Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-12-01
The Allies before SobastopoI Description
Of the Siege.


Correspondence AZ the Londe~ Morning Herald
ENGLISH CAxr, Oct. 2s.--In my despatch, writ
ten yesterday, IexpatiAted on the hneness OF the
weather, little thinking what woful change was
impending over US. The evening was splendid up
to seven O'Clock, when, In the course OF half an
hour, the sky became overcast, with driving show
Of hail. which hit with the force Of small shot.
To add TO the discomforts of the evening, the enc
my began TO make, or pretended TO begin TO make,
sortie at ten; every battery along the whole line,
from the Flagstaff Mound to the circular earthwork,
suddenly opened fire. Upwards of hundred guns
were fired necessarily scattering shell and red-hot
SHOT in all directions. Expecting an immediate at
tack, all the troops were got under arms in few
minutes, and moved up to the brow Of the hills
which overlook the town. Here they remained
under arms for nearly two hours and two hours of
such discomfort and misery never endured.
The night was intensely dark, and the wind,
which now amounted to perfect hurricane, swept
over the bleak hills with force and coldncss
which penetrated to the very bones, and with a
long sullen moan which drowned all sounds save
those produced by the enemys guns. The hail
and halEfrozen rain, too which were driven against
our faces with the fierce gusts made 1t almost unen-
durable. Yet here all our troops stood drenched
to the skin, and numbed with cold, watching with
perfect indifference the tremendous cannonade
which swept along the enemys defences. What
ever was the cause which led to this extraordinary
waste Of powder do not know suppose, as the
wind came from them to us, the Russians imagined
we should take advantage Of this circumstance to
attack their works, and therefore resortcd to the
cannonade as forcible proof Of their being on
the alert, or it may have been intended as an at
tempt to harass us. II so, it quite successful
for our men were thoroughly tired out when they
returned to their tents. The night which followed
this unpleasing diversion was certainly one of the
most miserable of the many miserable nights which
we have spent in the Crimea. The strength Of the
wind swept under the canvass wall of the tents,
carrying in the hail and sleet and halfffeezing the
unfortunate occupants, who were trying in vain to
sleep away their cares Many Of the tents were
torn, and many more were blown clean away.
Towards one o'clock the cold grew 80 intense that
it was impossible to lie in the tents, and nearly
half the men got up and ran about to keep them
selves from being almost frozen. This weather
gives us terrible foretaste OF Crimean autumn,
and what we may expect if the winter surprises
us, with the siege of Sebastopo still uncompeted.
To-day the fire Of the Russians commenced early
and was kept up sharply before our batteries re-
turned shot. Orders were also received to-day
that each gun is only to fire 20 rounds per diem,
or once every half hour. suppose it is the short
ness Of ammunition which led to this order, for it
seems impossible to account for it in any other way
for the last two days we have been expecting the
ammunition would fail, or Mt least get scarce, but
no one seems to have imagined that the time was
SO near This order of course nearly slenced our
trenches, whichthe enemy perceived and redoubled
their cannonade. Their fire to-day has been ex-
tremely hot from nearly all points. The Circular
Battery has some eight ten guns dismounted, but
about 20 continue in constant play. A fresh bat
terry has also been erected to the left of this and
higher up the valley; it seems to mount IL or 15
very heavy and long-range guns. Its fire is princi-
pally directed against the 6s-pounder battery on
our right. The Redoubt Battery continues in full
work. as does also the Flagstaff Battery against the
French. The latter now, am glad to say, not only
hold their ground, but are evidently proving too
much for their antagonists The Flagstaff Mound
has got sadly mauled, and nearly all its guns dis
by the fire Of the French, but replaced
again by the Russians
The stores of warlike D,ateriel in Sebastopol APP
pear inexhaustible. The French are preparing a
new preaching battery within $50 yards of the
Flagstaff Mound and 200 yards of the strong stone
wall which encircles all the south side of the town
near the cemeteries In addition to this battery,
which expect win be opened in the course of a
day or two, our allies are preparing covered way
with view to mining the Flagstaff Mound. Our
troops were to have advanced battery within
preaching distance of the redoubt and redan wall
but am informed that the result of the engineers
survey states the whole Of the ground in that To-
caity to be mere rock. II is said, therefore, that
and in lieu Of il, battery of 6s-pounders thrown
up in the valley far to our right as to command
the arsenal, shipping, and, in fact, all the rear of
the harbor
The result Of this days contest in no respect
differs from those preceding, except that VIC have
lost fewer men, and as far as i have been able to
ascertain, no officer either killed or wounded The
wind still continues, with binding showers of rain,
and altogether the weather is miserable and in
f.x.n L. .aII Il, - IL .ssxlt
as last.
October 30.-Early this morning our new bat
terry up the valley on our right opened fire. 1t
only consists of two long 6s-pounders but is SPLEEN
didly placed on the south side of the valley, from
which fires right down into the arsenal dockyard,
and shipping in the harbor. The fire from it to-
day has principally been shells and rockets. The
latter, before eight o'clock set the sheds and work
houses of the dockyard ON fire in two places. One
was soon extinguished, but the second did much
damage apparently. The shells also seemed to
drop with terrible effect full among two or three
small vessels and two line-ofbattle ships, which
were moored high up the harbor, and broadside on
to its mouth. These vessels slightly protected by
the land, yet not 80 much so but that this battery
can destroy them, unless they clip their moorings
From what Is observed Of the movements Of the
enemy, they seem TO be annoyed and surprised at
the FIRE of these guns and are apparently throwing
The French advanced battery Is nearly complete,
and their mine is going rapidly forward, though
the engineers seem TO intimate that the enemy
have received notice OF their intention in this
spect against the Flagstaff Battery. The ground
occupied by the French isrepresented as unusually
favorable 70 siege operations The soil is Of con-
siderable depth, firm and light, and without stones
The huge masses OF the latter which cover the
ground all round our positions, offer formidable
difficulties 70 carrying out any new works
Since the battle Of Balaklaya the enemy have re-
NAMED in their old postion-about mile from
our lines Twice since that day have they advanc>
cd In order Of battle II TO provoke us to an en-
gagement, but they failed in drawing forth even
single cannon shot from our batteries Since then
they have extended their line much to the left so
as 10 occupy part Of the heights on the sea coast
about mile distant from the harbor Of Balaklava-
In this post they have, rs II dreading an attack,
entrenched themselves with formidable earth works
defended by heavy batteries Of artillery. Along
the whole extent ofthe front and TANKS Of their po
sition, deep fosse and bank has been cut. This
bank seems to be their chief resource, for though
already very high, each day they labor at 1t to
make II yet higher. II Is evident the enemy breads
80 A A