New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-09-15

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there rose an extended ridge of rocks and high
land to the height Of $50 feet, under shelter Of
which the advanced body were encamped, con-
tisting Of 600 English marines, 600 French
marines, and the 18th Battalion Of the Chas-
eurs de Vincennes At 2 o'clock, tafternoon,)
Teneral paraguay dHilliers inspected the en-
.ampment, and was cordially received. He is
described as a noble looking old Misunderstanding
firm and erect, although IA years Of age and
ninus a hand, which he lost in the French war
lgainst Russia in 1872. By evening Of the 9th,
a bake-house and a slaughter house were es-
rablished, the vivandieres had opened their tents
ind the whole economy Of camp life was in active
'peration. On the shore pier was built and
cranes erected for the purpose Of landing the
heavy gums. ss' s7sie.s A.i't s'&
August 10 was chiefly signalized by the
British steamer Penelope going ashore just
within range Of the long fort, which kept up
-teady fire upon her for two hours and q half.
Their fire was good, twentyone shots having
struck in hull or rigging, out of the total mum
her of I2l fred During this affair, the Edfn-
burg and Valorous, from their previous safe
position, continued to throw shell from 10 inch
guns into the fort. By evening, 800 men from
the ships had succeeded in landing 81 siege guns.
August Il 11.-Four hundred sailors harnessed
| themselves to the six thirty two Founders, and
/ with band at their head marched to the ad-
| vanced camp, the Russians firing from their
| round tower whenever they caught glimpse
| Of the procession, Desuftory firing continued
l all day !" +" shells set fire to very picturesque
| village and burned it to the ground Men
were employed all day in filing sand bags and
| making gabions. Napier says IN his dispatch:
's There were many instances IN the last war Of
guns being placed in extraordinary positions;
| but do not believe that in any one case such
difficulties were overcome as in the present IN
stance" To-day a Russian, in the garb Of a
| priest attempted to convey lady out of the
fort The letter writer congratuiates himself
that the priest was fred at and either killed or
wounded, for he fell down in the carriage. and
the horse gaHoped back to the gateway Of the
fortress. s's'sa
August 12-Some blockheads of British fred
on the French relief picket, mistaking them for
Russians two were killed and five wounded.
Two sailors, killed on board the Penelope, were
buried by torehlight beneath pine, on the bark
of which his companions carved the words,
ss Woodman, spare that treet During the
whole day, the artillery Of the Chassrurs were
filling shells and building battery. Had 800
or 400 shells ready by evening s4'&t''t45 3.4s
August 13 AT 4 this morning the Russians
in the first round fort commenced firing on the
French The French had now three mortars
and three brass field pieces in battery the lat
ter IN point blank range and after half an
hours practice they found the range of the
shells, and commenced bombardment in earnest.
| They kept up q tremendous cannonade for some
twelve hours, their shells bursting in the en-
brasures and over the roof, and their shot de-
stroying the faeings Of the emhrasures ateyery
round. By 4P. NJ, they had silenced three of
the towers guns, and flag of truce was hung
out from port-h hole. Gen. paraguay dill
liers rode to inquire what they wanted The
reply was, two hours to bury the dead.'
D'Hilliers gave them one hour, which the be-
sieged not only used for burial purposes, but
, also to bring up reinforcements from the fort
below, and to obtain o further supply of ammu-
, milton. Firing began again with redoubled
fury. Then the Russians executed beautiful
operation the artillerymen in the second or
inner fort brought their guns to bear, and
threw shells completely over the besieged tower
/ into the French camp. The French, however,
had the advantage, in great degree, owing to
the assistance of their rifemen, who, from the
/ surrounding rocks, poured deadly showers Of
bullets through the embrasures, and killed
o many artillerymen at their guns. At o'clock,
a second flag of truce was hung out, which the
| French General refused to recognize, because
e the garrison had not refrained. during the pre-
D vious truce, from all work excepting burial Of
D the dead. Bombardment continued all night.
Loss of the French this day about 30 killed and
wounded. u "'@-47 ti..S et 70 ''f4-' 'r5'f
: August l4-The Russian firing having be-
: come very slack, the French at 9 o'clock A. NJ.
effected breach and captured the tower. They
found only "a men left alive. The walls were
completely knocked to pieces. a Immediately or
VI the French and English flag being hoisted, the
a Augut Is. The English batteries, erected be
q hind a defence of sand bags ten feet in height
opened on the second tower, and kept up rapid
discharge of shot and she'll From the sea the
IS ships of the-line Edinburg, Ajax, Amphion
a Hecla. yalorous, Bulldog, Driver, Arrogant
J. and some smaller vessels, with the French ships
t. Asmodee, Phlegethon and Darien. joined in tn,
l spot ,ruau ht-cfI
! ashore and mounted on the remains Of the eartt
D. work The Russian shells had set fire to ths
i first fort (just captured), and at half past IL i
ID blew up with tremendous explosion, and fell {
m mass Of blackened ruins. At noon all the ship
ID we're dressed with flags and fired royal SALUTE
b, of the fete Of ST.. Napoleon; the ships engaged
OF paid the salute with shotted guns against tn
&c enemy. AT P. NJ, it was seen that the towe
l. was becoming shattered. but the ships did no
cease firing until half past 4 o'clock, by whic
he time the tower could only keep up droopin
he fire. At6 o'clock the hesieged hung out ia
n. Of truce, which the besiegers seem to have dis
ry regarded, for the account says: !" Whereupoa
e, oar marines and mariners cooffy scdffed U
re and TOOK all prisoners" numbering only IL
of men and 3 officers. 1t is true that when th
x, flag offered there was q practicable breach i
n the walls The English lost one of their bes
ms engineers, Hon @. Wrottesley. At midnigh
he the prisoners were marched to the shore, th
ed comrlandant, colonel IN the Russian army
d. exclaiming bitterly as he passed the ruins
ed the walls he had so braEely defended-eo Oh
IF. England, England, we did not expect this frol
n you.a s,!.5t s ''fa. 81 e, !, ,
ew August 16-The ships commenced to shell Il
IN main body Of the fort, now much weakened |
,h) well by the great amount of ammunition e,
an pended and shot received. as by the fall of Il
tn. two towers by which it was partly commando
be The earthwork, with its 10 inch guns and d
afe Chasseurs mortars, kept up fire from an earl
re, hour of the morning. The former did SO mus
rec damage to the besieged that they directed the
ng, whole fire upon it. Napier, seeing its DANCE
icy sent the ships Edinburg, Ajax, Arrogant, An
ole, phon, Valorous, Sphynx and Driver, all carr
ing 10 inch guns, to give the fort simultaneous
ooli a shot and shell every five minutes Tt
ich order was so well carried out that the garris
an was soon compelled to hang out flag of tru'
ion Captain Hall (of the Bulldogl sent on shel
to and, with Admiral PereivaPs aid-de camp, a
the two of Gen. Baraguay d'Hilliers's staff, form
to a deputation to negotiate with the besieg,
ere The garrison, admitting the uselessness of fl
the ther resistance, agreed to lay down their arm
cen and march out We are not informed as to I
h precise terms offered TO the prisoners, nor ha
two we any reliable account of the loss of life Q
ock thousand Of the prisoners were to be embark
I'd, on board the French ships Cleopatra and Syrel
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