Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-11-28
Details brought BY the Baltic.

Own tnumpnss Vanqulbneu by our own val0r, ana
worn out by our own SUGGEST
Details brought by the Baltic.
-
INCIDENTS or THE BATTLES OF THE 10Th AND 26rH
OCTOBER.
Although no general action was fought from the
26th October to the 9th November, the eight days
between these two dates are described as " an in
cessant combat II is reported that Lord Raglan
has suspended the Earl Of Cardigan from his COM
mand, for " rashness" in the charge which proved
so disastrous at Balaklaya A French General ex-
claimed when he witnessed the charge Of the cav
airy, "ees tres naagnifqae, Daais &c Nest pas Ia
guerreF
The following details are principally selected
from the graphic correspondence of the London
Times:
If the exhibition of the most brilliant yalor, Of
the excess of courage, and of daring which would
have reflected lustre on the best days OF chiyalry
can afford full consolation for the disaster OF to-
day, we can have no reason to regret the melan-
choly loss which we sustained in a contest with
savage and barbarian enemy.
Before proceed to my narrative, must pre-
mise that certain feeling existed In some quarters
that our cavalry had not been properly handled
since they landed in the Crimea and that they had
lost golden opportunities from the INDIGESTION and
excessive caution of their leaders, solely owing to
the timidity OF the officer in command. The ex-
stence of this feeling was known to many Of our
cavalry, and they are indignant and exasperated
that the faintest shade Of suspicion should rest on
any of their corps. With the justice Of these as
PENSIONS they seemed to think they had nothing to
do, and perhaps the prominent thought in their
minds was that they would give such an example
Of courage to the world If the chance offered ITSELF
as would shame their detractors forever
It viii be remembered that eleven battalions of
Russian infantry had crossed the Tchernaya,
and that they threatened the rear of our POI
sition and our communication with Balaklava. II
will be rccollected ALSO that the position we occu-
pied in reference to Balaklava was supposed by
most people to be very strong-even impregnable.
Our lines were formed by natural mountain slopes
in the rear along which the French had made very
formidable intrenchments. Below those intrench-
ments, and very nearly in a right line across the
valley beneath are four central hlocks, one rising
above the other as they recede from our lines; the
furthest which joins the chain Of mountains oppo-
site to our ridges, being named Canrobert's hill,
from the meeting there Of that General with Lord
Raglan after the march to Baaklava. On the top
Of each of these hills the Turks had thrown up
earthen redoubts, defended by two hundred and
fifty men each, and armed with two or three guns
some heavy ship guns-lent by us to them, with
one artillery man in each redoubt to look after
them. These hills cross the valley Of Balaklava at
the distance of about two and 9. half miles from
the town. Surprising the spectator, then, to take
his stand on one Of the heights forming the rear
of our camp before Sebastopol, he would see the
town of Balaklava, with its scanty shipping, its
narrow strip of water and it's old forts on his right
hand. Immediately below he would behold the
valley and plain of coarse meadow land, occupied
by our cavalry TENTS and stretching from the base
of the ridge on which he stood to the foot of the
formidable heights at the other side. He would
tk..I
feet beneath and distant from him, on the slope of
the hill, Turkish redoubt lower down, then an
other in the valley, then in line with it some an
gular earth works, then, in succession, the other
two redoubts up to Canroberts hill AT the dis
lance of two or two and a half miles across the
valley there Is an abrupt rocky mountain range Of
most irregular and picturesque formation, covered
with scanty brushwood here and there, or rising
into barren pinnaces and plateaar of rock. In
outline and appearance, this portion Of the land
scape is wonderfully like the Trosdachs. A patch
of blue sea is caught in between the overhanging
cliffs of Balaklava as they close in the entrance OF
the harbor on the right. The camp of the marines
pitched on the hillsdes more than 900 feet above
the level of the sea, are opposite to you as your
back is turned to Sebastopol and your right side
towards Balaklava. On the road leading up the
valley, close to the entrance of the town, and be-
meath these hills, is the encampment of the esd
Higbanders.
The cavalry lines are nearer to you below, and
are some way in advance of the Highlanders, and
nearer TO the town the Turkish redoubts. The
valley is crossed here and there by small waves Of
land On your left the hills and rocky mountain
ranges gradually close in toward the course Of the
Tchernaya till at three or four miles distance from
Balakaya the valley is swallowed up in a mountain
gorge and deep ravines above which rise tier after
tier of desohte whitish rock, garnished now and
then by bits Of scanty heritage, and spreading away
towards the east and SOUTH where they attain the
Alpine dimensions of Tschatyr Dagh. 1t is very
easy for an enemy at the Belbek, or In command
of the road of Mackenzie's Farm, Inkerman, Sim
pherpol or Bakshiserai, TO debouch through these
gorges at any time upon this plain from the neck Of
the valley, or to march from Sebastopol by the
Tchernaya, and TO advance along il towards Balak.
lava, till checked by the Turkish redoubts on the
southern side, by the fire from the French works
the northern side, e., the side which, In rels-
ton TO the valley TO Balakava forms the rear of
our position. II was evident enough that Mems
chikof and Gortschakof had been feeling their
way along this route for several days past, and
very probably at night the Cossacks had crept up
close TO our pickets which not always watch
full as might be desired, and had observed the
weakness of a position far too extended for our
army to defend, and occupied by their despised
enemy, the Turk. say "despised,v because we
hear from prisoners and from other sources that,
notwithstanding all the drubbings received on the
Dshube from the 0smanl, the Russians have the
most ineffable contempt for the champions of the
Crescent
THE RIVAL CAVALRY cHAReE.
Our eyes were, however, turned in a moment on
our own cavalry. We saw BigadierGeneral Scar
lett ride along in front Of his massive squadrons.
The Russians-evidently corps deiife--their light
blue jackets embroidered with silver lace were adj
vancing on their Left at an easy gallop, towards
the brow of the hill. A forest Of hnces glistened
in their rear and several squadrons Of graycoated
dragons moved up quickly TO support them as
they reached the summit The instant they came
in sight, the trumpets Of our cavalry gave out the
warning blast, which told us all that in another
moment We would see the shock Of battle beneath
our very eyes, Lord Raglan, all his staff and escort,
and groups Of officers, the Zouaves French gem
erals and officers, and bodies ofFrench infantry on
the height were spectators Of the scene as though
they were looking on the stage from the boxes Of a
theatre. Nearly every one dismounted and sat
down, and not a word was said. The Russians
advanced down the hill at slow canter, which they
changed to a trot and at last nearly halted. The
first line was at least double the length Of ours-it
H.. nxL s.xl al IL