The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1855-11-07

posiuon than they were when they had
pSsession'of the whole city, rs they can
render that part Of It which is in the possess
sion of tho Allies altogether unteuable.
This is so well known to the Allies that they
areactually beginning to regard theif late
successful, but dearly purchased triuinphas as
very improbable, ifnot worse than useless--
On the other hand it Is matter ofsongratula-
ton, he says, In the Russian camp, even
among the common soldiers, who understand
the great advantage It gives them over their
foe. For seven mounths the work of fortifyA
ing and strengthening the north side has
been going on, and now, such is the perfect
ton to which they have brought that work,
that every hill has been converted into
fort, and every point where cannon can DO
placed is absolutely bristling with them.
Here they not only command the south
side, but they render It utterly impossible fofs
the Allied fleet to enter the barbor, or to
come even within long distance oft Id
addition TO this, the road from their camp to
Odessa is occupied by different detatchments
of their army, which, including tho for,e in
the camp, numbers 100000 well disciplined
well enquiPped, we'll provisioned and every
way effective troops. But this is not all
tn, ir facilities for the transportation oftroops
are such that they can, If necessary, bring
their whole disposable force into the Crimea
in the course Of n few days. The road
from Perekop Is opoa to them, and they are
constantly receiving from that place immense
supplies ofprovisons. The statement that
they were deficient in their supplies is there-
fore, untrue, and we were told that at pre-
sent they have sufficient for several months
should all communication with that point te
cut off by the Allies Our readers may rcmem-
Der that in the papers which brought the ac-
cout Of the "fall of SebastopoT,"i it was sta
ted that the Russians were in full rertreat
towards Pere,kop, and that detatch-
ment of thirty thousand of the Allied army
was despatched to Intercept them This
was not only false, as proved by subsequent
accounts, but utterly absurd, as it now
appears that the Russians had not the remo-
test idea of retreating, and wero determined
remain where they were and defend their
position TO the last.
The story that six hundred Poles had
dcserted from the Russian army, Dr. Davega
informed us, is not worthy Of the slightest
credit. a few may have deserted, but he
assured us that the cases Of desertion on the
other side were more numerous, and the day
before he left six Sardinidns had arrived at
the Russian camp. The army, too, instead Of
being demoralized, is in rs perfect state of
order and discipline as their commaders
| could desire; and so far from being even
discouraged, they have gained cofidence and
| self reliance from their frequent encounters
| with the allied forces. They have been, he
says, greatly underrated; but the Allies have
by this time, found out to their loss that, as
Dogberry would say, they are not the men
they took them for. IL appears now that
they are among the finest soldiers in the
world, and iha, they are in some respects
| superior to the French. II is a singular
fact that while the English and French scat
ter under heavy fire, the Russian Flock
together and cling TO each other with te.
nacity that knows not whom to yield. They
never think Of retreating, and rush into
battle with an enthusiasm inspired by the
deepest feeling OF religion. They teil you
they are fighting for "thcir God, their Car
and their country" and they belleve tha:
| death in such cause is little less than mar
tyrdom. In fact, they regard it rs such,
and believe that the greatest sacrifice they
can make is to die on the battle field 6ght-
ing in defence Of their church, Of which
they regard the Car, under God, MS the
head.
The army is composed of Russians, in
cluding the Cossacks Of the Black Sea,
Greeks and Poles, The proportion Of tho
Poles is not so large as has been reported,
but the Greeks are very numerous, and arc
among the hest and bravest in the whole
army. The Russians, without exception
actually believe that il is holy war against
the ainfdel Turk" In which they are engag-
ed, and whenever any unfortunate Mohom-
medans fall into their hands. the yare killed
at once--the idea Of giving them quarter
never entering the mind of the Russian SOL
der. The Greeks, beside the religious
feeling which actuates them, are urged on
by their national animosity against the Turk
and they never omit an opportunity OF wreak.
ing their veDgance upon them for the Gen.,
tories Of persecution which their nation has
suffered at their hands
At tho commencement Of the war the
highest feeiing ofrespeet was entertained bv
the Russians for the English, bat this has
undergone change. and they have at last
come 70 regard them with feeling Of con.
tempt. II Is not unusual, DR.. Davega told
us, to hear them say,"What are the EngIishY
Nothing. We have beaten them In every
battle. aad would have destroyed them but
for the French. i. Is against the French
we fight. II we hid to do only with the
English we would have swept them OF the
earth before this"
II do not know said DR.. Dayega, Iof
battle IN which the English were not wor1,.
II