Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1855-05-03
ARRIVAL on THE NASHVILLE.

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By the arrival Of the steamer Nash
vile at New York, we have severa
days later news from Europe. The fol
lowing are the details of the war new
BY the arrival: '.--
SIEGE OF SEBAsToPoL-March 13tf
to 99th.-On Saturday afternoon, tht
10th March, the firing was very heavy
from the Russian batteries, and theil
engineers were working busily on the
new redoubt. Omar Pasha arrived at
the Camp, March Ieth, and a council ol
war was held, at which were present,
besides Raglan, Canrobert, and Omar,
Admirals Steward and Sir Edmund Ly-
ops. The exact purport OF Omar Pa
sba,s visit did not transpire. but it was
rumored in the camp that he sought
some assistance, which could not be
granted, and that the utmost he can
therefore do, unaided, viii be TO hold
Eupatoria. Electric communication is
completed between Raglan's quarters
and Balaklaya, and the railway is in
working order to Kadiskoi.
CosTINUED F1GET1KG FOR Possession
OF TIE RIFLE P1rs-GREAL SACRIFICE
OF L1FE.-Since the date of previous
advices there has been a series of fierce
sorties and assaults, between the Rus
sian and French, for possession OF the
rifle ambuscades in front of the French
position and under the Malakoff tower.
These rife pits, which have led to SO
considerable sacrifice Of life, are placed
in front and to the right and left Of the
tower, and about six hundred yards
from the allied works. They are mere
" excavations in the ground, faced
round with sand bags and banked with
earth, loop-holed for rifles. They are
six in number, and each contains ten
men-60 in all. Gen. Bosquet consid-
ers it a point of honor to take in hold. or
destroy these ambuscades. He has
several times, by night assaults, driven
out the Russians, but as these pits are
covered by the fire of the city batteries,
the French have hitherto found it i'm
possible either to destroy or hold them.
The Importance of this position to both
Besiegers and besieged is very great.
The Malakoff round tower is regarded
as the key of the defences, and hence
the energy of the Russians in strength
ening it. Considerably in advance OF
the tower is the elevated mound, or hill,
now called the "Mamelon," on which
the besieged are erecting a battery of
great strength. A little further in ad-
vance is the eminence recently seized so
skilfully by the Russians, and fortified
with earth works; it is now crowned by
a square redoubt, with is guns visible
on its three outward sides, but they
have not yet opened fire. Outside OF
these defences are the rifle pits. The
Russian batteries at Inkerman, their
forts on the other side of the Tchernaya,
and the works of Malakoff cover this re-
doubt, and converge on the approaches
IN front of it. This explanation will
convey an idea of the strength of the po-
sition which the French nightly contest.
Dates Of the encounters are as follows:
During the night of March 14th there
was fierce affair. The Russians had
advanced some rifiemen in front of the
French lines who caused considerable
annoyance. When night fell, demi-
brigade of French went down and drove
them out. All the city batteries along
the front Immediately opened and con-
tinued furious eannonade for half an
hour, during which stronger force of
the enemy advanced on the French and
compelled them to retire, with loss of
IS men; the Russian loss being proba-
bly, more severe. The Russians re-oc-
eupied the pits.
In the night of the 18th the French
renewed the attack and succeeded, with
comparatively little loss, in driving out
the enemy's rifiemen, and occupying the J
pits with their own. The French con-
tinued TO hold those on the right. under
a heavy fire, over the 18th and 18th of
March.
Night of the 18th, yet another encoun-
ter took place. At half past 6 O'Clock |
in the evening the French who had re-
tired before the fire from the batteries,
marched down to re-occupy the ambus-
cade,. but found the Russians had anti
cipated them. A fierce conflict imme-
diately commenced, but it was evident
the Russians were in strong force, and
the French were again and again borne
back by the weight of fire. For four
hours and half they persevered in
their attempts, and all that time con-
tinuous roll of musketry rang out, bro
ken only by brief pauses in the advance.
In these lulls the British could distinct
ly hear the voices of the French officers
cheering on their men, I'm aUa,at, mes
evdnss" "En GOant, Zouavesi"- and |
the tramp of feet and the rush of men
followed; then a roll of musketry was
heard diminishing in volume to rapid
file fighting. Then Russian cheer
Ihen more musketry-a few dropping
shots, and the voices of the officers once
more.
The Zouaves bore the brunt of the
fight, and the action was somewhat Pc
euliar. as artillery took no part in in it.
The British Cd 3d 4th and Eobt div;S