Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-10-20
TIE FALL OF SEBAsTOPOL.


The great nm, clrriou, events which conf
fdently anticipated when las. wc addressed our rnd-
ors have not only justified but surpassed orr cSpccta-
tiuns and the day which had been set apart by the
crown and the nation for solemn thanksgiving tor
the abundant natural gifts of Providence, lIaI caught
from the distant theatre OF the first shout o VIC
tory. Dispatches Of the 2'd of September were lc-
crived Saturday by the government from Her Ma
csys ambassador M Cons,antirople, by way Of Bel
grade stating that tho cn.rcnchcd camp OF the Rls
sians containing coo men, with nCmcroua nrti!lc
rs and cavalry, on the heights of the Alma. was at
tackled By the allied roops NJ T. NJ. OIL the 10Th Sep
tcmber, and carried by the bayonet III al hour AMI
half with loss Of about 400 British troops killed
and wounded, aud equal loss on the side OF the
French, the Russian army being driven INTO tuI re-
treat In the course of yesterday further despatch
was received by the DuIic Of Newcastle, direct from
Lord Raglan himself confirming this intelligence and
stating that the heights above the Alma had been car
ricd after desperate battle by the valor OF the al
lied forces. Lord Raglan estimates the main body Of
the enemy Mt from 4jOim TO 50,0nD infantry and adds
TINT two Russian general officers and two guns were
taken on this occasion hy the English army
Thus far, them our intelligence i. positive, and the
battle of the Alma may br ranked with the most brll'
limit achievements of the two valiant armies which
met and fought for the first time side by side Oh TINT
field OF battle. But this plot, gallant AMI moinen-
tous it undoubtedly is, seems to be already sur
passed by the magnitude OF its imme,i late conse-
quences. Tclcgraphic dispatches OF n ess certain
and official character but nevertheless Of high proba-
blity, have been received by way of Narna and Bu,
charest, stating that the fortress OF Scbastopo Itself
surrendered OIL the 25th ut. to the allied armies To-
gcther with oil the vast stores Uf war contained the
e,t and the Russian garrison. Ii will be scarceiy
possible to receive the official confirmation OF this IN
clligence through Constantinople and Belgrade for
dny two. but purports to have been conveyed ID
Varun by steamer, which met at sea the steamer
conveying the news TO Consantinope; and, from the
rapidity with which communications of less iinp"r-
ance have twice before been received from the seat
of war, it could be known in the time The puoIc
must frm their own opinion for the present as to the
c:cdibv Of this statement, but We are enabled 70
snv that il is regarded with great confidence IN The
highest quarters, aud when the same despatch reach
cd the Emperor of the French at the camp Mt Hell
fault he instantly announced 10 the troops that Sebas-
topol had fallen We have more than expressed
an opinion that if the Russians rsked and lost
pitched battle in the Crlmea while the allied armies
were marching against Schastopol the attack on the
placc itself from the land side night turn out 70 be nj
operation of secondary Importance. II is now known
with certainty that Prince Menschikof did tight aud
lose such battle the 2O. inst, aud the plan OF
campaign he Ind adopted is sufficiently clear
lie chose the passage Of the Alma near Burluk,
rs the strongest position afforded by the coun-
try on the line of march, and the Russian army was
ntrenched on the heights which form the left bank OF
that stream in fortified position, which, ny Lord Rag
Ian expressly statcs WIS turmiably defended by
numerous artillery of heavy. calibre. On tins point
50 900 men were concentrated, which must cOmprlde
by far the important part Of the Russian forces
in the Crmea. The Russian general appears to have
preferred au intrcnchcd position of this nature 10 ah
action in the open plains OF the CrIinca on the one
hand and on the other he seems 10 nave pceh co'i.
scious that the game lost II he allowed lis army
to be enclosed in the walls ot ScbastOpo or d!Sersed
along the heights which command the town anu port
He therefore stked bis defence on the passage OF he
Alma and even renouuccd the attempt 10 oppose the
landing of the allies, in his exclusive reliance on 'he
strength of this position. Yet, after all TINS prcl,nr"-
ton with muster of the best troops winch the Kn'-
sian empire could furnish this point, aud 'ul me
advantages which nature md art could supply 10 lS
postion the boastel soldiers ut tho North STOOD iCr
about one hour and hafbeoe the fury Of the French
infantry and the deadly energy ut the Br!tisll oaSo
net, and then driven from the hcld. Inc
forces of the two armies must hufc Decn uoout
cqunl; every local advantage wns OH .'e s.ua
of the Russians yet the attack, which began
at one o'clock, ended an hour aud hull before
sunset and the military strength aud PRIDE OF kus-
sa received blow more severe tun the loss OF tnese
hardly contested fields ON which she disputed the Tor
time of Sapoleou. An army which has just lost u
greut battle, and been driven igHonuiously from the
position it had fortified, is i'll prepared for the defence
of great maritime fortress invested ny seu ana lad,
imperfectly defended from behind aud commanded
from the surrounding hcc chts Moreover, ull we have
learned of the Russian army III the course OF this war;
confirms the belief TINT the troops are wanting III
that indomitablc spirit which will hold desperate
positiou TO the last. After the defeat On the Almn,
four DAYS must have sutced bring the allied army
ocpontoPoi,
taken at all by coup ds man, everything dcpehdeu
OH the prompt.tude Of the operation. One account
states that the place taken after II combined at
tack by n aud lHnd-anothcr implies that 1t surrcn-
cr.l without any serious resistance. On these points
we can nj prrscn, furnish further light but there
is the strongest - anticipate that the grand
achev euent ou which the eyes nf the world aud the
hopes of England and France fixed, has already
terminated this portion Of the contest.
Almost every stage Of these operations has been
accompanied by circumstances OF the most auSpl.
cious character and in spe of the momentary gloom
which sickness and Suspense threw over the alIed or
mics at Vsrna, we have doubt that the delay "ie1
took place contributed to the completion and peilec
ton Of those vast preparations 10 when ime sucD?ss
of the enterprise is :nuiny attrbutahe. me d. e;
have, indeed, to dcpore seTere loss; anu ;'.'u
dings, which will aiame the spirit OF iile a,!o %.
the Joy of victory, must cause many pam ~ a"n!
ard Uncertainty TO The relatives Of these VINO nave
shared The honor, snd may share the oit:er c9sT OF
such triumphs. But if :br intelligence OF the iat OF
Seba.topol be confirmed, ten drys vii! nave suacsd
10 terminate the campaign Of the Cr'!nea a3d inc
arm will at once be relcved from the prr'!s and hard
sbps of active warfare uutiT the operations arc re-
surncd elsewhere. .
-.. :- ,lFro,n TIE London Tinaee, Oct J. " .'
The probability Of the report that the fortress of
ssbastopol, oge.hsy with the stores eet and gar