American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1855-10-13


phere did no, permit sound to produce
any great effect on our camp; in the eli.
~ for the same reason the noise must
have been terrific aud horrible. The
iron storm tore over tho Russian lines,
tossing up. as if in sport, Jets of earth &
dust, rending ssunder 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 TANKS, aud marched
their centre to the core. A volley so
startling, simultaneous and tremendous.
ly powerful was probably never yet ut
tered since tho canon sound it's voice.
THE CONSIDERATION OF THE RUSSIANS.
The Russians seemed for awhile ut.
terly paraliZed, their batteries were not
manned with strength enough to enable
them to reply to such an overlapping &
crushing fire; but the French leaping To
their guns with astounding energy, rap.
id'ty and strength, kept on filling the
very air with the huiting storm. and
sent it in unbroken fury against their
enemies. More than two hundred pie.
ces of artillery of large calibre, admi,a.
bly, served and we'll directed, PLAYED in.
cessantly on the hostile lines. In few
moments a great veil Of smoke-"a
warclond rolling dun'--spread from the
guns over on tho left of Sevastupol: but
b,. hat, II 4
the cannonade now pealed forth in great
irregular bursts, now died away into
hoarse murmurs, again swelled up into
tumuli, or ratl!ed from end TO end of
the line like fie-Gre of infantry. Stone
walls went down before the guns at
once, but the earth works yawned to re.
ceive shot and shell alike. However.
so swift and iucessant was the passage
of these missiles through the embrasures
and along the tops of the parapets, that
the enemy had to lie close. aud could
scarcely show themselves in the front
liue of de ences.
THE RUSSIANS RALLY.
For few minutes, then, the French
had 1t all their own way, and appeared
To be on the point of sweeping away the
place without resistance; bur, after they
had hired few rounds from each Of their
numerous guns, the Russian Artillery
men got To work and began To return our
allies fire. They made good practice,
but fired slowly with precision, as if
they could not afford to throw away an
ounce Of powder. The French were
simulated rather than inpeded by such
"a reply to their astonishing voIleys aud
their shots flew with increased rapidly
along The line of defences. and bounded
III among the houses of the town.
THE BRITISH LOOKING ON.
But what were we doing all this time?
What was our admirub!e Naval Brigade
and our gallant siege trains doing2--
They were just working their guns as
usual, and had received no orders to o.
pen general fire. Our batteries, there.
fore, rendered little assistance to the
French, bur they maintained their usual
destructive and solid "hammering" on
the face Of the Redan and of the Mala.
coli, and aided our invaluable allies hy
Keeping up regular shell practice "u
the batteries from the Greek to the Re.
dan. Now two or three moItars from
GOrdon's, then TWO or three mortars
from Chapman's hurled 10 and l3 inch
she'll behind the enemy's works, and
connected the discharges by rounds from
long 32's and 6S's. 1t is not known
why this evident want of unanimity ex-
listed, aud why we did not open fire at
the same time with tho French. Gen.
eral Peili,ier was over at our head
quarters, aud had an interview with
General Simpson yesterday. and it is
not unlikely that the French comman-
der, with his characteristic impe,uosity,
resolved on opening fire, finding that
we were not quite prepared to do SO
with effect, aud relying on his own nu.
merous aud heavy ordnance aud abun J.
dance Of ammunition. | am by no
means prepared to say we were not rea-
dy To open on the day agreed upon,
Dor do | insinuate that there was The
smallest want of nnanimty between tho
| Generals, but it is fact that we had not
all the guns aud ammunition required
for opening a three days fire Of inten-
slty, and that with plenty OF certain
sort of materials aud missiles there was
not the requisite quantity Of those of a
different but useful description. After
all, 1t may turn out that for military rea-
sons The Generals resolved To let the
French open first. aud their cannuuade
was matter Of arrangement. Atho'
mere are some complaints of deficiency
III the engineering department, have
never heard it said that our artillery, as
long as they had powder, shot aud guns
were not ready to meet any enemy. 1t
unfortunately happened at this juncture
that General Jones, who has already
! displayed great energy in directing the
siege works, is unwelI aud cannot go
out, owing To severe attack ofihe"ma-
tism, which almost cripples him.