Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-05-18


from the camp towards Sebastopol and this
with the thickness of the atmosphere, and
rush of the rain drowned almost every sound
except the doll aud apparently very distant
conclusion Of the large mortars. So perfect
was this quieiness that it seemed quite i'm
possible to realize, in the deserted aspect of
our camp. that struggle, in which not only
the reputation but the very existence Of the
troops was engaged, was taking place within
half mile of our lines, and that ISL Eng
lish. upwards of 200 French, and between
zoo and 800 Russian guns and mortars were
firing away as fast as they could be loaded.
About ak p. N. the weather partially clear
ed, but the rain still fell in torrents. The
advantage of The days cannonadc most de-
cidedy remained with the Allies. The Ma
melon was almost entirely senced and the
Garden Battery quite so. The Malakoff ap-
peared to have suffered much. Even the few
stone which remained of its round tower
were quite swept away, the earthwork much
injured, and many OF lis guns silenced. The
new Russian works north of the Mameion
seemed uuiniured, as did also the Allied bat
teries opposed to them. The Redan seemed
injured though by no means IN way which
lossencd its resistance. The fire from this
tremendous work still continued as hot as it
had been in the morning The French bat
terry opposed to the Barrack was injured, as
was also that opposed to the Flagstaff. Mel.
Their of these great Russian WORKS appeared
much hurt. On the extreme left the French
were SAID to have done much damage To the
right Of the flagstaff, and also to have half
destroyed the Quarantine aud Mud Forts.
The fire Of the allied siege guns gradual
" ceased as night came on. The mortars
however, did not cense firing; all of them
were ordered to maintain the bombardment
by firing shell every ten minutes through
out the night
The hOmba rlmcnt continued without in
PERMISSION throu bout the night, aud the en-
emy were consequently prevented repairing
their damages Tho practice Of our moriars
was perfect. No second passed without u
l3-inch shell being thrown into the Nala-
koh and Mamelon. At the close Of Monday
evenings ire the Aalakuh was almost com
plotely sliCnced. aud next morning u repl-
ed to our caunuud &c with oaly two guns,
which were dIsmounted at eight. For sew
eral hours after II did not fire a shot indeed
the Russian fire along the whole OF their
lines was much siackncd. At about four
o'clock, however, all the enemys line bat.
terles suddenly sprung into life and vigor
Nolleys OF from 100 10 $50 guns were fred
at once FROM the Relan. the Flagstaff, Bar
rack, Garden and MalakOf batteries even
the Alameluu, which all thought destroyed
and untcuabia. fred hyc or SIX guns in rapid
succession. Their shot came IN upOa our
works Ike hail. On every pom, along our
line balls were 10 be seen bounding and
pluuging- and shells bursting like fireworks
IN the ar Never, perhaps, WAS such a con-
centraled and destructive cannonade witness
ed since the commencement Of the siear.-
Al felt that. if u continued two or three
hours. our works would be levcllcd with the
dust as, though both English and French
kept up terrific fire, the enemy, In spite Of
our utmost efforts, gave i've guns in reply to
our one. The rapidly and deafcning uproar
of the fire brought all who we're at leisure to
the front and the oldest aud most experieu-
ced artillery officers augured very uniayora-
bly, Of our prospect Of taking fortress winch
could conmaud such fierce cannonade
Suddenly, aud IN the midst of such re-
marks, the cnemy's batteries made dead
pause. For nearly quarter Of an hour not
gun was fred. The allies kept up their
bombardmsni the French battered the Flag
staff and works to She lett Oar shot plough
ed nto the ksdan aud ilalakoif, and our l3
inch shells burst ~ regular succession IN the
centre OF Tho Mamelun but one FIVE guns
did the Russians give IN reply. Nearly
twenty minutes passed or ,helr side in this
state Of unaccuuntabe inactivity, when A.
gain suddenly The Redan aud flagstaff broke
out Ia heavy vollcys. and mt intained them
for some time. Our long guns ceased firing
lille after seven, the encmy's about eight.
and then both Russifns and allies resorted
10 their morlars. Tho fire Of these latter
was maintained al night. Every Eve minutes
one OF our 3 inch shells was dropped into
the Mamelon and, from the advanced work,
at the same intervals, o inch were thrown
into the Ma.akof The French directed
their bonbs toto the Flagstaff aud orr left
attack threw them into the Redan. On the
extreme lel the French rocket battery
sent their burning missiles IN all directions
except into the town the orders to spare
/ that being siIli IA fall force. The enemy re-
Piled with m0rtars from the rear OF Alaakof.
the Redan. and Flagstaff works but we
we're evidently two tu one superior 10 them
M such ordnance. Tins deficiency they oc
caslonaly compensated for by the use OF
their guns, which, when fired IN yoileys, were
by no means to be tnAed with.
The advantage OF the second DAYS fire
was evidently with the Allies. Whatever
WAS HE reason the enemy most certainly did
not hight with their usual yigor. We had
not destroyed their works--iheir guns were
sill good and serviceabie, yet still they con
tlnued silent under our cannonada during the
greater part Of the day. The conduct of the
eueuy was, on the whole, SO extraordinary
that even the widest conjectures to accom-,
/ for Il gained temporary credit In the English
camp.
According 10 some the garrison was not
sufficient to man all the defcnces, while 9th
ers ascrlbed It to the want of ammunition,
which was certainly less probable, as up to
the moment of our opening fire the enemy
had wasted it III the most reckless manner,
and as II their stores OF 1t were lnexhausti.
bic.
At daybreak on the 18th the fire was re-
sumed by the Allies aud Russians, aud for
some time with equal ylgor on both sides.
Ia spite of the fire Of our mortars, the enc
my during the past nla ht had managed to re-
pair much of the damage which the Name
lon sustained and also the works Of the
Flagstaff Battery opposed to the French
For fret hour OF hostlliles all the Russian
works were fought with yigor and determin-
alton; but after that time (abont half past
lon again ceased their cannonade, aud from
that period, until late in the day. seemed per-
iectly Indifferent to our fire. In the even
ing, between five and six O'Clock, they sent
forth Tremendous yoley from all parts of
,heir deieDces. This was done, probably. as
a gentle hint that their works were Uy no
means in that state of dilapidaton when a
general assault would be either easy or safe
During the whole Of the night the fire of
our mortars was incessant, aud ON the morn
ing of the 18th the long guns recommended
with renewed energy but, in spite Of our
bombardment, the enemy had evidently been
again busy during the night, and part of tho
F'lagtaff and nearly all the embrasures we're
repaired. In the former, apparently, no new
guns had been mounted, but in the latter
were two. The fire was much the same as
during the previous day, viz; well sustain,
ed cannonade from the Allies throuqbou,