Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-05-05
Correspondence of the London Times.
An Armistic-A Singular Scene.


Early on Saturday morning flag of truce
was sent in by the allies with proposition to
the Russians for an armistiee TO bury the dead,
which were lying in numbers-fye or six Rus
slams to every Frenchman and Englishman-in
front Of the Round Tower and Mamelon, and,
after some delay, an answer in the affirmative
was returned, and it was arranged that two
hours should be granted for collecting and
carrying away the dead on both sides. The
day was beautifully bright and warm. White
flags waved gently in the faint spring breeze
above the embrasures of our batteries, and from
the Round Tower and Mamelon. Not soul
had been visible in font OF the lines an instant
before the emblems of peace were run up to the
hagstaffs, and sullen gun from the Mamelon,
and n burst of smoke from Gordon's batteries
had but short time previously heralded the
armistice. The instant the flags were hoisted
friend and foe swarmed ont Of the embrasures
The Rihemen of the allies and Of the enemy
rose from their lairs in the rife pits, and saun-
tered towards each other to behold their grim
handiwork. The whole Of the space between
the Russian lines and our own was filed with
groups Of unarmed sodiery. Passing down by
the Middle Picket Rayine, which is now occupi.
ed by the French, and which runs down in front
Of the Light Division camp, came out upon
the advanced French TRENCH within few hun
dred yards Of the Mamelon.
The sight was strange, beyond description.
French, English and Russian officers were
walking about saluting each other courteousy
as they passed, and occasionally enterering into
conversation, and constant interchange Of
little ciyilities, such as offering and receiving
cigar lights, was going on in each little group
Some Of the Russian officers were evidently
men Of high rank and breeding. Their polished
manners contrasted remarkably with their plain
and rather coarse clothing. They wore, with
few exceptions, the invariable long gray coat
over their uniforms. The French officers were
all en- drunde tenue, and offered striking con-
trast to many of our own officers who we're
dressed a la Balaklava, and wore uncouth head
dresses, catskin coats, and nondescript paetots.
Many Of the Russians looked remarkably like
English gentlemen in "style" of face and
bearing. One tall, fine looking old man, with
a long gray beard and strangely shaped cap,
was pointed out to us as Hetman of the Co.'S
sacks in the Crinea, but il did not appear as If
there were many men Of very high military
rank present The Russians we're rather grave
and reserved, but they seemed to fraternize
with the French better than with ourselves and
the men certainly got on better with our allies
than with the few privates Of our own reRi
ments who were down towards the front. But
while all this ciyility was going on we were
walking among the dead over bloodstained
ground, covered with evidences OF recent fight.
Broken muskets, bayonets, cartouchboxes, caps,
fragments Of clothing, straps and belts, pieces
of shell, little pools Of clothed blood, shot /;
round and grape-shattered gabions and sand
bags, were visible around us on every side,
and through the midst Of the crowd stalked
solemn procession of soldiers, bearing departed
comrades to their long homes.