Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-12-02

m 70 intimate that the enemy have received notice Of
intention in this respect against the Flagstaff Bat
terry The ground occupied by the French is represented
unusually favorable siege operations The soil is of
considerable depth frm and light and without stones
The huge masses Of the latter which the ground
all round our positions offer formidable difficulties to
carrying out any works.
Since the battle of Balakava the enemy have remained
in their old position, about mile from lines Twice
since that day have they advanced in order of battle
If to provoke engagement but they failed in drawing
forth single shot from batteries Since
then they have extended their line much the left
to occupy part Of the heights the seacoas about
mile distant from the harbor Of Balaklaya In this post
they have as If dreadDg attack, entrenched them
selves with formidable earthworks defended by heavy
batteries of artillery Along the whole extent of the
front and fanks Of their position deep fosse and bank
has been cut This bank to be their chief
for though already very high each day they labor at it
to make it yet higher 1t is evident the enemy breads
repetition Of the affair Ama and never seem to con-
slider their redoubts aording them safe refuge.
Last night the French picquet made gallant attack
upon the advanced post, where large number Of Rus
sian cavalry horses were picketed. Under of
little emnence eight ten of them contriged to get in
among the horses unobserved and Immediately falling
to work. cut the picket in oil directions SO rapidly
and silently was this effected that the ropes which secured
upwards OF three hundred horses severed without the
least alarm being given. Emboldened by this success,
the French endeavored to drive off the animals but the
Russians instantly turned out and their skirmishers
commenced advancing firing vaguely in the dark. OF
closer the enemy advanced the rapidly did they gal
lop into the French and English lines As they
the cantonments Of the ate the Russians with mounted
picquets made several efoits to turn them back and
this and the confusion, with the of which they
Of pnncquanted turned the camp Of the
Allies, and hehvy fire Of shot and shell poassd up
on the place from whence the noise proceeded The
N.Y. being equally ignorant whether attack was intend
ed upon them not, replied with cannonade from all
their redoubts and batteries. The alarm then became
general, and spread far and wide for both sides
hring away in expectation of night attack. After
quarter OF an hours suspense, IN which much gun
powder wasted both sides, and enemy appear
ing the fire gradually sackened, and in few minutes
ceased altogether The fruits Of this bloodess engage
ment remained with the Allies Upwards of two hundred
and twentyeight fine cavalry horses into the camp
OF the English and three prisoners were taken The French
Quartermaster General am informed with much gencr
osty gave up all claim to the horses which have accord
ngy been distributed among the cavalry who deci
mated at the battle of Baakava This supply has
opportunely the horses remarkably fine and
spirited animals. Remounting our men with fresh Eng
lish horses of course was out OF the question.
All the approaches to Baaklava occupied by the.Aies
have been strengthened with additional entrenchments
since the enemy came into the neighborhood A deep
fosse and bank protects whole 'front.' and for hun
dred yards in front of this again are infantry pits closely
set and staked at the bottom. .#
On my return to camp this evening found that the
fire from our two gun battery the valley had told with
much effect upon the vessels moored at the end of the
harbor. One steamer was completely crippled and the
and warp out of range taking up their position close
the mouth Of the harbor, stern
During the early part of this morning flag Of truce
into Sebastopo inquire us to the fate of those
officers who left behind the Russian batteries
at Balakava. An answer returned that only thirty
and two officers had survived IF this report is true
have not the least hesitation in saying that the Cossack
must have murdered in cold blood the unfortunate fell
lows who left uron the fela have been inform
ed by cavalry officers of the light brigade that when they
were compelled to retire they left behind upwards of two
hundred and fifty men and officers who either only
dismounted or slightly wounded l am certain from all
have heard from prisoners that very few Of the Allies
who fall into the hands OF the Russians will meet with
quarter the English especially From all we can ascer
tain their hatred to Us appears unbounded
OCTOBER 31.-The weather has changed for the worse
permanently AL aroba drivers and Interpreters say
that ae winter here is fast setting in, and indeed it
qures prophet to convince Of the fact The wind
and cold during the day may be avoided by exertion but
it becomes uncomfortable in the night when lie the
ground in tents and shyerng, think of the happy
times when took of clothes and bed under
more stable covering than ordnance umbrella, the
tents called But seriously speaking the change in
the weather during the last few days has shown to oil
concerned the Importance Of bringing the present srug
gle to speedy conclusion In fact the cold and damp
has become intense that any attempt remain
under for another week will put half Of The Allies
in the hospital stYc gentlemen of England who sit at
home, &C., have idea Of the positive suffering
which is enaled upon oil who in this weather. live under
and sleep in their clothes the damp ground
For the last three nights have been compelled rise
nearly every two hours and about outside my tent
literally to keep myself from freezing, and on occa-
sion have thus hurried forth into the keen moon
light without finding hundreds of others similarly en-
gagged. The actual cold might contrive keep out
but the wind and dew penetrate through every thing
Fortunately, in the midst of dstresses, we have
prospect Of the termination our labor Sebastepo
must fall (a least the south sde) in the course of
five six days This assertion, which leave to
time to prove, is by based upon the fire of
batteries, but the positions which the French are
taking up. have been over their lines to-day carefully
As they placed at present. they oyermatch for
the Flagstaff and other Russian batteries to which they
opposed and which they have already half destroyed
But since my they have progressed in
their most advanced preaching battery Three
ed ways stretching from their first parallel lead to their
advanced post, which is precisely $50 yards from the
Flagstaff battery and 200 from the wall Of Sebastopo
itself This battery is to eighteen guns ye have
been placed already Until visited it had concep-
ton that any work Of the kind could have been placed
close to the enemy's guns and within few yards of
their skrmishers. Tee French had always high
reputation besegng army, but the ability courage,
and perseverance with which they have planned and per-
higher They have taken advantage of every turn and
variation of the ground in such complete
the battery without the possibility Of the enemy Offering
any eectual resistance 1t is expected that in two days
more all the guns the work will be placed, and
probably the following morning it will open fire.
hours incessant baterng day and night will
suffice to destroy the greater part Of the WALL and then
and not till then, shall storm Under the parapet Of
this battery is the mine of which have already spoken
1t is intended to proceed in straight line under the
Flagstaff battery and part of the wall Of the ara
informed that the sprngng Of this mine will be the signal
for the assault Certainly the preaching battery win
open fire before it is completed p order 70 distract the