Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1855-01-16


which shells may be thrown into any building
desired, mile or two oil, are the instruments
for Sebastopol. Bless your souls, gentlemen,
] had supposed all this time that they had
those mortars, and were only waiting to get
near enough to shell out the town. But in
stead Of this, it appears they have been wasting
tons Of gunpowder in peppering the earthworks
and outside suburbs Of Sebastopol with ordi-
nary cannon shot, or with bombs from long
guns, thus leaving the heart Of the city as free
from danger as Pennsylvania avenue.
The military science and energy appear to
be all on the side Of the barbarous Russians.
They have, during the siege, made Sebastopol
four times stronger than it was when first in
vested. The Allies have numerous additional
advanced works, and three hundred additional
pieces Of artillery to cope with, chiefly brought
from the port holes of the forts on the water
side, there being no use for them against the
allied feet, the mouth of the harbor being
blockaded by those sunkeh vessels.
The Sebastopol correspondents Of the Lon
don press inform us, that for the last stand of
the Gar on the north side Of the harbor, the
Russians, meantime, have been making those
Notifications and their adjuncts as strong as
Gibraltar; and the English letter writer's ap-
pear to be astonished that the breast-works
and batteries there thrown up should be garn-
ished with gravel walks, like the parterres Of
II r. l. T.. &c
the Allies. Not bit of it. 1t is common
sense. The limestone soil of those earthworks,
saturated by the rains, would only make them
SO many beds Of mortar, like those Of tht Eng
lish on the opposite side Of the bay and town,
were not the footways for the soldiers covered
with Macadamized stone or gravel, as the Rus
SLAMS are doing it. Thus the wisest military
blockheads may always learn something from
the natives of the locality.
To sum up. This siege Of Sebastopol be-
trays the following budget Of blunders on the
part of the Allies:
!. The capital blunder of neglecting, upon
setting down to siege, to block mp the only
Russian gateway into the Crimea of Perekop;
thus failing to cut off the Russian reinforce
ments and supplies.
2. The blunder Of the British in neglecting
to protect their right flank against an outside
attack from the enemy, upon locating them
selves behind the town.
8. The great blunder Of neglecting in the
outset, the first consideration of the proper tools
for a bombardment heavy mortars to shell out
the town and the Russian shipping in the har-
Dor. Every alternate mortar from every ship
in the allied feet in the absence OF other NOR.
tars, should have been instantly drawn off to
the service of the land attack.
4. The fatal blunder of protecting the siege
when the town, as proved by the battle Of In
hermann, might have been carried at any time
ut the point of the bayones The delay strength
ems the Russian works and garrison, and weak
ems the Allies from exhaustion and disease
and at last, if carried at all the place must be
carried by assault.
5. The blunders, especially of the British, in
all precautions against the winter
storms and mud of the Crimea, thus multiply
ing all the evils which produce disease, death,
and generalization in an army.
In a word, the courage of the Braish sol.
diers, the Mimic rifle, and the high discipline
and experience Of the French troops, have
alone saved the allied army at Sebastopol from
absolute determination. The British COM
mander is an old fogy, rusty and unfit for ac-
tive service; and the French General has sub
mitted too much, from sense of politeness, to
the disastrous old fogy policy Of my Lord Rag.
Ian. Perhaps the pressure of public opinion
may have ere this driven the old fellow to
desperate in his estimation; but
which would be counted prudence on the part
Of better and stronger officer
IrNrT I, CAM