Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-04-25
TDg RAPR9E1Am09 DOURlA9a
THE NEWS,

assaults. between the Russians and French,
for possession of the rife ambuscade in front
of the French position and under the Malakof
Tower at Sebastopol. These rife pits, which
have led to so considerable sacrifice of life,are
placed in front and to the right and left of the
tower, and about 600 yards from the Allied
works. They are merely excavations in the
ground, faced round with sand-bags and bank
ed with earth, loop holed for rifles. They are
six in number, and each contains ten men-60
in all. Gen. Bosquet considers it a point of
honor to take and hold, or destroy these am
buscades. He has several times, by night as
saults, driven out the Russians, but as these
pits are covered by the fire OF the city batter
les, the French have hitherto found it impos-
sble either to destroy or hold them. The
importance of this position to both besiegers
and besieged is very great.
The Malakof round tower is regarded as the
key of the defences, and hence the energy of
the Russians in Strengthening it. Consider
ably in advance of the tower is the elevated
mound, or hill, now called the ssMamelon,'' on
which the besiegcd are erecting battery of
great strength. A little farther in advance is
the cmincncc recently seized so skilfully by the
Russians, and fortified with earthworks; it is
now crowned by square redoubt, with 16
guns visible on its three outward sides, but
they have not yet opened fire.
Outside of these defences are the rife pits.
The Russian batteries at Inkerman, their forts
on the other side of the Tchernaya and the
works of Malakoff' cover this redoubt, and con-
I
! explanation will convey an idea of the strength
OF the position whic b the French nightly con-
test. Dates of the encounters are as follows:
During the night of March 14th, there was
fierce affair. The Russians had advanced some
rifemen in front Of the French lines, who
caused considerable annoyance. When night
fell, demi-brigade of French went down and
drove them out. All the city batteries along
the front Immediately opened and continued a
furious camonade for half an hour, during
which stronger force of the enemy advanced
on the French and compelled them to retire,
with loss of 50 men; the Russian loss being
probably more severe. The Russians rc-occu-
pied the pits.
On the night of the 18th, the French renew
ed the attack and succeeded, with compara-
| lively little loss, in driving out the encmy's
| rifcmen, and occupying the pits with their
own. The French continued to hold those on
the right, under heavy fire, over the 10th
and 18th March.
Night of the 18th, yet another encounter
took place. At half past six O'Clock in the
evening, the French, who had retired before
the fire from the batteries, marched down to
! rn-occnpy tho on,buscade, but found the Rus
slams had anticipated them. a fierce conflict
| Immediately commenced, but it was evident
the Russians were in strong force, and the
French were again and again borne back by the
weight of fire.
! For four hours and a half they persevered
! in their attempts, and all that time cOntinu-
Gus roll Of musketry rang out, broken only by
brief pauses in the advance. In these lulls the
British could distinctly hear the voices of the
| French officers cheering on their men-:EEa
aCant, mes e1.fans!'' .sEn aUant, Zouares!''-
| and the tramp of feet and the rush Of men, fol-
lowed then roll of musketry was heard, di-
minishing in volume to rapid file fighting. Then
q Russian cheer-then more muskctry-a few
| dropping shots, and the voices of the officers
! once more.
After some hours heavy firing of artillery
and small arms, both parties withdrew. Three
unsuccessful attacks were made by the French
ere morning. Their loss was about $50. The
British batteries, on the 18th, continued to
throw shot and she'll into the mamelon or new
redoubt.
The Russians succeeded in holding the pits,
, onJ ara opnaoaJ in coocfrucfipr ol, 10
work on the mamelon, although frequently in
terrupted by the French and English batter
les.
On the 18th reinforcement of Is, 900 men
entered Sebastopol. Mono of the Russian
batteries fired a shot to-day. The Russians
continue to throw up defences from the raw
ines of Inkerman to the seaside south of the
Belbek. To-day another body of Russians,
apparently about $4,000 strong was observed
to march towards Mackenzie's farm, and were
reported to have crossed the Tchernaya and
advance upon Baidan.
The French persevere in working forward.
Reinforcements were reported to be on their
way from Russia, and the 9th Russian division
had reached the vicinity of Eupatoria. The
Russian position on the Tchernaya remained
unaltered. Prince Gortschakoff had arrived
at Bakschi Serai, and had taken command of
the army. Prince Menschikotf it was rcpor-
ted, had died on his way to Moscow.
telegraph from Paris mentions that des-
patch has been received from General Canro-
bert, dated March 29th, giving an account OF
a sortie made by the Russians, on the night OF
the 23d March. He states that the Russians
were driven back with loss of no fewer than