Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-05-04
DAILY VIRGINIAN.

AN ARMIsrloE-A SINGULAR SCENE.


ent in by the allies with proposition TO tho Rus
ians for armistce to bury the dead, which |
ere lying in numbers--iive or six Russians to |
very Frenohman and Englishman--in front Of
no Round Tower and Mameon, and, after some
clay, an answer in the affirmative returned,
nd it was arranged that two hours should bo
ranted for collecting and carrying away tho dead
II both sides The day was beautifully bright
nd warm. White flags waved gently in tho faint
pring breeze above the embrasures of our bate
les and from the Round Tower and Mamolon.--
tot a soul had been visible in front of tho lines
II instant before tho embloms Of peace were run
p to tho hagstaifs, and Il sullen gun from tho
lamelon, and burst of smoke from Gordorn's
arteries had but a short time previously heral-
ed the armstcr. The instant tho flags were
oisted friend and foo swarmod out of the embras-
res The Rnemen of the alles and of the enemy
from their lars in the rifle pits. and saunted
owards each other TO behold their grim hand
lsork Tho whole of the space between tho Rus
ian limos and our own filed with groups of
harmed sodiery. Passing down by the Middle
ticket Ravine, which is now occupied by tho
rcnoh, and which runs down in front of tho Light
division camp, came out upon the advanced
renoh trench, within u few hundred yards of tho
lnmelon.
The sight was strange, beyond description.
rench, English, and Russian officers were walk
og about saluting each other courtoously as they
ION, and constant exchange of little eaviities,
uoh as offering and receiving cigar-lights, was
Ding on in ench little group. Some of tho Rus
ian officers were evidently men of high rank
nd breeding. Their polished manners oontrasted
smarkably with their plain and rather coarse
lohing. They wore, with few exceptions, tho
variable long gray coat over their uniform. The
renee officers were all en- grande fenue. and of
rod striking contrast to many of our own Off
ers who were dressed la Baaklava, and wore
ncouth hend- dresses, catskin coats, nnd monde
cript paletots. Many of the Russians looked
emarkably like English gentlemen in "style" of
ace and bearing. One tall, fine looking old man,
nth long grey beard and strangely shaped cap,
sas pointed out to us as Hetman of the Cossacks
n the Crimea, but it did not appear if there
ere many men of very high military rank pro-
ent. The Russians were rather grave and re-
eryed. but they seemed to iratcrnze with the
'rench better than with ourselves, and the men
ertainly got on better with our allies than with
he few priyates of our own regiments who were
own towards the front. But while all this civil
was going were walking among the
cad over blood stained ground, covered with
vidences of recent fight Broken muskets,
ayoncts, ourtouch boxes, caps, fragments of
lothing, straps and belts pieces of shell, little
ools of clotted blood, shot-round and grape
battered gabions and sandbags, visible
round us on every side, and through tho midst
f the crowd stalked n solemn procession of sol
iiers, bearing departed comrades to their long
homes.
| counted77 litters borne past mo in Is min
ties each filled with dead enemy. The con-
ortions of the slain were horrible, and recalled
he memories of the field of Alma and lnkermann
ome few French were lying far in advance to-
vnrds tho Mameon and Round Tower among
he gabions belonging to the French advanced
ronches, which tho Russians had broken down.
4 L a. Il. Al
enemy. The Russians appeared to treat their
dead with great respect. The soldiers | saw
were white. faced and seemed ill-fed, though ma
ny had powerful frames, square shoulders, and
broad chests. All their dead who fell within or
near our lines were stripped ofboots and stock
ings. The cleanliness of their feet, and in most
cases, of their coarse linen shirts was remarka-
Bile Several sailors of the "equipages" of tho
fleet of Sevastopol were killed in the attack. They
were generally muscular, fine, stout fellows, with
rough, soldierly faces. The Russians carried off
all the dead which lay outside our lines to tho
town. passing down between the Mamelon and
Round Tower. In the midst of all this stern evi-
denoe of war IA certain amount of lively conyer-
saton began to spring up. In which the Russian
officers INDUCED in little bandage. Some of
them asked our officers "whon we were coming
in to take the place" others " when thought
of going away" Some congratulated US upon
the excellent opportunity We had of getting a
good look at Seyastopol, as tho chance of near
er view except OIL similar occasions. was not in
their opinion very probable. One officer asked
private confidently in English how many men
we sent into the trenches! "Begorra, only T.
600 a. night, and q wake covering party of TO-
Ooo,' was the ready reply, The officer laughed
and turned away.
At one time Russian with n litter stopped by
dead body, and, put it into the litter. He look.
ed around for comrade to help him. Zouave
at once advanced with much grace and lifted it,
TO the infinite amusement of the bystaDders; but
the joke was not long lived n Russian brus-
quely came up and helped TO carry off his dead
comrade. In the town we could see large bodies
of the sodery in the streets, assembled at the
corners and in the public places Probably they
were ordered out to make show of their strength.
The Russians denied that Prince Menschkoff
was dead, but they admitted that Admiral Istur
min was killed He was one of the principal Of
ficers engaged in the destruction of the Turkish
fleet at Sinope, and the Car had rewarded him by
giving him an order of St. George of higher dis.
tinction than that wore by Prince Menschikoff,
and of Il class which is generally accorded to
cessful generals who have conducted an army and
closed triumphant campaign. A distinguished
looking man, who complained that he likely
to be deprived of his cruise in his yacht this year
by the war; was pointed out to us as Prince Ba.
riatinsk.
THE FRI Nc RENEWED.
Owing to some misunderstanding or other, a lit.
tie fusiade began among the rifemen on the left
during the armistice, and disturbed our attention
for moment but it was soon terminated. Gen.
Bosquet and several officers of rank Of the allied
army visited the trenches during the armistice,
and staff officers were present to see that the men
did not go out of the bounds. The armstce was
over about three o'clock. Scarcely had the flag
disappeared behind the parrapet of the Mameon