Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1854-12-08
Nli5rFIlanruus.
Gallant but Disastrous Caval-
ry Charge.
A Thrilling Description.

ichcC'tu 'usNc Oh lhe best days OF
chlvalry can afford full consolation
lor the disaster Of to-day, we can
have no reason to regret the melan-
choiy loss which we sustained in a
contest with savage aud barbarian
enemy
1t will be remembered that in a
letter sent 10y last mail from this. it
was mentioned that IL battallons Of
Russian infantry had crossed the
fchernaya, aud that they threatened
the rear Of our position and our
communication with Balaklava. -
Their bands could be heard PLAYING
al night by the travellers along the
Balaklava road to the camp, but they
showed but little durii 2 the dav.
and kept up among the gorges and
mountain passes through which the
roads TO lnkernann, Simpheropol
and the southeast Of the Crlmca
wind towards the interior 1t will
be recollectcd also that the position
we occupied in reference to Balak-
lava was supposed 10y most people to
be very strong -cyen impfcgnable.
Our lines were formed by natural
mountain slopes in the rear, along
which the French had made very
formidable entertainments Below
those entertainments and very nearly
IN a right line across the valley be-
meath, are four conical hillocks, one
rising above the other as they rccede
from our lines the furlhesl. which
Jp'ns the chain of mountains opposite
To our ridges being named Canro-
berl's Hill, from the meeting there Of
that General with Lord RAGLAN al
tee the march 10 Bdlaklaya. Ga the
top OF each of these hills the Turks
had thrown up carihern redoubts. de
Tended 10y $50 men each, aud armed
with two or three guns some heavy
ship guns-lent by US 10 them, with
one arlllleryman IN each redoubl to
look after them These hills cross
the valley OF Balaklava at the distance
OF abou, q miles from the town. -
Supposlng the spectator, then, 10
take his stand on one OF The heights
forming the rear OF our camp before
Sebaslopol, he would see the town of
Balaklaya, with It's scaniy shipping,
is narrow strip Of water, and lis old
forts on his right hand Immediately
below he would behold the valley and
a plain Of coarse meadow land, occu-
pied 10y our cavalry tents, and
stretching from the base Of the ridge
on which he stood TO tie foot Of the
formidable heights at the other side
he would see the French trenches
lined with Zouayes a few feet be-
meath, and distant from him, on the
slope OF the hill Turkish redoubt
lower down then another IL the val
ley, then, IN a line with l., some
angular earlhworks. lLcn, Ia success
sion, the other two redOubls up to
CanTdbcrt's HILL At the distance Of
tao and a half miles across the val
ley, there is an abrupt rocky noun
tain range Of most irregular and
/ picturesque formation, covered with
scaniy brushwood here aud there, or
rising into barren pinnacles aud
pldtodHr of rock. In outline and
appearance this portion Of the land
scapc is wonderfully hike the Tro-
sachs. A patch OF blue sea Is
caught in between the overhansing
cliffs OF Da'aklaya as they close in
The entrance TO the harbor on TIE
/ right. The camp OF the Marines,
pitched on the hill sides more than
1 COO feet above the level of the sea,
is opposite 10 YOU as your back IS
turned 10 Sebasiopoi and your right
side towards Bdlaklava. On the
road leading up the valley, close TO
the entrance of the town aud beneath
these bills, Is the cncampmenl of the
93d Highlanders.
The cavalry lines are nearer to
YOU below, aud are some way in I'D
vance of the Ilighanders, but nearer
To the town than the Turkish re-
doubts. The valley is crossed here
and there by small waves Of land.-
On your LETT the hills and rocky
mountain ranges gradually close IN
toward the course Of the Tchcrnaya,
ill, at three or four miles distance
from Balaklava, the valley is swallow
ed up IN mouHlain gorge aud deep
rayines, above which rise tiers after
Tiers OF desnlate whlish rock, garn-
ished now and then 10y bits OF scaniy
heritage, aud spreading away toward
the east and south, where they attain
lplne dimensions.
At aalf-past I O'Clock this morn
ing an orderly came galloping into
the head quarters camp from Balak-
lava, with The news tina. at dawn a
strong corps Of Russian horse, sup
ported by guns and baltalions of in
fantry, had marched into the valley,
and had already nearly dlspossessed
the Turks of the redoubt No. |,
/; (lhat on Canrobert's Hill, which i.
9 larlhest from our lines, aud that they
II were opening fire on the redoubl'
Nos. 2, aud 4, which would speed
lily be in their hands unless the Turks
, offered a siouter resistance than the,
had done already.
1t was soon evident that no reli
ancc was 10 be placed on The Turk
ish infantry or ariillerymen. All IN,