New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-10
THE SACK or KERTCH.
renondence Of The London Times.


KERTcH Monday, May 2s 1855.
Before proceed TO nanate the events which have
occurred since my last letter dispatched, must
be permitted 10 express the sentiments of adherence
which every civilized being must exps rlence on sur
yeying the scene of destruction and barbarous vl0-
lence presented by this unfortunate town, and TO
protest against any mputation on account OF the
sacking of Kerch being attached TO Engishmen or TO
any British subect with the exception of the Lieuen-
antGenera whose apathy or neglect permitted the
preparation of disgraceful excuses When the Rus
sian army, numbering some $500 men, abandoned
Kertch on the afternoon of our landing at Ambalaki
a large caravan of the inhabitants with such property
they could collect in their trepldaon, moved out
after the soldery and proceeded to Mekschek in the
Bay Of Kasantp, leaving behind them their houses
full of furniture and such cumbrous articles as they
were unable to move. The Tartars the Jews and
few of the poor Russians remained behind but the no
bles and Government employees with few exceptions
fled procipitately. When the Allies entered Kertch
the following morning the population made their sub
mission and offered bread and salt to the conquerors
in accordance with the Russian custom and they
assured that they would be protected and that their
lives and property should be spared The troops
marched on TO fenikale, leaving behind them a few
sailors and soldiers 10 guard kerch, and to destroy the
Government manufactures and a private establish
ment for making Mimic balls aud cartridges. In the
afternoon Of the day on which we occupied Yenikale
the crews of some merchant ships from Ambalaki
landed and began TO break into three four houses
which bad been closed and fastened up and to plage
the contents. AS they could not remove the heavy
furniture they smashed il to atoms. Toward
evening Turkish stragglers from the camp and others
who had fallen out of the line of march hocked into
the town, and pepetrated the most arocious crimes
To pllage and wanton devastation they added viola
ton and murder. The Tartars who were in the town
hailed the arrival of the Osmanh with delight and re-
ceived them libera,ors, and as brethren to whom
they were bound by the ties OF religion, of language,
and of hatred to the Russians They led the few Turks
from house 10 house pointed out victims to their
cupdity and lust those who had made themselves OBJ
noxous 10 their ignorance or fanatcism and graied
gru0gea the Rus6an tradpRDaOnle and
merchants. The French patrols endeavored to pre-
serve order and succeeded to some extent, but not till
they had killed and wounded several Turks and Tar
tars. One miscreant was shot as he came down the
street in triumph waving sword wet with the blood OF
apoor child whom he had hacked TO pieces Others were
slain in the very act of committing horrible outrages
Some were borne of wounded to the prison or the
hospital and at last respect for life established
by its destruction. There not, to be sure, gem
eral acre. Even savages would have refraned
from slaughtering the inhabitants of town which
had submitted and thrown itself upon their merry
Ii was with difficulty, however, that the French
controlled the excuses of the Turks and of some of
their own countrymen. Some English merchaat
sailors next day aided in the work of Pilage
and destruction. On remarkable conical hill at
the back of the town are two buildings, one of
which is said TO mark the resting-pace of Mithn
dates-the other of modern date, but incorporating
some of the pillars of an ancient temple which
found on the site, is built after the model of the
Pauhenon. 1t has been used, if not originally in-
tended, az a museum, and was full of cnerary urns
and of antique relics collected amid the ruins of the
ancient Bosphor of statuary and OF the contents Of
tumult which were opened in the neighborhood A
series of terraces and steps of fine dark granite leads
from the market place TO the hill on which the temple
stands. Let us ascend them, passing through the
groups of Tartars and Russians who rise as we ap-
proach, and bow obsequiousy with uncovered heads.
ON coming close to the building it is observed that the
doors have been forced open and that some of the
ancient Greek marbles and tablets which stood against
the walls outside have been overturned. On the white
nanei of the door indignant ErpnphtnaD
sian has written in pencil the following admoniton,
which was only too much needed, whoever we're the
perpetrators Of the ruin within;
En- dams temple on reposent les souyenis
dale Heas FrsDcss Anssis ftes Ia suerre Ia (poste
rte mas ne Ia faites Phisore 81 proen-
res Wv "'"' nc 'A''' pas Is susHe ae' OaI0s
Il is impossible to convey idea of the scene with
IN this place. The museum, whatever il was con-
SISTED OF single large ROOM with glass along
the walls and inches for statuary and rows of stands
parallel TO them, which held the smaller anqui
nes' AZ the end opposite the door large ledge
ABOUT thirty feet from the ground ran from side to
side and supported great number of oinerary urns
most probably dug ont of the tumuh which abound in
ine neighoorhood. IL was reached by winding stair
case through one of the pillars at the end of the room
S nmd Tgnt wen wonder how the fury off few men
couio erect such prodigious amount of min in 40
soort a TIME: The floor Of the museum il covered
ior several inches in depth with the debris of hro
dust Of their CONFESS, urns statnary the precious
Sus' VI ne, contents, and charred bits OF wood and
bone mingled with The fresh spintens of the shelves
%oi sDs Ss re- of winch they had been preserved
burnt any smaller bad been exempt from reduc,on NV
hammer or FIRE. The cases and shelves had h 800 ~
from the walls; the glass was smashed 10 Atom. ,he
statues pounded TO pieces ii possible 10 J
more than guees at what they had once ccnta;nsd
On ascending TO the ledge which the cnerarv urns
had been placed the ruin was nearly as complete.
large dog lay crouchng in fear among the remnants OF
the vases, and howled dismaly at the footsteps Of
Stranger The burnt bones which the vsses contained