The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-02 00:00:00

•„,

[PRIOR 4D. STAMPED 51) .]

MILITARY OPERATIONS IN ALGIERS.

The illoaiteur contains the official repe.rts from
Marshal Ran-lon and the generals under his com-
mand, relative to the progre-s of the expedition
against the Kabyles, and the la t e'a Ira ir of the French
troops against the Beni-Raten. The despatch of
Marshal Raudon merely,r,:capitulates the reasons
which led to the expedition, d briefly alludes to
the preliminary movements 'h e army previous to
their arrival at
_the foot of.l .e mountains of Ka-
/
bylia,, where ho was detained' for'Leeveral days in
consequence of fogs and rain.
The despatch of the Marshal is followed by that
from Gen. Rena.nit, dated head-quarters, Ouvilcl,
May 24, in which he says :
"At half-past 5 thismorning my division, formed
into three columns of attack, left the camp of Si-
Kou-Meddour, and marched on the village of
Djemma, the appre,aches to which were fortified.
The right column, under General de Liniera, first
occupied the mamelon of Takseht, which com-
mands the mouth of the valley of Mestiga, and
thence reached the Col d'lghil, which is just below
the village of Djemma. This place was immedi-
ately attacked by the troops of General de Liniers,
and entered at one side just as part of. the centre
column cantered it on the other. As soon as this
village had been taketi possession of, the column of
Genet al Liniers advanced up the rugged acclivity
which command's the village of Tiguert Haia, and,
after a sharp engagement with the enemy, took
pos ession of the village of Taranint. From this
point the difficidties to be overcome were very
serious,. owing. to the steep nature of the ground
and the energy with which the Kabyles defended
theAlortified Feints 'in the neighbourhood. The
cen're column, under Gen. Chapuis, passing by the
Souk el Hand, in the meantime reached the village
of Djemma, and joined that of Gen. de Liniers.
It now remained f tir me to carry the commanding
positions in front. Colonel Rose, supported by
the artillery, which had, after considerable diffi-.
culty ascended the heights, attacked and gained
possession of ' the villages of Tatuazirt and Ald
Said, and the plateau of Ouvilel, where I am now
encamped. It was not without considerable efforts
and sensible losses that I was able to hold the im-
portant point of Tiguert Haia, on which the
Kabyles continued to make frequent and very for-
midable attacks. On reaching Ouvilel at half-past
10, I occupied the heights fronting the villages of
Harhirin and Azouza, and also the counter-fort
which commanels the village of Art-Hag
and the Djetnma of Bou-Zizi. The troops in
these positions hal to sustain two very vigorous
attacks from the Kabyles, who were driven back
at the point of the bayonet. I afterwards formed a
battery of howitze:s on the Djemma of Bou-Zizi,
the fire from which prevented the Kabyles from
renewing their attacks. The resistance of the power-
ful fraction of the Inters whom I had to attack was
the more energetic as their line of retreat was se-
cured by the valley of the Oued-Assi and that of
the Mestiga ; but they could not stand before the
enthusiasm of the French troops."
The second despatch, that of Gen. de M`Vlahon,
dated from the bivouac of Afenson, 24th, after
mentioning the order in which he had arranged his
troops, goes on to :say :
" The positions occupied by the enemy were the
villages of Belias and that of Tackeraich, tooth of them
very strong from the nature of the ground on which
they stand. A little before 5 o'clock I commenced
my forward movement, while the artillery at the
same time took up positions to open a fire on the
villages, and on the ravine which separates the
Beni-Ra,tea fram the Fraencen. At 5 o'clock
the firing beg-in along the whole line ; the
artillery threw shells and rockets on . the entrench-
ments of the enemy, who were in great force, par-
ticularly' in the village of Tackeraich. In a very
short - time all the ambuscades at the foot of the
mountain and defending the passage of the ravine
were carried. This part of the mountain, almost
entirely covered with fig trees, formed an excellent
defensive position for the Kabyles, but they wero
promptly occupied by riflemen. Tho village of
'Tackeraich was defended with great obstinacy, but
when the Kabyles saw that the position was turned
they at length abandoned it and threw themselves
into the ravine between that place and Belias, which
they had also strongly fortified, but from which
they were driven with vigour. At half-past 5 Gen.
Boatrbaki, being in possession of Belias, attacked
the villag,o of Afenson, which was carried after a
short resistance."

Tho last despatch, that of General Jusuf, contains
the details of similar movements on the part of the
ground in h's line of march, and where th 3 villages
and fortified positions of -the Kabyles were also
prompqy taken possession of. Th 9 loss of the
French was one officer, M. Boyer de Rebedal, Chef
de Bataillon of the 54th, kilted ; three wounded,
and 64 men killed and 414'wounded. The supposed
loss of the Kabyles is not mentioned.
A telegraphic despatch of the 23th announces
that the Beui-Raten begin to come to terms.

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