Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-09-21
: na-.e..a4e ana I.loody Engagement.

A Desperate and Bloody Engagement.
he English files by the Arago at New fofk, nave
full details of the battle of the Tchernaya. Of which
we have heretofore had brief accounts. We copy
the following from the London Times:
BATTLE OF Observation-Disclosures II may De,
by the arrival of a portion OF the Grenaolers' ana
probably urged on by the Impotence OF ngh person
ages at ST. Petersburg, the Russian General deter
mined on an attack on the allied position, and made
preparations for many days, with disregard OF eau
ton which revealed his plans, and, but for exraor-
binary remssness, should have caused their more
easy discontinue.
At last, ON the morning of the 16th the Russians
pouring down the steep sides of their position and
favored by the mist. without cry or beat OF drum,
burst upon the Piedmontese position driving IN the
outposts they reached the Tchernaya, forded the
narrow stream, and Notwithstanding heavy fusIlade
from the Zouaves, rushed upon the allied camp
They attacked two French regiments in front and
flank with a desperate bayonet charge, and hot
contest ensued in which Gen. DHerbilon, with TO-
600 men, had to sustain the attack of the Russians,
who probably by this time had brought much larg-
er force into action
The first rush did not last more than ten minutes.
The Russians fell back, but they had scarcely gone
few hundred yards when they were met by second
column, which advancing pas de charge to SIP
port the first and both united and again rushed tor
ward This second attempt was more successful
than the first At the bridge they for ed the river
on the right and left, and forced tho defenders OF it
to fall back scarcely the bridge free, when two
guns of the Fifth Light Brigade OF Artillery crossed
it and took up position the other side IN an open
space which divides two of the hlocks, and through
which the roads lead to the plain of Balaklava.-
While those two guns passed the bridge, a third
crossed the river by ford, and all three began to
sweep the road and the heights.
The infantry, in the meantime, without waiting
for the portable bridges, rushed breast deep into the
water climbed up The embankment, and began to
scale the heights both sides. They succeeded on
this point in getting up than one-halt the as
cent, where the dead and wounded showed after
wards clearly the mark which they had reached but
by the time they arrived there the Ere oh full
~ prepared, and them in the most gallant style
Notwithstanding the eXertions and the perseverance
of the Russians, they were, by degrees, forced back
and driven, after obstinate resistance the
bridge, carrying away their guns.
While this attack took place the bridge, the
other column again attacked the French right. This
time they on IN such swarm that they were
neither kept back by the aqueduct cowed by the
Sandman guns, which were ploughing long lanes
through their scattered lines On they came, it
seemed, irresistible, and rushed up the steep hill
with such fury that the Zouaves who lined the sides
of it were obliged to fall back for moment before
the multitude. You could plainly see the officers
leading the way and anmating their soldiers. par
ticuIarIy observed one gallant fellow who, at least
twenty yards in advance OF the whole column. was
the first across the aquednct and could still him
the advancing column in an incredible short time to
the crest of the billock, whe,e it stopped to FORM
But the French had not been idle during the time
that the Russians ascending the hill. The
Z0uaves had only fallen back from the side of the
hock to the main body which had been drawn up
behind the top Scarcely did the column of the enemy
show lis head when the guns opened on 1t with grape,
and murderous fire was poured down upon it by
the French infantry This Immediately stopped the
advance of the column which began to waver but the
from bohi nd nj fhn
bead of it, notwithstanding the unexpected reception,
was pushed forward few yards more, when the
French, giving one mighty cheer, rushed upon the
advancing enemy, who shaken already, Immediately
turned round and down, if possible, faster than
they had come up But the mass great that
ali the hurry could not them, and more than 200
prisoners were taken the spot, while the hillside,
the banks OF the aqueduCt the aqueduct ITSELF and
the river side We're filled with the dead and wounded
The Sandman and French artillery poured. more
murderous crossfre into the scattered remains
OF the column, OF which scarcely shot missed. 1t
complete rout The French rushed down the
hillside and drove them far across the plain. The
defeat seems have completely cowed them that
nothing more was attempted against this side
Not on the bridge Notwithstanding the heavy
loss suffered by the second attack the Russians con-
! centraed once all their forces, collected the
scattered remains of the column which had been rou-
TED the right of the French position and brought
up all their reserves to attempt one more attack
and tried to take the heights but in vain the French
were now thoroughly prepared and the enacity of the
Russians served only 10 augment their losses. They
were soon flying in all directions, followed by the
French This first attack was decisive. and imme-
dately the usual Russian preparation for retreat
namely the advance of the artillery-showed clearly
that the Russians acknowledged themselves defeated
and were on the point of retiring Three batteries,
each OF ~ guns which during the greatest part of
the attack had been nearly silent, began open their
| fro no &c
unns rallied behind rising ground leading up to-
wards the plateau OF Akyer, Mackenzie's height.
| The Sardinlans, who, with the exception OF the
little outpost, fight the opposite side of the Tcher-
maya, had confined themselves to support the French
! by their admirable artillery, began now to move
across the aqueduct, The Russian rifemen, after
the last defeat the light, had retired behind the
banks of the Tchernaya, whence they kept up brisk
but ineffective fire A battalion of Pedmontese ad-
vanced in beautiful order, if parade. and soon
drove these rhemen from their position. 1t even ad-
vanced some way towards the plateau but as it was
not intended 10 force the heights, it contened itself
supported by other troops, with following the enemy
who already in full retreat
Everybody now rushed to the battle. field and one
look was sufficient to convince them that the allies
had won real battle on the Tchernaya. Although
not quite obstinate and sanguinary the battle OF
nkermann, which this affair resembed in many points
it was pitched battle. On the banks of the aque.
duct particularly, the sight appalling; the Rus
slans when scaling the embankment of the aqueduct
were taken in flank by the Sandman batteries and
the dead and wounded rolled down the embankment,
sometimes more than 20 feet in height The French
made every possible despatch to collect the wounded
lhey were LAID on The open space about the bridge
until the ambuances arrived While there, the Rus
SLAMS, who could plainly that the French were en-
gagged in bringing help to their own wretohed coun.
trymen, suddenly began to open with their guns up
on them, repeating the barharous practice which tiev
had already often previously shown to the troops