Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-12-22


which | have alluded in former
part of my letter was most sanguin-
airy. 1t was found that there was nc
banqueite to stand upon, and that The
men inside could not fire upon the
enemy. The Russians advanced
mass alter mass of infantry. As
fast as one column was broken and
repulsed, another took lis place. For
three long hours about $500 British
infantry coniended against at least
four times their number. No WON
der that at times they were compelled
10 retire. But they came 10 the
charge again. The admirable devo-
ton of the officers, who knew they
we're special objects of attack, can
never be too highly praised. Nor
can the courage and sieadlness of
me rev men who were left 10 follow
them IN tins sanguinary assault on
the enemy be sufficiently admired.-
At one time the Russians succeeded
IN getting up close to the guns Of
Captain Wodehouse's and of Captain
Turner'S batteries. in the gloom of
the morning. Uncertain whether
they were friends or foes, our altillc-
rymen hesirated TO fire. The Rus
sans charged them suddenly, bore all
resistance down before them, drove
away or bayonctlcd the gunnefs, and
succeeded IN spking some of the
guns. Their columns gained the
mll, and Tor few moments the fate
of the day lremblcd in the balance,
but Adams brigade, Penn, father :
brigade, and the light division, made
annihcr desperate charge, while
DiLksnn's guns swept their columns,
aud their Guards. with undlminishcd
valpr aud steadlness, though with a
sadly decreased front, pushed on
again Ia meet their bitter enemies. -
The rolling OF muskelry, the clash Of
steel. and the ppunling of the guns
were deaiening, and the Russians as
they charged up the heights, yelled
like demons. They advanced, halt
ed, advanced again, received and
returned close and deadly fire, but
the MIME is the king OF weapons
Inkermaun proved il. The regi
ments of the fourth division and the
marines armed with the old aad
much belauded Brown Bcss, could do
nothing with their thin line of fire
against the massive multitudes of the
Mnscpviie infantry, but the volleys of
the MIME rifle cleft them like the
hand Of the destroying angel, and
they fell like leaves in Aniumn before
them. About 10 o'clock a body of
French infantry appeared On nur
right, joyful sight To- our struggling
regiments. The Zmaves came on
the pas de charge. The French ar
lilery had already begun 10 pliy with
deadly effect on the right wing of the
Russians. Three bnllalious of the
Chas.eurs d'nrleaus { believe they
/ had No. 6 on Their buttons, rushed
I by, the light of battle Oh Ihc,r faces.
They were accompanied by bat,al-
ion of Chasseurs lnilgenes the
Arab Scpnys OF Algiers. Their
trumpcts sounded above the dln OF
/ ba,lle, aud when we watched their
eager advance right on the flank of
the enemy. we knew the day was
won. Assaulted IN front by our men,
broken in several places by the I'M
pelunslly OF our charge, renewed
ugaIn aud agaIn-ailacked by the
French infantry on the right. and by
artillery all along the line, the Rus
sans began To retire, and al ~
O'Clock they were driven reli-mell
down The hill towards the valley,
where pursuit would have been md
ness. "a the roads were all covered
by their artillery They left mounds
oi dead behind them. Long ere
the, fled the Chasscurs d Fatigue
charged them most brilliantly over
/ the ground. difficult and broken as
/ II was, and inflicted great loss on
them while the effect of this rapid
+ attack. aided 10y the advance ot our
troops, secured our guns, which were
only spiked with wood, aud were
snon rendered tit for service. Dur
own cavalry, the remnant OF the
| light brigade. were moved into po-
silioH where ii WAS hoped they might
be Of service but they were too few
TO attempt any thing, aud While they
were drawn up they lost several
horses and some men. One officer,
Cornet Cleveland, was struck Dy a
piece of shell IN the side, aud has
since expired. There are now only
two officers left with The fragment oI
the l7ih Lancers-Captaln Godfrey
Morgan and Cornet Geo. Wombwell
AT IL O'Clock the battle of Inker-
mann seemed to have been won
but the day, which had cleared az
for an hour previously so as TO enable
us 10 see The enemy and meet hun
again became obscured. Ram anc
fog set in, aud as we could not pur
sue the Russians, who were return:
under the shelter Of their artillery, ",
had lorned in front OF our lines an'
were holding the battle field so stout
ly contested, when the enemy, tax
ing advantage Of our quieiude, agal
advanced, while Their guns pushe'
forward aud opened tremendou
fire upon US. General Canrober'
who never quilted Lord Raglan Ia
much of The early part of the day, a
H..