Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1854-12-23
Gbe polpnesian.
| From The MOniteur
DETAILS OF THE GREAT BATTLE
| ON THE ALMA.
ST. ARNAUD'S DISPATCH


"The Emperor has received from Marshal St
Arnaud the following report nf the battle of the Al
ma. No one can read without emotion this simple
recital of great victory, where the general-in-
chief speaks Of every one except himself Never
theless, the Government appreciates as they merit
the energy and ability displayed by the Marshal un.
der these circumstances. The Emperor has decid-
ed that a salute of 81 guns shall be fred to cele-
brate this victory:
"FIELD OF BATTLE OF ALMA, Sept. 81.
"SIRE: The cannon of your Majesty has spoken
we have gained complete victory. It is a glori-
Gus day. Sire, to add 10 the military annals of
France, and your Majesty will have one name more
to add to the victories which adorn the flags of the
French army.
! The Russians had yesterday assembled all their
forces, and collected all their means, in order to
oppose the passage of the Alma. Prince Menschi-
kof commanded in person. All the heights were
crowned with redoubts and formidable batteries.-
! The Russian army reckoned so 900 bavonets from
all points of the Crimea in the morning they ar
rived from Theodosia- 600 cavalry IS0 pieces of
heavy and field artillery. From the heights which
they occupied the Russians could count our men,
man by man, from the 18th to the moment when
we arrived on the Bubbanach On the Goth, from
6 o'clock in the morning carried into operation
with the division of General Bosquet, re-enforced
by eight Turkish battalions, a movement which
tuIucu tue lett OF huSSdDS ana some OF their
batteries General Bosquet maneuvered with as
much intelligence as bravery. This movement de-
cided the success of the day. had arranged that
the English should extend their left. in order at
the time to threaten the right of the Russians
while should occupy them in the CENTER but their
troops did not arrive in the line until 10 l2 o'clock
They bravely made up for this DELAY. At12I-2
O'Clock the line of the allied army occupying an
extent OF more than league, arrived on the Alma
and was received by terrible fire from the Trail
leurs.
In this movement the head Of the column Of Gen.
eral Bosquet appeared on the heights, and gave
the signal for general attack. The Alma was
crossed at double quick time. Prince Napoleon,
at the head of the division, took possession of the
large village of Alma, under the fire of the Rus
sian batteries. The Prince showed himself worthy
of the great name he bears. We then arrived at
the foot OF the heights under the fire of the Rus
sian batteries. Then, Sire, commenced real bat
tie along all the line-a battle with its episodes
OF brilliant feats of valor. Your Majesty may be
proud of your soldiers they have not degenerated;
they are the soldiers of Austerlitz and Of Jena
At l-2 the French army was everywhere victori-
Gus. All the positions had been carried at the
point of the bayonet to the cry of UiUe FEmpeeur,
which resounded throughout the day. Never was
such enthusiasm seen even the wounded rosefrom
the ground to Join it.
On our left the English met with large masses
ofthe enemy and with great difficulties; but every-
thing was surmounted. The English attacked the
Russian position in admirable order under the fire
of their cannon, carried them and drove off the
Russians. The bravery of Lord Raglan rivals
that of antiquity. In the midst of cannon and mus
ket shots he displayed calmness which never left
him. The French lines formed on the heights and
the artillery opened It's fire. Then it was no long
er retreat, but rout the Russians threw away
their nuskets and knapsacks in order to the fas
ter. IT, Sire, had had cavalry, should have
obtained immense results, and Menschikoff would
no longer have had an army but it was late our
troops haTassed, and the ammunition of the artillery
was exhausted.
At 3 o'clock in the evening we encamped on the
very bivouac of the Russians. My tent IS on the
very spot where that of Prince Menschikoff stood
in the morning, and who thought himself so sure
of beating us that he left his Garage there have
taken possession of it, with his pocket-book and cor
respondence, and shall take advantage of the valu-
able information it contains. The Russian army
will probably be able to rally two leagues from this
and L shall find it tomorrow on the Katscha, but
beaten and demoralized, while the allied army is
full OF ardor and enthusiasm. have been COM
PEELED TO remain here in order to send our wounded
and those of the Russians TO Constantinople, and
to procure ammunition and provisions from the feet
The English have had 500 men put hors de COM
bat. The Duke of Cambridge is well his division
and that of Sir G. Brown were surperb. have to
regret about 200 men hors de combat, 8 officers
killed, Surrounded, 253 subofficers and soldiers
killed, and 1893 wounded
Gen. Canrobert, to whom is due in part the hon.
or of the day, was slightly wounded by the splint-
er of shell which struck him in the breast and
hand, but he is doing very well. Gen. Thomas, of
the division of the Prince is seriously wounded by
a ball in the abdomen. The Russians have lost
about 5000 men. The field of battle is covered
with their dead, and our field hospitals are full Of
their wounded. We have counted proportion Of
seven Russian dead bodies for one French. The
Russian artillery caused us loss, but ours is very
superior to theirs. | shall all my life regret not
having had with me my two regiments of African
Chasseurs. The Zouaves were the admiration of
both armies; they are the first soldiers in the world
Accept, Sire, the homage of my profound re-
pect and Of my entire devotedness.
MARSHAL A. DE ST. ARNAUD.