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

u
the various regiments composing his
division were maintaining an unequal
struggle with an overwhelming force,
rode down into the ravine in which
they were engaged, 10 rally them. =
He perceived al the same time that
the Russians had actually gained
possession Of a portion o. the hill in
rear Of one flank Of his division, but
still his stout heart never failed him
for moment He rode at their
head encouraging them, and when
cry arose that the ammunition was
failing, he said coolly, -" Hare you
not got your bdyonets p As he led
on his men it was observed that
another body Of men had gained the
top of the hill behind them 90 the
right, but it was impossible 10 tell
Whcthet they were irlends or "'es.--
= ,irauIv vOlley was poured lnto our
scattered regiments. Sir George
cheered them aud led them back up
+ the hill, bui a fligh, of bullets passed
where he rode, aud he fell from his
horse close Ia The Russian columns.
/ The men had in fight their way
/ through host of enemies. and lost
learfully. They we're surrounded
aud bavonetlcd on all sides, aud won
their desperate way up the hill with
diminished ranks, aud the loss Of
near 500 men SIR George Cath
carts body was afterwards recovered
with a bullet wound in the head, aud
three bayonet wounds in the body,
In this struggle, where the Russians
fought with the greatest ferocity, and
hayunetled the wounded Us they fell,
Colonel Swyny, of the ODD. most
gallan. officer, Lieutenant Dnwling,
20lh, Major Wyune. 6Slh, and other
officers, whose names will re found
IN the Ga1efte, met their death. and
BuIadIcr Gnedie, of the j7th Rcgi-
mcnl, received The wounds. uf which
he has since died The conflict on
the right was equally uncertain and
equally biondy. la The light dlSis-
ION. the ssh GOT 50 far INTO the front
that they were surrounded aud put
INTO utter confusion. when four com
panIes of the 77th. under Major
Stratton, charged the Russians,
broke them, aud relieved their COM
rades. The fight had not long com
menced ere it was evident that the
Russians had received orders To FIRE
at all mounted officers Sir G..
Brown was struck by a sloi, which
went through his arm and stri ok hls
side. | saw with regret his pale but
siernly composed face, as his body
was borne by me on litter early in
the day, his white hair Pickering in
the breeze, for knew that we had
lost the services ofn good soldier that
day. Further to the right, con
test, the like of which, perhaps, new
er took place before, was going on
between the Guards aud dense col
umns of Russian infantry nf five
times their number. The Guards
had charged them aud driven them
back, when they perceived that the
Russians had oulfanked them -
They were out Of ammunition, too
They were uncertain whether there
uarn f,t.pIs 80 fooe a., tho rour
They had no support, no reserve, and
they were fighting with the bayonet
against an enemy who sloutly con
tested every inch OF ground, when
the corps of another Russian column
appeared on their right las IN the
rear. Then fearful nitrate was
poured lnin them, and vnlleys Of rife
aud muskely The Guard, were
broken they had lost twelve iiceis,
who fell Ia the field: they hal Ieti
+ one half of their number on the
giound, and they retired along The
lower road of the valley. rney were
were soon rcinlorced, however, and
speedily avenged their loss. The
French advanced about 10 O'Clock,
and turned The funk of The enemy.
The Second Division, in The cen.
ire of The lIne, were hardly pressed.
The ilst Regiment, IN par ocular,
were exposed to terrible fire. and
The 95lh were in the middle of such
disnrganIzlng volle.s thai they only
mustered "a men when paraded al :
o'clock. In fact, the whole of the
Division numbered only 300 men
when assembled by Majnr tman in
, rear of their camp after the tgh, was
over The regiments did not take
r their c0lors into the battle, but the
officers nevertheless were picked oil
wherever they went, and II did not
{ require the color staff to indicate
their presence. Our ambulancos
were soon filled, and ere 9 O'Clock
/ they were busily engaged in carrying
loads of men, oil covered with blood,
, and grooming, To The rear OF the line.
About 81 O'Clock, Lord Raglan and
his staff were assembled on Anoll,
, in the vain hope of getting a glimpse
| Of the battle which was raging below
them. Here General Strangways
, was MORALLY wounded, and am
4 told that he met his death in The fol-
. lowing way. A shell came in right
> among the staff-it exploded in
e Captain Somerset's horse, ripping
a him open portion OF the shell
E tore off the leather oyeralls OF Cap
D tain Somersei's trousers, il ther
t struck down Captain Gordon's horse
r and killed him at once, and lheI