The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1854-12-23

V
and several aides-dc-camp. As they ap-
preached the volume of sound, the steady
thunder of gun, and rife and mus
kct, told that the engagement was at its height
The shell Of the Russians, thrown with great
precision, burst Sc thickly among the troops
that the noise rcscmblcd the continuous dis
charge Of cannon, and the massive fragments
death on every side. One of the
first things the Russians did, when a break
in the fog enabled them to see the camp o: the
second division, was to open fire on the tents
with round shot and large she'll. and tent after
tent was blown down, torn TO pieces. or sent
mo the ar Willie the ncn engaged IN ramp
duties, and the unhappy horses tethcrcl m
in the lines were killed or mutilatcI. Colonel
Eambier was at once ordered to get up two
heavy guns { Is FOUNDERS } on the rising
ground, and to rcIl, &c fire which cir liclt
guns were u,tcrl y inadequate to meet. is h
was engaged in this duty. and was cxcr,nr
himself with Captain Da~uillar to urge them
forward, Gel. Gambler vas severely but not
dan"crou>!v V wounded. anu was obliged ia
retire. Ills place was taken by Lieutenant.
Colonel Dickson, an.l the conduct of .h,. of:
iiccr IN directing the fire of those pirrcs
which had the most marked effect in deciding
the fate Of the day, was such as TO deserve
the thanks OF every man engage: in tr;..
bloody a;lray. But long ere these guns had
been brought up there had been crea,
slaughter of the enemy. ard heavy loss of
oar own men. Our generals could not see
where to 90. The coul, net tel VIII ere thc
energy vere-from what side they were com.
ing. and where going to. In darkness. gloom
and ram they had to lead cur lines tlrourl
thick. scruthv bushes and thornv brakes
Which broke our rands and :rritatcd Tie men
while every pace vas marked by a cor,.<o o.
man wornlc! from iii 2:,o:ny w;iosc position
was OIL: Indicated by the rattle of mu,kc;rv
a:!l the rush of ball and slcll.
Sir Gcorrc Cathcari, seeing his men ,,iSor.
dcrcd ly the fire of large column of Ras
sian infantry which was ouiil.nhirr them
while portions of the various regiments com.
posing his division were matailinc an me.
Inal struggle with an overwhelming fore"
rode down into The ra,ine in which they were
engaged, to rally them lie perceived at the
same time tha: The Russians had actually
gaincd possession OF Il portion of the hill in
the rear Of one flank o. his division, but still
hi> S;oUt heart never failed him for a mo-
mcnt. !Ic rode at Their head encour,.;nr
them. when cry arose thu, the ammunition
was failing. he sad cooilv. "Nrre yo'. .?o' ~.
HpHf b""pn''> Z" rs hc led on hls men i,
W. deserved that another body of men had
gained the top Of the bill! behind them on the
rIs";, but it was impossible to tel! whether
the! were iric!!> or foes \ deadly yoil,v
was poured INTO Our scattered regiments.
SIR George cEcc:c1 thew ard lc:. :!.s.: Lack
NJ the kill, but a ;iii.ht Of bullets passed
where Ike ro!e, and he fell from his hor>,
close 30 TIE Russian columns The men had
to fight their way through hos. of enc, lies
aud lost :caifulIy. They were surrounded
anl iaycnc;tcd on all sides. and won their
desperate way up The hill, with diminished
ranks aud the loss of near 900 men. Sir
George Ca,hcart> body was Afterwards rccoy-
cree! with bullet wound in his head, and
three bayonct wounds in Tie body. In Thu
terrible struggle, where the Russians
fought with the greatest fcrocity. and iavon-
"ttc' Tie wounded as they fell, Colonel Swy-
ny, OF the d3d. most gallant officer. Lieu
tenant Bowling Goth, Major Wynnc, Gstll.
a"t ether officers. whose names will lie tonne,
in the Ht;'''e, met ;!,cir death and Brira.:cr
Gocdic, of the ;5.,h regiment, received the
wounds of which he has since died. The
conflict on the right was equally uncertain x
equally bloody. In the light division,,h SSH
got 50 far into tie front, that they were sur
rounded and put into utter confusion. when
four companies Of the 9TH, under Maio,
Straton, charged the Russians, broke them
and "cl:ercd their cc:H-adeS. The tight n;.;.
not long commenced ere it was evident that
the Russians had received orders 10 fire at
all mounted officers. Sir g. Brown was
struck hy a shot, which went through his arm
and strCck his side. ! saw with regret his
ra'e INT sternlv comncscd face. as h;- hody
~as borne by .nc on a l:ttcr early in the day
rs white hair Pickering in the breeze, for i
knc" that We had lost the services Of a GOOD
>oldic. ;hat day. further to the right, a con-
test. the like of which, perhaps, never took
place before, was going on between thcGuar!s
and dense co!"mns Of Russian infantry Of five
times their nnmtcr The Guards hai char
gcd them and driven them back, when they
perceived that the Russians had outilankctl
them. They were out Of ammunition, too
They were uncertain whether there were
friends or foes in the rear. rhey Ha,i no sup
port, TO reserve, and they were ash,ins witt,
the :'avonct against an cncm; who stoutly
contested every inch of ground, when the
corps Of another Russian column appcare,!
on their right far in the rear. Then fear
ful mi'roille was poured into thcm.and vollev,
Of rifle and mu>kctry. The Guards were
broken they had lost twelve officers, who
fell in the field /; they had left one half of
their number on the ground, and they retired
along the lower road of the valley. Thcy
were soon reinforced, however. and speedily