Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-12-22
MISCELLANY.
The Battle pf Iukermann.

The H1tt'" rt IDkermann.
The f,loWin. thrilling account of the bat.
tie Of Nov. jtb, is given by the corrcsp spundcnt
Of the London morning Herald.
\ little after three, on the morning of sun.
day the 9TH, when ii heavy 10, shrouded
cvorythiug from view the various garrison-
of tho rcdoubts of BalaklavA were reused out
by the noise of large MASSES of troops ap-
preaching At about four clock, "a cloud
IF >kirnshcrs advanced to the brow Of the
bills On which the rear OF our camp lines
rest
Suddenly aud noar five o'clock, to the
surprise, aud think also a little to the con-
sternatiOn Of all in camp, most tremendous
. cannonade was opened from the heights near
lnkcrmann, full upon the right Of our posi-
1 ton. The two gun battery on the hill over
/ the Tchcrnaya was held by strong party Of
/ the 5jth.
( No one suspected or believed it possible
/ that the enemy could get guns up this
in a siuge night; SO the place had been but
/ little regarded. Yet it was from this spot
that the Russians opened the fire from about
ten guns full on the two-gun battery and the
/ light and second divisions, which lay about
/ half mile in the rear. The instant the cam
ponadc began, and the first emotions of utter
astonshment and surprise were passed, the
55th picket kept close under the carthwork
Of the battery and the shot flew over them,
doing but little injury. The cannoadc in the
rear recommended. All the forts, redoubts and
batteries round Sebastorol opened with tre-
mcndous roar, which seemed to shake the
earth. The scene at this moment WAS awful
The whole camp, except to the sea, seemed
encirclcd by fire, az fash after flash lit up the
foggy air in all directions. The uproar was
perfectly deafening. for our batteries BEGAN
10 reply, and both sidcp firing shell increased
the din two fold. The shower of these ter
rible explosives, which raincd into the camp
like hail, battles description. No place was
safe from them. They killed men and tore
the tents to pieces on places which we had
hitherto considered as utterly out OF range.
The horror Of the scene was increased by
tn" ohscurity of the morning. Ii was not
six o'clock, the darkness and fog were still
thick and through the heavy air the broad
red fla shes OF the Guns and their tremendous
reports seemed ten times louder han ever. For
all that could be seen or told 10 the contrary,
the Russian batteries seemed within fifty
wards of YOU on all sides. OF course the
troops remained under arms but did not at
temnt to move; every one knew that before
the real attack commenced, tn. artillery
would cease, and the sharp cracking fire Of
muskctrv begin.
The men still lay under cover. when the
Guns ceased. The noise ol an immense body
of nen advancing was heard close upon the
batteries. The 0g prevented our fellows
seeing far, but the noise told too plainly
that some 5000 or GOUO Russians were al
ready close at land. The instant the
Russians caught sight Of our brttery
through the fog, though they seemed utterly
spent by their excrtions in Ginning the hill,
they rushed forward with dash we hardly
gl,c them credit for, Nothing duunted by
the immense disparity of numbers, the j5th
waited till they closed within ten feet, and
then gave one tremendous vOlley which
stretched POO Of the enemy in the dust and
then each man loadin. and firing as fast as
hc could, kept up an incee>ant dlchdrSc of
nuskctrv upon each Russian as he ap-
preached. The Russians halted for moment,
/ and then, with wonderful courage, rallied up
and returned close and deadly Grc. In less
than iivu minutes they again attempted to
storm the battery. In an instant they rushed
on and poured over Its banks and through i.s
embrasures Ill empowering numbers. There
was a moment of desperate struggle, during
which our gallant 55th fought hand to hand
and foot to footwith their numerous assaiants
II was but moment, and in tho next they had
3 repulsed tho attack and preserved the bate
~. But ii was in vain our fellows displa we'd
bered them at the rate Of 40 to ! and fresh
masses -tre coming up every minute
Our men fell by dozens
Their numbers diminished every instant
while those of the enemy increased. Sud
denly the Russians made another charge, and
tins time with more cifoct From every point
they swarm-d into the battery like bees. in
truly irresistible numbers, and the jjtlI. af
trr more than two thirds of the picket lay
/ dead around, retired from the battery The
Russians had now got between 5000 and
10, 900 men up their heights on our right,
aud their battery on the hill threw shot and
she'll among our men with terrible Effect
The pickcts were preparing to retire from
the wall, when fortunately, two regiments of
. tho % division the 4lst and i9th came into
action, and passing the wall opened a de-
stiuctiye file fire on the Russians ON our right
near the two-:un battery. Tho enemy re-
turned it quite ~ ySurously; but their small
inefficient weapons stood no chance against
our Mimic rhe.
Tie 4ls' and 49th thea depioycd into line.
uul prepared 10 charge and tho instant they
did ~ the enemy io. back in disorder. The
Ait and iYth Charged up the hill 10 the
right, and in tie coursc OF FIVE minutes re-
captured tie twu-sun battery.
vi ihis ti4,e the second, fourth, hnd ight
divisions were ranged inside the wall un the
ODD l',t road, fnini, over it into the bodies
%. I.->im infantry, With most terrible cf-
i"''. Tho ra,Jl' "t nuaI,rtrv Was daalrning.
f." jurr--au, yollrv- aud effects Of tho Tile
iiriuG dispersed tie log, hut rcrInrcd it with
e.. i;nck, white snusr Of -,nl"wdcr. which
hii c,rrytliug equally we'll. At this time
tic enemy who were losing ten mrn to our
on', showed no sign. Of gi in. way. GA the
contrary, thty advanced towards the wall,
lrug yollcys with as much cooh,ess and
regularity us if ou parade. | am bound to
IA no troop, could L,,e behaved more splcn-
diily than the Russians. They appeared
u.c.ly inscu-i5lc 10 the ltAr Of anything but
r.nrgc.
About thi, ,iA,y puc batteries Of artillery
oama hotly into the hight a-aiust the enemy 5
battery un the hill, which was doing " a
considerable amount of mischief nd,r
tLe -tlcndid management 0; General Straug-