, 1855-02-03

frequently nearly cnt OIL and greatly out.
numbered. As TO keeping any formation,
or together, il was out Of the question in
the thick bush we were fighting in Ny
men were quickly scattered AMI | found
myself with men of all corps who had at
terwards come up. | saw another column
advancing on our left flank tried to get
the men TO move 10 the left, bu; one voice
could do but little in the din that was then
going on. We, however, moved towards
the left and centre OF our position, with as
many men as We coald get, and here we
encountered large column, with two 9th
er' in itN rear, in support. Here the fire
was fearful. distinctly saw four Russian
batteries, some of them Siege guns, playing
, upon US from different hills
The shot from our own artillery was also
passing close over our heads, and bullets
were flying wholesale. doabt if there ey-
CT was heavier fire than We were exposed
TO at this spot. Fresh columns of the enc
my pressing, not only TO our front, but on
our haaks also, We began to retire. /, in
command with other officers, did all in my
power to make the men stand, but failed.
Regiments were mixed, and commanding
officers mostly shot. 1t was d bitter mo-
ment and anXiously looked at the crest
OF the hill towards our camp, to see what
supports were there. | saw what took
for Turks, and, on approaching nearer, was
delighted to lEd they were French-one
regiment formed in line. We retired slow
ly in rear of the French, und there reform
ed our line, two deep, with mcn Of all corps,
THE Russians advanced, should SAY, TO
within twenty PAGES of the French, and
were received with murderous fire. Al
though the French fire was 50 effective,
their line wavered. What a moment was
that Had they retired, the Russians
wonld have been into our camps and we
should have been driven to our ships, and
the siege raised. That was hippily avert
ed. The French officers ran about encour-
aging their men the English officers also
shouted encouragement, and our men (nOt
above three companies) at the eXnmEle Of
their officers, raised load hTrah The
French drummcrs beat the pcs de Alrgc,
and their buges sounded the advance.-
We all then charged, and drove the Rus
olHu NNAo'Abo Hp'Nls pN'Nt~ NN'
An accounts agree that thc Russians
fought with great bravery, lerocity, and all
but desperation. A Frenchsotlieer of az
tillery, in writing t6his family description
of The battle, says: .
"Our artillery, which was not supported,
suffered horribly at first, having to contend
alone with the entire Russian artillery, but,
nevertheless, after lapse Of two hours, we
were masters of the field, with the loss to
the Russian artillery Of one hundred horses
aud forty men. Reiniorcements fortunate
ly arrived at the moment our ammunition
was exhausted. The Russian army retreat
ed in disorder, pursued by our infantry thro'
the valley of Inkermann. The battle last
ed until four in the afternoon, and was hot
ter than that on the Alma. The valley
presented most horrible spectacle Three
Russian battalions, who refused to retreat
with tho remainder Of The army, were cut
down to a man, and so filed up the valley
with their dead bodies, that the cavalry
found it impossible to pass. The resistance
Of the Russians is the more obstinate, inas-
much us they have been told by their OH
ers that we put our prisoners to DEATH
When captured they fall on their knees,
make the sigu Of the cross, and recite their
prayers"
Another fact seems TO be established,
that the Russian soldiers and riiemen had
orders to fire particularly on the mounted
officers Of the allied armies; and these be-
ing distinguished by their epaulettcs and
not covered up as the Russian officers are
in grey coats, fell in great numbers.
No less than twenty-eight English officers
were buried-at one time on the day follow
ing the battle, and of these, fourteen were
officers of the guards, witt, perhaps, suffer-
ed more than any body of English troops.
A non-commssioned officer in the Scots
Fusilicr Guard, in writing an account Of
the battle to his parents, says the Brigade
of Guards would not now lnustcr one regi-
ment. The Coldstreams have suffered most
severely. The letter-writcrs agree in sta
ting that the Russians bayonetcd the woun-
ded English wherever they could. The
Scots Fusileer above quoted says:'" Our
! poor fellows that VIC buried to-day, were
stabbed in six or seven places in their bod
les. We buried forty-one to-day in the
field" An officer of the 49th regiment of
English Foot says, of the conduct of the
Russian soldiers
what atrocities they committedl They bayonct
ed our wounded whenever they came nc ross them--
Our mems feelings were aroused, and doubt their
giving any quarter in future. saved Russians life
that day by warding of thrust made by one Of the
9th Us he lay on the ground wounded. did not at
the time know how the Russians bad behaved to our
wounded, or I, perhaps should not have blamed the
man.
The same officer says: t.
4 In our brigade. the three commanding officers
were killed in regiment had two officers XIII.
ed and wounded 40 Of other ranks killed md lO1
wounded-l50 casualties. In fact every third man
was hit for do not suppose we had than $50 in
4 the field"
An officer of the goth regiment, says:
"0ur first orders were that only those Of the regi
ment who bad been in bed all night 10 20 out,
but II was soon evident that wanted all could
muster. and some others, with about two hundred