American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1855-10-13

left port; but at 4 o'clock in the morn.
ifg of Saturday, Sept. 20. Gazette
ExIraoi binary was sent round to tho
newspaper offices in Loudou. containing
Gen. Simpsons despatch reporting the
fall of the iIlustrious city," The de-
spu,ch was brought by the Hon. Major
CurZon, who crossed from Boulunge to
Folkestone during the night.
DESPATCH FROM GEN SIMPSON.
BJore SerastopOl, Sept. ., 1855.
My LoHD,--l had the honor to apprize
your Lordship in my dispatches of the
4th INST, that the engineer aud artillery
officers OF the allied al mics had laid be-
fore Gen. Pelissier and myself Il report
recommending that the assault should
be given on the Sth inst, after heavy
lire had been kept up for three days.
This arrangement | agreed to, and |
have TO congratulate your Lordship on
the glorious results Of the attack Of yes
terday, which has ended in the posses
sion of the town, d"ckyardS. and public
bindings, and destruction of the last
ships of the Russian flee, in the Black
Sea-. Three steamers alone. remain,
and the SPEEDY capture or sinking of
these must follow.
1t was arranged tina, at ~ o'clock in
the day the French columns of attack
were To leave their trenches. and take
possession If the Maakof and adjacent
works. After their success had been
assured, and they were fairly establish
ed, the Redan was To be attacked by
the English the Businn, Central aud
Quarantine forts To- the left, were stimuli.
taneously to be attacked by the French.
AT the hour appointed our allies quit.
ted their trenches, entered aud carried
the apparent imprcgnable offences of
the MalakoH with tina, impetunus valor
which characteiiZes the French attack :;
and having ouce obtained possession.
they were never disindgrd.
The tii.c"lor planted Oh the parapet
was the signal for our troops to advance.
The arrangements for the attack EN-.
trusted to Lieut.. General Sir William
Codriug'"n, who carried out the details
in concert with Lirutrnant General
Markham.
! determined that the second and LIGHT
divisions should have the honor of the
assault, from the circumstance of their
having defended the batteries and an.
prpacheS against the Redan for so many
months, and from the intimate knowl-
edge they possessed Of the ground
The iiIe of our artillery having made
as much Of u breach as possible in the
salient of the Redan, decided that the
column Of assault should be- directed a.
galnst that part, rs being less exposed
to the heavy thanking fire by which this
work is protected.
Ii was arranged between Sir w. Cod
ringt"n and Lieut.. Gen. Markham that
the assauIIing column of 1000 men
should be formed by equal numbers of
these two divisions, the column Of the
light division Ia lead. that ul the second
10 follow. They left the trenches at
the precomccrted signal. and moved a.
cross the ground, preceded by cover
ing party of 200 men, and ladder par.
~ Of 800. On arriving at the crest of
tho ditch; and the ladders placed, The
men Immediately stnrmrd the parapet
Of The Redam, aud penetrated Into tho
salient angle. a INST determined and
bloody contest was here maintained for
nearly an hour, and although suppnrrrd
to the utmost. and the greatest hraverv
displayed, il was found impossible to
maintain the position.
Your lordship will perceive, by The
long and sad list Of casualties, with what
gallantry aud scl.dev"tion the officers
so n"biy placed themselves n, the head
of their men dining this >anguiuuiy
conflict.
feel myself unable to express in al .
eGunrc terms the sense | put"rInin of
the conduct and gaIantry exhibited hy
the troops, though their devnri"n was
not rewarded by the success which they
80 we'll m"ri'ed, but to no one are my
thanks moro justly due than t. ColuupI
Wlndham, who galaurly h"ad"d his
Column Of attack, aud was fortunate ~
entering, aud remaining with the rrn"pS
du'lng the contest.
The trenches wrr", suh,equuut 10 This
attack, so cro"drd with troops thai /
was unahI" to organizes n second assault,
which intended 10 make with the Hiph
Ianders under Lieut.. Gen. Sir Colin
Campbell, who had hitherto formed the
reserve, to be supported by the third
division under Major General Sir vii
liam Eyre. ] thUrcGu,G sent for the OF
hccrs and arranged with them To roue W
the attack the following morning.
Tho Highland brigade occupied tho
advanced trenches during the night
About eleven o'clock, the enemy com.
meuceJ exploding their magazines, and
Sir Colin Campbell! having ordered a
a small party to advance cautiously to
examine the Redan, found the work Il.
! bandOncd ; he did not, however, deem
1t necessary to occupy it before day.
| light.
Tho evacuation of tho town by the