Washington telegraph., 1855-10-03

attempt to debouch near the open ground
behind
The pennons of the Lancers f1uttered
gaIiy IN long lines in the fresh morning
breeze, and when the sun rose high in elo-
~, and poured down his rays full on the
PLAIN, making scarleclook redder, and steel
and brass brighter and more resplendent.
gliding the hIll-tops, making the tents gilt
ter. and rolling smoke and mist in great
packs up the valley toward Inkermann, the
. scene became one Of passing splendor as
well as of passing interest We1ooked in
breatbless anxiety for the renewal of the
conflict The combstants had taken breath
their blood was up. for hundreds on both
sides lay stark and stiff on the riverside
around the bridge. and the artillery evi-
IDENTIFY was simply playing an interlude till
the curtain rose upon another act in the ira
gedy.
We were not kept long waiting. From
behind the cloud Of smoke which naturally
hung around the Russian batteries, came
two large columns of the enemy, marching
in quick time, about 200 yards apart and
exactly parallel, short distance from the
river. and in line with the bank. As
they wound and twisted, mounted and des-
cended, following the inequalities in the
ground IN long, compact masses. their bay
onets gIancing in the sunlight, they looked
exactly Ike two huge serpents creeping
rapidly along, their scales glistening, and
their prey in sight. On arriving within
about so yards of the ford, one halted and
one turned off abruptly toward the river
1t was evident they were about to assail the
French position more to the right, on the
side next the Sardinians.
On reaching the water some passed on
small bridges hastily thrown over. the rest
forled, and on gaining this side the column
broke into loose order. and pushed on to-
ward the canal or aqueduct. which rises
within an embankment at the very foot
of the hill. Before reaching it they had
to traverse about 200 yards of smooth green
sward they were no longer exposed to the
French artillery, because the guns could
not be depressed sufficiently to reach them.
but they had their flank turned to that of
the Piedmontese, who had got the range to
an inch, and fired with an accuracy little
short of marvellous The head Of the col
umn had hardly come up dripping from the
water, when they found themselves in the
midst of q storm of round shot, grape and
she'll bent upon relentlessly, INCREASINGLY,
moving them down by the score, and COW
ering the survivors with clay and gravel
But | must do these survivors Justice. and
say that they bore rp right gallantly,
marched firmly onward and upward, passed
the canal, though the water was breast
high, pushed some yards still on the precip-
itous side of the hill, though here every
wound was mortal, for all who fell rolled
helplessly downward into the aqueduct aud
were instantly drowned but at last they
halted. turned and led-never stopping till
they reached the river, when they got shell
ter under the banks and among the old viii
lows.
An officer remained for some time alone
on the declivity, vainly urging them to fol
low him. Reinforcements now came up
from the second column they reformed.
but again In loose open order. or rather in
no order at all, for they marched exactly
like flock of sheep. This was done. evil
IDENTIFY, so that they might present less mass
for the artillery to play upon; but 1t was a
great mistake as will be seen afterward.-
This time they displayed more pluck and
resolution: they fell to be sure by the doz-
en-, but they never wayered nor faltered,
climbed OF slowly and laboriously, and at last
reached the crest of the hill, and came cut
on the level When the head of the column
attained this point the Zouaves who were
living down behind the ridge on the Russian
lef:, jumped up and ran of to join the main
BODY. posted near the artillery On the centre
of the plateau and at the same moment the
whole of the French, the artillery included.
retired about hundred yards before the
advancing enemy The firing had ceased,
except broken and puny file-fring from the
assaiIan;S. who now, unable to form in line.
and mixed up in disorder, doubtless perceiv-
ed they should have either mounted in line,
or halted and deployed before coming out
on the open ground above
For some moments I thought the French
were about to give way and retreat. and the
Russians become the masters of the height.
but was soon convinced of my mistake
One could see them, it is true. falling back
on all sides, and closing up into a small
round mass. but in The twinkling Of an eye
this mass opened out Ike fan, two black
! lines shot from it on each side across the
plateau. the centre closed undivided itself.
and the next moment a sheet of fame broke
/ from the whole line, followed by a cloud of
smoke, and the crash of the musketry fell
/ on our ears in long, continuous unfalter-
I ing Whirr, like the roar of waterfall,
drowned every second by the mightier thun-
der Of the artillery. which had made half
wheel to the hight. and raked the crest of
the Hill with tempest Of grape. Strongly
as ones sympathies might be engaged for
the French, it was impossible to repress for
the moment sentiment of pity as one look
ed upon the crowd Of Russians looming out
through the smoke, as it rolled across them,
feebIv returning the fire. unable to advance,