
which fell within the town. The Leander's fieldpiece
returned the fire, and a shell from it burst among the
enemy's ranks, killing and weundingls. Being, however,
unsupported by small arms, Capt. Brock ordered the
party to retreat to the town, which they did, having first
taken the gnu to pieces and spiked it: The alarm was
now given, and the whole of the bluejaokets and Marines
belonging to the Leander and Megmra., and headed
by Lieutenants Hamilton and Campbell and the Rev.
J. Stuart Robson and Mr. Irvine, immediately got
under arms, and advanced to the steppe in double
quick time to support the fieldpiece. •n arriving at
the scene of action, they discovered that the enemy had
retired, and that the seamen, with Captain King, had
remounted and unspiked their gun, which was then
escorted back to its position. The whole of the men
belonging to the Leander and Megtera remained at this
redoubt during the day, and were quartered at night in
a house adjoining. 'rewards midnight one if the
Marines was attacked with cholera in its most malignant
form, and died, after great suffering, in fear hours.
About 3 a.m. on the morning of the 13th Lord Edward
Cecil, a midshipman on watch with the fieldpiece, ob-
serving a body of the enemy's cavalry advancing towards
the redoubt by a road which led to it from the steppe,
immediately opened fire upon them, and the officers, sea-
men, and Marines, rushing out from their quarters,
lined the redoubt and barricades on its right.

A brisk fire was new commenced and sustained for
some time. The flashes of the muskets were incessant, and
the bullets whi3tled in every direction, while the appear-
ance of the shells from the gun, as they described their
curve through the air, was extremely beautiful. The
enemy soon retreated, finding that the little force in
the redoubt was on the alert, and without any die-
position to yield it. At 10 a.m. the same morning
the remains of the poor Marine who had died of cholera
found an honourable grave, the service being read by
tile chaplain, Mr. Robson. The same day the nasal
brigade was strengthened by the arrival of Lieu-
tenant Pym, of her Majesty's ship Firebrand, with a
party of 35 men, another fieldpiece and a 'locket tulle.
A fresh redoubt was constructed in the course of the
day for their reception, and the first one was strength-
ened by baring its ditch widened and deepened, and
the breastwork made mere substantial. On the 15th

the enemy advanced again in force, burning the villages,
and carrying off corn and cattle in every direction on
the north side of the -town. The Firebrand and Arrow
gunboats were therefore despatched along the coast, and
fired several shells, which caused them to disperse in
great contusion and with considerable loss. The Lean-
der on the following evening dispersed another body of
300 cavalry, who advanced almost to the southern en-
trance of the town, with the intention of cutting off the
herds of cattle which had been driven in from the steppe
for safety. Lieutenant Hood, of her Majesty's ship
Arethosa, who had been sent from the fleet with some
rocket tubes, bad also a slight engagement on the morn-
ing of the 19th, when the enemy, taking advantage of a
thick fug, pushed forward a body of cavalry towards the
windmills outside the town, in which this officer had
stationed himself with a party of blue-jackets. The
Itussians were driven back, but not until they had killed
and wounded several of our Tartar allies, This kind of
skirmishing occurs every day, and as the vedettes of the
enemy are within three miles, and their numbers are re-
ported to amount to 3,000 or 4,000, they may attack the
town at any moment, and great vigilance on the part of its
defenders is called for, and net in vain. The defences of
the town are now in a respectable condition ; a deep
ditch, with a strong breastwork, has been cut across the
level ground, in front of the northern and southern on
trances, and guns have been planted in advantageous
positions. At the back of the townseviet field-pieces
several
strongeces
and
re-
doubts have been erected and armed ;h
force stationed
th
is"tvre been closed hood. The streets which
stron bar.
debouch upon the steppe
threecikmet ms,edainedte a large
eeig hpropertion of
iu
they can now bid e ae
to force an entrance, and
generaldfi fe h
eeealitneg of
e any
theeumgabbryerrise ofn isg
cavalry
who may venture an attempt
that
ricades, and the
they
Sebastopol, and
the slightest objection to their snaking
have a"
If a heavy column of infantry wore to
the attempt.
the gar-
resinus
unpgomhr tiogtnhh
tethbcaeaivra
warmer,lhrynida an
s n
but at
just
ttc
now
okßw,
Russian
be work
lasti
ans b o
astf
infantry
have
should this occur, Eupateria would not fall into
their c:
their hands without a severe struggle,

NOTTINGHAM STATE OF TRADR.--The present state
of the Eastern question absorbs the universal attention
to such a degree that trade is either absolately at a
stand-still, or only nominal in character, and not ex-
ceeding retail business in amount. This is particularly
the case in regard to lace ; in hosiery, however, with its
multifarious useful branches, tiers are really some trans-
actions going on—although the manufacturers complain
that their customers appear to be more taken up with
the war than with their purchases.—Nottinghamshti.s
Guardian.

DRATR or GENERAL HUNTER, C.l3.—We regret to
announce the death, on the 11th inst., of this distin-
guished Indian officer, after /few days' illness, at the
Bridge of Allan. General George Hunter, C. 8., was
in his sixty-ninth year. He entered the army in 1801,
and continued in active service till within the last three
years. He saw much service, commanding in &incle
during the .A.ffghan war, in which he took a distin-
guished part, and was publicly thanked by the directors
of the Honourable East India Company, in particular
for the courage and discretion he displayed in quelling
a dangerous mutiny.. Sir Charles Napier entertained so
high an opinion ofhis abilities that when he last went
to India he made it a condition that (enteral Hunter
should accompany him. This he did with all the ardour
of youth, though in his sixty-third year. He returned
libfoo nit twonyaetatrvse alga
no dt. o spend
In tthe
village
aremainderof
Brought
11114
Ferry, where be often resided when in this country, VI
, death has cast a general gloom,—Dundo Advertiser.