The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1855-11-17
Operations Mt sebastopol.

A letter from sebastopol, vt IF the 9th u,,
in the S~ssmaphore of Marseilles, says:
Gone of the orders wish has been executed
by the trooIfl with tlnalgreatest pleasure, and
which they perform amidst jokes and laughter,
is that Of filling up the trenches. Never was
q work more popular in the camp, and every
laborer, in burying these terrible parallels, in
which so many brave men have met their death,
| burics the cares of the past winter. The bad
weather has commenced without causing any
alarm to the troops. The sufferings expert
lenced in trenches last winter will not be again
undergone. In Sebastopol the miners and the
engineers are also busy. Very few houses in
the town are in o state to be made any use OF;
it would require too much trouble and expense
to repair such ruins, and it is now pretty clear
that the low part Of Sebastopol is about to be
destroyed. This last operation is being carried
on with great activity, ard no doubt in two or
three days we shall see a good part Of the town
blown up. French, English, Picdmontese, and
Turks are busily occupied in making roads
round Sebastopol and in the plain Of Baidar,
while others, are engaged in building wooden
huts in the faubourgs of Sebastopol. These
buildings, which are placed between the forti-
%fcations and the town, appear to indicate that
the troops will take up their winter quarters
there. This perspective, without offering to the
army the classic hope of the delights Of Capua,
has been so well received that a great number
Of the soldiers Of the class of IL
now quit the service, do not wish to avail rnens
selves Of it. This fact is the best proof of the
excellent feeling that exists in the army. Fort
Constantine, which persists in firing on the
town in the hopes of doing n injury to those who
may be attracted thither by a too confident
curiosity, has, during the last two days, had its
fire warmly returned, for the French have es-
tablished a mortar battery, and the English
have done the sam near Fort st. Paul. The
injury inflicted on either side is but triAing, but
it serves to keep the hand in. The Allies, by
the aid of other batteries, have just gained a
more positive advantage some congreve rock
cts have been thrown to an enormous distance
over the fort and as far as the camp of the
Russian army. This attack, for which the
enemy were not at all prepared, has produced
a considerable effect, and as far as it is possible
to Judge by the aid Of glasses, the Russian army
has been thrown into considerable confusion by
it. If this fire is continued for o short time,
there are strong doubts whether the Russians
will persist in holding their positions. The Or
der which interdicts all entrance into Sebasto-
pol is more severe than ever. This severity
even extends to leaving the place, for in order
to pass the Notifications, either in going in or
coming out, a special pass is required. NJ
merous pickets Of troops fill the town, and they
take particular care to prevent curious visitors
from exposing themselves on points open to the
fire Of the enemy. The strictness of the above
order is caused by the division of the booty,
(which some too greedy spectators are eager to
turn to account beforehand"