Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-05-12
From the London Times.
AN ARMISTICE AT SEVASTOPOL.
BEFORE SEvAsToPoL, Monday,
March 26, 1855.

March 70, 1850.
Early on Saturday morning a flag of truce was
sent in by the Allies, with a proposition to the
Russians for an armistice to bury the dead, which
were lying in numbers-hve or six Russians to ev-
erv Frenchmen and Englishman-in front Of the
Round Tower and Mamelon, and after some delay,
an answer was returned, and it was arranged that
two hours should be granted for collecting and car
rying away the dead on both sides.
The news spread through the camps, and the ra-l
ces, which the Chasseurs d Antique had got up in
excellent style, were much shorn of their attrac-
tons by the opportunity offered us of meeting our
enemies on neutral ground.
All the ravines leading 10 the front trenches
we're crowded with officers fastening on horse and
foot down to the scene of so much hard fighting
The crcsts of the hills and slopes in front of the
batteries were covered with men, and they dotted
the deadly interval between the batteries, which
had been before occupied alone by thousands of
tons of shot and fragments of shell discharged by
French and English and Russians during this pro-
tracted siege.
Not a soul had been visible in front of the lines
an instant before the emblems Of peace were run
up to the flag stats, and a sullen gun from the
Mamelon, and u burst of smoke from Gordon's bat
teries had but a short time previously heralded the
armistice. The instant the flags were hoisted,
friend and foe swarmed out Of the embrasures.-
The Rifemen of the Allies and of the enemy rose
from their lairs in the rifle pits, and sauntered to-
ward each other to behold their grim handiwark.
The whole of the space between the Russian lines
and our own was filled with groups of unarmed
sOldiery.
The sight was strange beyond description
French, English, and Russian officers were walking
about salutiug each other cOurteously as they pass
ed, and occasionally entering into conversation,
and n constant interchange of little civilities, such
as Offering and receiving cigar lights, was going
on in each little group. The Russians were rath'
err grave and reserved. but they seemed to fraternizt
with the French better than with ourselves.
But while all this civility was going on we were
walking among the dead, over blood stained grOunC
covered With evidences of a recent fight. Broker
muskets. bayonets, cartouch boxes, caps, fragment
of clothing, straps and belts, pieces Of shell, little
pools of clotted blood, shOt-round and grape
shattered gabions and sand bags, were visible ar
uund us on every side; and throughout the midst o
the crowd stalked a solemn procession of soldier
: bearing their departed comrades to their long home
| counted II litters borne past me in 10 minute
filled with the dead enemy.
The contortions of the slain were horrible, ant
called to memory the fields of Alma and Ink
erman.
Il Some few French were lying far in advance to
ward the Mamelon and Round Tower, among th,
gabions belonging to the French advanced trench
es, which the Russians had broken down. The,
! had evidently been slam IN pursuit OF the enemy.
The Russian soldiers were white faced and seem
ed i'll fed, though many of them had powerful
= frames. square shoulders, and broad chests.
In the midst of all this stern evidence of war,
certain amount of lively conversation began t.
spring up, in which the Russian officers indulge,
: in n little badinage. Some of them asked gu
y officers when we were comingi in to take the place.?
y others "when we thought of going away ?" Som
congratulated US upon the excellent opportunit
we had of getting a good look at Sevastopol, as tn
" chance of a nearer view, except on similar occa
y sions, was not, in their opinion. very probable
One officer asked a private confdentially in Eng
It lish how many men we sent into the trenches 2
y "Begorra, only seven thousand a night, and wax
y covering party of ten thousand" was the read
= reply. The officer laughed and turned away. A
one time a Russian with q litter stopped by a dea
d body and put it into the litter. He looked aroun
for a ccmrade to help him. A Zouave at once ad
e vanced with much grace and lifted it, to the mfr
e lie amusement of the bystanders but the joke wa
e not long lived, as a Russian brusquely came u
s and helped to carry off his dead comrade.
d The armistice was over abont 3 o'clock. Scarce
y ly had the white flag disappeared behind the par;
pet of the Mamelon before a round shot from tn
c sailors battery went slap through one of the en-
e brasures of the Russian work, and dashed up
S great pillar of earth inside. The Russians at one
replied, and the noise of cannon soon ree2hoe
l through the ravines. 1t was curious to observe th
e masses Of shot and shell in the ravines which ha
been fred by the enemy at our men on their wa
9 to and from the trenches. 1t was impossible 70
d them to see us, but they poured their shot an
shell right into the path from the Round Tower
e the Mamelon, and the ships.