Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-11-29


tort oonstantlne. ...................1l0
Fort Catherine. ....I2O a.
Various Batteries. 200
iotai....................... Xxi
Say thousand pieces Of artillery, and mostly
of the heaviest calibre. In addition to these
defenses, there is the feet in the harbor, with
perhaps five hundred more heavy guns The
harbor is narrow and deep, the ships can an
Choir close to the shore and rake the town, or
throw their shells over it into the enemys lines
This will show you the Importance Of the
movement OF the allies for the destruction Of
the feet from the land side. The eight line-of.
battle ships which have been sunk at the gate
OF the harbor between Forts Constantine and
Alexander, shut out the allied feet, and the
Russian squadron can only be reached by bat
teries from the land. The fleet and the forts
OF Sebastopol are manned by not less than forty
thousand men, while in the rear Of the allies
in the open plains, to the northwest Of Sebas-
topol, hoyers cloud Of Cossacks, Tartars, and
regulars under Menschikoff, exceeding, per-
haps, 10000 men. The allies, land and sea,
have an aggregate force of about 100, 900, with
the utmost perfection, the highest discipline
and science, lezcepting the Turks, and the
most frightful destructiveness in their materials
and engines of war. Think of their Mimic
rifles, for example, at the distance of half
mile, picking off the Russian artillery men, like
squirrels, from their guns.
The attack of the allied squadrons upon the
seaside forts commanding the entrance of the
harbor, shows, in the results, that the wooden
sides of ship are no match for the heavy
granite walls of Sebastopol. The ships were
SO materially damaged that they do not intend
to try the experiment again; while Fort Con.
stantine was only temporarily silenced. 1t ap-
pears, also, that as fast as the Russian bate
ries on the land side are damaged, they are re-
paired again; so that the work Of the allies
effected one day has all to be done over again
the next
But Notwithstanding the desperate courage
ofthe Russians, and their apparentlyinexhaust
BILE stock of men, artillery, and munitions of
war, the evils Of the constructor are gradually
tightening around the victim. Sebastopol
must succomb. Twothirds, or more, of the
artillery of the Notifications facing the water,
as they do, are perfectly useless to the Rus
SLAMS against land attack. This diminishes
the active working force Of the forts against
the allies TO some three hundred guns. Many
of your readers know the situation of George.
town, in the District of Columbia 1t bears
some analogy.to that of Sebastopol. Imagine
the allies behind the town in the heights.
and the Notifications intended for its defense
along the water-side, and you can form
some idea of the advantages to the enc
my of a land attack. The forts are not
only comparatively, but the side of the hill
upon which Sebastopol is built being very abb
rupt, the allies from the summit behind the
town can throw their shot and shells, as from
the heights Of Monterey into the said forts
along the water. The whole circle of the de-
fences Of the besieged city around the harbor
were designed to protect the place against q
naval attack. The immense armies of Russia
were relied upon TO expel any invaders that
might attempt an assault by land. Hence the
battle Of the Alma, the sorties from the bate
ries Of the summit of the town, and the re-
peated onslaughts upon the rear Of the allies
from MenschikoG, who is at large in the PEN
Ursula behind them.
Considering all these things, and the regular
shortening ofthe circle Of the allies around the
city, my opinion is, that it must soon succumb.
Indeed, the prestige Of the armies of England
and France requires imperatively the conquest
of Sebastopol. 1t may be matter of indiffer-
ence to Us whether the Russians or the allies
are eventually the masters Of the city. am
simply giving you my conjectures as to the
final result Sebastopol will be, because it must
be taken. UNCLE SAM.