The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-05-02
BY LAST NIGHTS MAIL.
MAILS BY THE NASHVILLE
Battle Before SebaStopd.
English Account of the Engage
ment.

-o-
From the yoluminous foreign news
which we have received by the Nash
vtAe's mails, We extract the following ae-
count of the battle of the 23d of March,
as likely to be read with the NEST intense
interest by our readers:
Correspondence of the London Morning Herald.
BEFORE sEBAsroPoL, March %, 1855.
Last night one of the most desperate
of the sorties which have been made on
the allied lines for soma time past took
place against our advance parallels on
the right attack, [ have already in
formed your readers that several new
works have lately been undertaken by
the French on our extreme right, toward
Iukerman Valley, and our right attack
has also advanced a new parallel, both
for the sake of protecting the flank of
the French batteries, and also for the
purpose of concentrating a heavy fire on
the works round Malakoff Tower.
Last night the guard for the trenches
was furnished by detachme1ts from the
9TH, 34th, 77th, 9Sth, Goth, and 9th
regiments, all under the command OF
Col. Kelley, of the 34th, who was field
officers for the night. The French qua d
was composed offour regiments from the
4th and I'd division, with a strong party
of volunteers-in all about 5000 mon.
Our W party was only between I,4O0
and 1000. The French held the right
and flank of the advanced work; the
English the left and part of the center
opposed to the mamelon. Soon after
the guard entered the trenches the Rus
SLAMS began a desultory eannoaade, firing
every minute or so upon different parts
of our line. 1t did but little mischief,
and 10 notice was taken of it beyond the
occasional shell with which the French
replied every now and then. About ten
o'clock, however, the fire of the Russians
rather increased, and a slight confusion
was heard in the n~eighborhood of the
mamelon but still there was no indica-
ton of and attempt at attack as the
night, though very dark, was cle4r and
still. A little after ten the enemy's
fire became rather quick, and as it has
been since remarked, appeared SO nan
aged as to prevent the noise of any ad-
vanciug body being distinguished. In
the midst of this, one of our advanced
sentries on the left was heard to cry out,
and the sound was followed instantly by
the discharge of a musket, while almost
at the same moment two or three of the
outposts fell back upon the parallel, say
ing that they believed a large force of
the enemy were advancing, Ofcourse,
though all were instantly on the qaiviUe,
the report was not credited at that mo-
ment, until heavy Tolleys of musketry
from the French on the right showed
that the enemy had something or other
on the tapiS. The men instantly stood
to their arms, and fell in along the lines,
though there were still no indications of
an attack until Captain Wears who was
eagerly looking over the breastwork,
deserted through the darkness a strong
column of men, rapidly yet silently APP
preaching our defcnses. He instantly
called as loud as he could, Look out,
men, here are the Russians" and the
whole force on the left lay down behind
the breastwork, and be prepared for ac-
ton, leaning their miuies over the bank,
and taking a cool, deadly aim upon their
assailants. Not a shot was fired until
the Russians were within twenty yards
of the work, when, at the word, a muir
derous volley was poured into the head
of the column, which literally made the
mass real and falter. The Russian off
GERS. it is said, instantly rushed to the
head Of their troops, and chcered them
on, while, at the same time, they strove
to deploy them into line. Perhaps, for
tunately for US, the nature of the ground
in front of the parallel only admitted of
this latter vancouver being partially car
ried into effect, and, by the time it was
accomplished, the enemy had suffered
dreadfully under our fire, which, from
the first volley, was continued incessant-
ly. The instant the Russians had par
TALLY deplcyed, they strove to close with
the point of the bayonet, and dashed at
the breastwork with tremendous cheers.
The men of the goth, 9th and 81 never
exposed themselves, but, obedient to
the commands of their officers, laid close
under the breastwork, never throwing
away a shot, and bayoneting the Rus
SLAMS in the head and breast as they
strove to cross the breastwork. At the
same time all the Russian batteries open
ed their fire against all the English and
French lines, and poured a perfect storm
of shot and shell in every direction
The fight with tho English was on the
extreme left of the line. On the ex-
treme right, where the French were
posted, the continued roll of musketry
showed that they were desperately en-
gagged and hard pushed. The center of
our position, which was guarded by de-
tachments of the 9TH, 77th, and 63th,
was not attacked at the same time with
the others, but when the English on the
left were at close quarters, a powerful
column of the enemy suddenly made its
appearance at the center of the parallel.
The 9TH, 77th and S8th had been
aroused thoroughly by the firing at the
other parts of the position, and were,
therefore, of course we'll prepared for
the attack. Their advanced sentries
fell back to the shelter of the work in
admirable order, and as the enemy ap-
preached a steady, deadly file. fire was
opened on them all along the line. AS
they ran on the enemy fred a scattered
volley, which did but little mischief,
and instantly after precipitated them
selves upon the breastwork. A most
desperate struggle ensued. Our men