Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-10-20
SIEGE OF sEBAsTOPOL.


The following letter to the London Times
brings the history Of events down to the close
of the terrible bombardmcnt, previous to the
final assault: FJ .4.. ..-g 4
SEPT. Sat da IN on the morning of the
9Th of September, the French opened fire.
The air was pure and light, and gentle
breeze from the southeast which continued all
day, drifted over the steppes, and blew gently
into Scbastopol. The sun shone serenely
through the vapors of early morning and
wreaths of snowy clouds on the long lines of
white houses inside those rugged defences of
earth and gablonade which had SO long kept
our armies gazing in vain on this "august
city," The ships lay floating on the waters of
the roads, which were smooth as a mirror, and,
like it, reflected them, and outside our OWE feet
and that Of the French equally inactive, and
not quite SO useful to us, We're repOsing from
Kazatch to Constantine as idly as though they
were "painted" upon painted ocean,
From Cathcart's hill the eye embraces por-
ton of the defences of the Quarantine-the
French approaches to it, and to the Flagstaff
Batteries up TO their junction with our left at
tack across the ravine at the end of the Dock
yard Creek. One can sweep over the Flag
staff Batteries works-the suburb of ruined
houses, or rather the sites Of cottages and resi-
dences, which are all that is now left of long
streets by the fire of our Allies, enclosed be-
tween the Flagstaff and the crenellated sea
wall, and, looking over this wall, take in at
coup d'Ga the civil town behind it, still present.
ing most stately appearance as it rises on
the hillside, tier over tier full churches, stately
mansions, and public buildings Of fine white
or red stone, with gardens interspersed and
trees growing in the walls.
THE SIGNAL.
Suddenly, along the northern curtains be-
tween Nos. z and 8 Bastions, three Jets of
flame spring up into the air and hurl as many
pillars of earth and dust, which are warmed
into ruddy hues by the horizontal rays Of the
sun. The French have exploded three foug-
asses to bio"' IN the counterscraps, and to serve
as signal to their men. Instantly from the
sea to the dock-yard there seems to run a
stream Of fire, and heecy, curling, rich
white smoke, as through the earth had sudden
ly been rent in the throes of an earthquake,
and was vomiting forth the material of her vol
canoes. The lines of the French trenches
of Heaven had settled down upon them and
were whirled about in spiral Jets, in festoons,
in clustering lunches, in columns and in sheets,
all comningled. involved together by the ve-
heinent flames beneath. The crash of such
fire must have been appalling, but
the wind and the peculiar condition Of the at
mosphere did not permit the sound to produce
any great effect on our camp; in the city, for
IL, Al l.
terrific and horrible.
FIRST TERRIFIC voLLEY.
The iron storm tore over the Russian lines,
IUsSlIiS up, ao if in olUir, Jcto OF cuftl uuu
dust, rending asunder gabions, and "Squelching"
the parapets or bounding over among the
houses and ruins in their rear. The terrible
files of iron, about four miles in front, rushed
across the plain, carrying death and ruin with
it, swept with its heavy and irresistible wings
the Russian fanks, and searched their centre to
the core. A volley so simultaneous, and tre-
powerful, was probably never yet
uttered since the cannon found its voice. The
Russians seemed for while utterly parayzed;
their batteries were not manned with strength
enough to enable them to reply to such an
overlapping and crushing fire but the French
leaping to their guns with astounding energy,
rapidity and strength, kept on filling the very
air with the hurting storm, and sent it in unbro-
ken fury against their enemy.
THE BoMDARDMENr SMELLS.
More than 200 pieces of artillery Of large
calibre, admirably served and well directed,
played necessarily on the hostile lines. In a
few moments, great veil of smoke-"a war
cloud, rolling dun"-spread from over the guns
over the left of Sebastopol; but the roar OF the
shot did not cease, and the cannonadc now
pealed forth in great irregular bursts, now died
away into hoarse murmurs, again swelled up
into tumult, or ratified from end to end of the
line like the file fire of infantry. Stone walls
went down before the guns at once; but the
earth works yawned TO receive shot and she'll
alike. However, so swift and incessant was
the passage of these missiles through the en-
brasures and along the tops of the parapets,
that the enemy had to lie close, and could
scarcely show themselves in front lines OF de-
fences.
RUSSIAN FIRE. .
For few minutes, then, the French had it all
their own way, and appeared to be on the point of
sweeping away the place without resistance; but,
after they had fired few rounds from each of
their numerous guns, the Russian artllery-men
got to work and began to return our allies fire.
They made good practice, but fired slowly and
with precision, if they could not afford to throw
away an ounce of powder. The French were
stimulated rather than mpeded by such reply to
their astonishing volleys, and the shot few with
increased rapidity along the line of the defences,
and bounded in among the houses of the town.
REDAN AND MALAKOFF sILENCED.
But all this is nothing to do with the siege, and
our Allies are pounding away with cx-
cceding warmth at everything within range of
them. Our Quarry Battery, armed with two NOR
tars and eight cohorns, just 400 yards below the
Redan, plies the suburb in the rear of the Malak-
off vigorously, and keeps the top of the Redan
clear. Redan and Malakoff are alike silent, rag
ged and torn. AT most the Redan fires three guns
and the adjoining batteries are equally parsimo-
nious. The parapcts are all pitted with shot and
she'll, and the sides of the cmbrasurcs are greatly
injured, so that the gabions are sticking out, and
are tumbling down in all directions. There is no
more of that fine polishing and of tha. cabinet
makers work which the Russians bestowed on
their batteries; our constant fire by night, our
rifle men, and incessant shellng have prevented
their assidious anxiety as to external appearance
being grati6ed. ---. .-
APAUSE IN THE TEMPEST.
After two hours and a half of furious fire the
artilerymen of our Allies suddenly ceased, in or,
der to let their guns cool and to rest themselves
The Russians crept out to repair the damages to
their works,and shook sandbags full of earth from