Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-03-30
Journal of the seige Of Sebastopol.


pectaton of come important event The
weather continued changea ble-bright and
warm sunshine, with the thermometer rang
ing from 52 : to II : -, alternating with rain,
snow and wind. March was anticipated with
apprehension 1t is said to resemble Novem-
Der. Bitter cold storms of rain, hail and
snow, accompanied with high winds. arc said
to prevail
From the journal Of the Siege we select
some Of the mUre important details
FEBRuARY GTH.-t do not remember if |
mentioned to you in my last letter the fact
that the Russians had cut into the gallery Of
IA French mine, and had destroyed an officer
of the engineers, and SOME men, Ivy smoke
balls, after which they blew up the mine. 1t
is unfortunately too true. Our allies had
their revenge. When the Russians came out,
as usual, last night, the French got three lS
Founders in readiness and carefully laid them
on the approach to the sally-port, nicely
stored with grape and canister. The enemy
made their sOrtie under tremendous can
nonade from the batteries and then rushed
in upon the works, but were received with
such destructive vollies of MINES and mus
kerry, that they were speedily driven over
the trench towards the town. The three
guns were UTcu llpnb lHto thtiT
columns at short ranges, and continued to
plough them up with round shot till they got
| under cover Of their works. Seven Russians
were killed inside the trenches, and remained
| there. Many wounded men were carried of,
| and it is con lectured that 250 or 800 were
killed and wounded before they reached the
town. The French lost about 50 in all, killed
and wounded.
The "navvies'' are working away heartily.
!
ments of houses, near the post Office Of Bala-
klava, so as to form the terminus of the first
hit of the Grand Crimean Central Railway
| with branch line to Sebastopol)
FEB. STu.-This morning rulnor having
| got abroad that the Russians were approach
| ing, the allies prepared for them in the fol-
lowing manner The alarm spread-the har
Dor was soon involved in it, Capt. Christie
sent orders round to all the large merchant
steamers to be in readiness to render all the
aid in their power and Admiral Boxer or
dered the men of the Nesuvius to be landed,
and the sailors of the transports to be armed
and in readiness for service. The Wasp and
Diamond. all cleared for action and moored
stern to stern, so as to form floating batte-
ry, commanded the approach OF the harbor
from the land side. Scarce a sound was au-
dible near US, except at long intervals the
monotonous cry of the sentries, "Numher l,
and alls WE'LL" or the bells striking the
hours on board the ships, but terrible s.lvoes
of artillery and incessant vollyes of musketry
from the front before Sebastopol told that the
French and Russians had availed themselves
| of the moonlight to continue their contest
with fresh vigor, The sullen roar Of the
heavy mortars. which came booming upon the
| ear twice or thrice IN every minute, bespoke
the deadly use which our allies were making
against the city of the beauty of the morn
ing. In the rear, around the deep valleys and
on the giant era sc towards the sea, all was
silent. The men behind the trench which
defends our position from Balaklava to the
scaboard scarcely spoke,,ahove whisper, and
were almost lost to sight, but the moonlight
played on long lines of bright barrels and
sparkling bayoncts, which just crested as it
were the dark outlines of the breast-work
behind which the English, French, and Turks
were lying In readiness for the enemy.
All this was IN consequences Of information
received from Tartar Spy, Of an intended
assault on the allied lines. No assault was
made, hut the journal continues
The railroad is making very respectable
progress. Ii has wound its way up the great
er part Of the main street Of Balaklva, and
the engine has been astonishing the Turks by
great puils of steam from its iron lungs, and
hy sundry shrlekc and screams, as it has been
; put in play by the engineers outside the post
Office yard, in order to see ii its health or con
stitution has suffered by the sea voyage. The
railroad is simply cOnstructed-the wooder
sleepers are laid down longtudeinally over Il
bed of stones on the road, and the rails are
fastened down on them. II nearly fills up the
l breadth of the main street. About 5O yards
l of rail have been laid down in the street, hut
, the road is, in many places, in a state of for
. wardness, and will soon be ready to receiv,
! the rails The road winds outside the church
of Kadikei.
Fen. l21m.-Four, p. M-The weather has
e changed again. The sun is out, the rain Is
. over, and a Geld driving wind is blowing oveI
the plain. The French are arming our righr
: attack. The left attack is completely armed
There is no appearance of any considerable
n | force of Russians either to the north of Sehas
= topol or over the heights of Balaklava. The
b, preparations to remedy our great error IN th'
d plan of our first attack, proceed rapidly. II
S is now said that we ought to have storme,
;, the Rcdan and the Round Tower (Malakof
j the very first day, as soon as our hire had near
ly silenced their batteries. The French ar
in high spirits, and say they will be ready t
3. march into the place in fifteen days. Gu
troops are in better condition, and huts ar
being erected on every side.
Fen. l5TH-Last night the wind Increase
d in force, blowing in strong gusts and squalls
n which tore down tents and the materials 10
: hutting on the heights over Balaklava, an
= sent them Gathering down the hill. Thi
J. wind hot and dry as one of the warm breeze
n of the tropics, sucked up the moisture of tn
S roads as it passed, and the tracks OF dee
II mud and the waste OF earth and water o
t. which our camp stands are rapidly becomin
l. solid-so rapidly, indeed, that the effect
a | Ds,o nT 0i sol Z mti,,b resemble
e the Mediterranean sirocco. The thermomete
Is exposed outside my quarters marks no les
- than - degrees. The general direction q
a the wind, as far as can judge, is from Tn
n south southeast to southwest. Under 1t
= influence, under the strange change OF TEN
1t perature, the bulbous roots, which seem I
n abound in the soil of the Chersonese, are put
ting forth shoots with vigor, and crocuses an
Is hyacinths, some in flower, have pushed thel
al bright green leaves above the black surtae
- of the soil, and by their freshness and vivid
It ness of color, afford II strong contrast TO th
is sterile aspect of the hoof-betrodden ground
of Towards night the violence of the gal
1t ahated The Field Marshal came down
Balaklava Yesterday and visited the variou
70 public establishments in the town and inspe'
10 led the progress of the railway There vi
as another sortie last night, which the Frenc
es repulsed with u loss of 35 killed and wounde
and missing. The Russians lost at least /
many in their hasty retreat. The works @
= our right are in splendid order. The roaC
have dried so rapidly us to admit of the pa
sage of artillery The railroad is now con
of plsted for about 900 yards towards the tow
At Of Kadikoi.
The division of General Bosquet on o'
IA right and in rear of our right flank was rel
forced to-day by upwards of 5000 men,
that it is quite probable the rumors we he'
Il. of n reconnaissance in force being likely
take place in few days under his commar
are true, and that the mysterious disappea
ance of the Russians from our rear Will
h. explained and their present position asce
tained