Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-10-28
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
A WEEK LATER FROM EUROPE.

Among her passengers lSBaron GERoLT, the rus
sian Minister to the enited States, and NJ. De
BoDIsco bearer Of dispatches from St. Peters
burgh to the Russian Legation in this city.
The dates received from London by this arrival
are to the 18th instant. The "Tmes" publishes
voluminous details of the battle of Alma. The
and the French 1,400. The loss of the English
included % officers 10 sergeants, 2 drummers,
800 rank and file killed; and IS officers, 50 SER
geants, II drummers, and ,427 rank and file
wounded, and Is missing. Nothing, it is said,
but the want of cavalry prevented the victory at
Alma from being turned into a complete rout of
the Russians. After the battle the Russians burnt
all the villages through which they passed. In
their fight they left about 5000 wounded behind
them. The carriage Of Prince MENscHIKoFF was
captured by the French, together with his private
correspondence.
The Allies had changed their plan of operations
against Sebastopol 1t was to be attacked on the
south side, where it was found to be weaker, and
for this purpose the French had withdrawn from the
north SIDE without a contest, to Join the English
on the south The base of operations is Balaklava,
where the cavalry and siege artillery are landed.
The bombardment of Sebastopol commenced at five
o'clock on the morning of the 4th instant.
Marshal SAINT ARNAUD, the commander in chief
of the French forces, is dead, and is succeeded in
the command by Gen. CANRoBERT. The news of
the death of SAINT ARNAUD reached Paris on the
Sth instant. Orders have been given to receive his
remains at Marseilles with all the honors that were
paid him upon his departure for Constantinople
The I" farewell" which he had addressed to the army
dated from his bivouac on the Goth September, had
arrived at Toulon He says that, overcome by the
cruel disease against which he has so long strug-
gled, he is obliged to resign his command. He
pays the highest compliment to his successor,
(CANRoBERT,) who, says the Marshal, g will pursue
the victory of the Alma, and will have the good
fortune which had imagined for myself, and which
l envy him-that of leading you to Sebastopol"
The papers contain the official dispatches, French
and English, relative to the battle of Alma, and
some details Of the subsequent operations of the
beligerent parties on both sides, which, being Of
much interest, we subjon
The conflict at the Alma, it will be seen, was ter
ribly desperate and bloody. The loss of the Anglo
French forces, in killed and wounded, was nearly
$780, and the Russian loss is estimated by the vctors at
5000 The Russians however, their loss be less
than that of the Allies. ,
The 81. Petvs6urga Journal of the Both ultimo an
nounces that despatch had been received from Prince
MESscHIKoTY in which ne informs the Emperor that the
French army having advanced against the Russian
positions the Alma, those positions had been defended
for several hours against the obstinate attack of the
enemy At last finding his troops menaced both TANKS
by the superior forces Of the enemy and especially by
the assistance rendered to the land force by the fleets
he had thought it right withdraw them towards
ing beyond the Kascha, and the day after take up
position before Sebastopo where he preparing to
offer warm opposition to the enemy.
The latest from England show that Sebastopo
- -.
Military Despatch Of Lord Raglan
HEADQUARTERS, KArscHA RIVER,
SEPTEMBER %, 1854
My LORD DUKE: have the honor to inform your
Grace that the Allied troops attacked the position
pied by the Russian army behind the Alma on the Goth
instant and have great satisfaction in adding that they
succeeded in less than three hours in driving the enemy
from every part Of the ground which they had held the
morning and in establishing themselves upon it.
The English and French armies moved out Of their first
encampment in the Crmea the 10Th. and bivouacked
for tho night the left bank of the Buganac the former
having previously supported the advance part of the
Earl of Cardgans brigade of light cavalry, which had
the effect of inducing the enemy to up large body
of dragons and Cossacks, with artillery On this the
first occasion Of the English encounering the Russian
force it was impossible for any troops to exhibit more
seadines than did this portion of her Maestys cavalry
1t fell back upon its supports with the most perfect regu
larity under the FIRE Of the artillery, which quickly
senced by that Of the batteries caused to be brought
into action Our loss amounted to only four wounded
The days march had been most wearisome and under
burning the absence Of water until we reached the
insignificant but welcome of the Buganac made it
to be severely felt Both armies moved the Alma
the following morning. and it arranged that Marshal
ST. Arnaud should assa the enemys left by crossing the
river at its junction with the and Immediately above
it. and the remainder Of the French divisions should
up the heights in their 'front.' while the English army
should attack the right and of the position
In order that the gallanty exhibited by her Maestys
troops and the difficulties they had to may be
ly estimated deem it right at the risk of being
considered tedious endeavor to make your Grace ac-
quanted with the position the Russians had taken up
crossed the great road about and half miles from
the and very strong by nature The bold and al
most precptous range Of from three hundred
and fifty four hundred feehat from the sea closely
border the left bank Of the river here and formed
their left and turning thence round great amphheatre
wide valley, terminates at salient pinnacle where
their right rested and whence the descent to the plain
was gradual The front about two miles in
tent Across the mouth Of this great opening is lower
ridge at different heights varying from sixty hum
dred and fifty feet parallel TO the river and at distances
from Of from six hundred to eight hundred yards The
river itself generally fordabe for troops but its banks
are extremely rugged and in most parts steep The will
lows along it had been down in order prevent them
from afordng cover to the attacking party and in
every thing had been done deprive assaant of any
species Of shelter.
In front OF the position on the right bank at about
hundred yards from the Alma the village of Bouiouk
and il timber bridge, which had been partly de-
stroyed by the enemy The high pinnacle and ridge be-
fore alluded TO the key Of the position and
queny there the greatest preparations had been made for
defence Half way down the height across its front
trench of the extent Of some hundred yards