Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-08-25

With this gpat bombardment ends the second
and let us hope the only tragic act as far a
are concerned, in the siege of Sebastopol Tn
third opened more brilliantly, though il is some
what hazardous 10 predicate on results whl
the action ID still pending. The bombardmen
Of April had so little effect, either in terrifying
the Russians or in depriying them Of thei
means Of defence, that on the goth Of May the,
commenced new work Of cbunter-approacl
against the extreme leh Of the French, ius
abose the Cemetery, at the head Of the Quar-
aniine IIarbor. Had they been allowed /,
complete this pluce daynies as the French dis
patches call it, they would have been able tc
take the more advanced parallels of the besiog
ers in reverse, and to prevent further approach
on this sido. This was perceived by General
Pessier, and an attack was ordered on tho
night Of ihe22d OF May the intention, of course
being, not only to destroy the Russian work,
but to turn il into an advanced parallel againsi
the town. The defence was, however, tonduct.
ed with such obs,inacy, and by so large body
OF the garrison, that although the French re-
maned masters Of the field. they were obliged
to retire before the day broke 10 prevent their
being exposed 10 the FIRE Of the ramparis, which
they could not have withsiood, as they had been
able TO do nothing during the night towards
covering themselves. As soon as il was dark
the attack was renewed on the following night,
when the garrison, dismayed by the carnage Of
the preceding night, and finding ii impossible
to maintain themselves in an unfinished work,
gave up the contest, after a very slight resis-
tance, and tho French established themselves
securely on the contested ground.
From this time ill the 9th Of June nothing
Of importance was undertaken by the Allies
bVHaBshh bVsfh5Sh tAH u @ Rft ay e ihs ih 5fa AeO
menced for the third time, but on this occasion
from even more powerful artillery and with
greater vigor than before. The English seem
TO have had l57 guns and mor,ars in position.
The French not very much less than twice that
number, and they seem 10 have fired for twenty
eight hours as rapidly as they could with safe
iy. At 0 O'Clock on the evening Of the 7ih,
large bodies Of the French advanced against
the Mamelon, and rushing over its ruined para
pets hand-io-hand fight commenced, and was
continued with varied success till the larger
body of the assailants drove out the garrison,
and the fight was transferred to the gorge in
front Of the Malakoff Tower, where it ragged
nearly all the night long. Attimes the French
penetrated almost to the Malakoff, but were as
often repulsed by daybreak, however, they
had tsirly established themselves in the Name
Ion and the adjoining works, and had captured
sixty-two guns which were found in position
there. While this was going on the English
attacked the Quarrie5, which had been occupied
by the Russians as an advanced parallel in front
Of the Redan, and after q most obstinate and
sanglinary fight they too maintained their
ground, and the morning found them in undis-
puted possession of the contested works. The
Of The Caroening Bay, were also attacked by
the French and evacuated during the night, be-
/ ing in fact untenablc after the Mamelon had
| fallen.
THE RESULT.
BY these two operations Of the 23d Of May
and 9Th Of June, the Allies obtained possession
OF all the works Of counter-aPproach which the
Russians had erected outside their original lines
after our bombardment of the 18th Of October
In front Of the eastern quadrant of the town tho
Allies arc now established within 500 yards o
the real defences Of the place, and on the wes-
tern side the French have completed their third
parallel everywhere within 200 yards of the
place, and on some points much nearer. The
French are, in fact, now where they ought Il
have been within fortnight OF three weeks o
opening trenches, and would have been hat
they been acting against Fashioned furtress
! The English are now where they ought to hav'
been on the I7th OF October, and probabl,
would have been had they dreamed ct such
1 Il. 81. ..h II nd met
! however, have the original works been atiacke'
by our troops or seriously damaged by OUT fire
they are, on the contrary, far stronger and NOR
perfect than they were when the first bombard
ment terminated in November last and III
town is no doubt full of defensive expedient
, which were not then thought Of Such wa
, the stale of the siege when the ltiack Of th
4 18th of June was directed against the Malako
7 Tower and the Redan, and the allied armies un
derwent the first serious check they have sus
: tanned. Our limits forbid us to enter into dc
5 tailed examination of the misfortunes and error
of that eyeniful day but if any proof wer
needed Of the principles Of fortifcation fl
which we are here coniending, it will be foun
] in the terrific FIRE and the unninching defeuc
6f the Russian garrison on that OCCASION.
THE PROSPECT.
s Notwithstanding this disappointment iher
y seems little reason to doubt Of the successfI
i, termination of this great enterprise. Our force
Z are four times more numerous than when W
s undertook the siege. Our artillery has increai
d ed in even a greater proportion, and the exP'
y rience OF the Winter campaign has added in
S mensely 10 the efficiency of every departmeI
i of our armies. On the other hand, the Ru
d SLAMS must be dispirited by their recent contil
r ual defeats, and crippled by our successesin II
i sea Of AzofF; and mere feld-works cannot TO
6 ever resist such an overwhelming power as
e now brought against them. But whether th
Q place fall tomorrow, or still resist some tin
d longer, the scientific question as far as the a
Il OF forifcaiibn is concerned, may be considert
as settled. For it is proved beyond dou
p that an abundant supply Of guns placed on earl
" works NAV restore the superiOrtV of the d