Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-11-09
From the New York Herald
Direct from the Seat of War.

Among Tue passengers VINO arrived at THIS port O
tuesday last by the packet ship Universe from Liv
erpool was DR.. Davega who comes direct from tn
Russian camp al Sebasopol, where he served in tn
capacity OF Surgeon in the Medical staff. We pa
him visit yesterday, and in the course of genera
conversation on the war in the Crimea and the condi
tOn of the contending parties on both Sides obtained
the following particulars:
DIR. Davega was eleven months in the Crimea,
considerable portion of which time was spent imnle
dately in the camp, where he had an excellent op
porunity of becoming acquainted with the characte
of the Russian soldiers and the men bv whom they
are commanded. What he states, therefore, may be
regarded as reliable, although it will be found wide
ly at variance with many Of the accounts published
in the English papers.
At the time of his departure from the Russian
camp which was about the middle of last month
the allies were in possession of the southern side OF
Sebastopol-the Russians under Gorschako still re-
tanning undsputed possession of their strongly forti.
he'd position the north side This part of the city
he states, is still stronger than that which they have
lost, or, more properly speaking, than that which
they have abandoned, as il now appears they did not
intend 10 hold it longer than necessary to give
them time 10 remove their hospitals, their guns and
whatever else they considered indispensable. Their
forts command every part OF the south side which
lies below them, completely within the range of their
guns, at depth of at least 100 feet 1t is ev.
dent from this that they in still better position
than they were when they had possession of the
whole city, as they render that part of it which
is in the possession of the allies altogether untenable
This well known 10 the allies that they are ac-
tualy beginning to regard their late successful but
dearly purchased, triumph very improbable, if
not worse than useless.
On the other hand it is matter of congratulation,
he says in the Russian camp, even among the com.
mon soldiers, who understand the great advantage it
gives them over their foe. For seven months the
work of tortifying and strengthening the north side
has been going on, and now such is the perfection 10
which they have brought that work. that every hill
has been converted into fort and every point where
cannon can be placed is absolutely brstling with
them. Here they not onl y command the south side,
but they render it utterly impossible fer The allied
feet to enter the harbor, to come even within a
long distance OF it. In addition 10 this, the road
from their camp TO Odessa is occupied by different
detachments of their army, which, including the force
in the camp, numbers 100000 we'll disciplined we'll
equipped, we'll provisioned, and every way effective
troops But this is not all-their facilities for the
transportation Of troops such, that they can, if
necessary, bring their whole dspOsable force into the
Crlmea III the course of few days The road from
Perekop open to them, and they constantly re-
celvlng from that place immense supplies of provis-
ions The statement, that they were deficient in
their supplies is, therefore, untrue and told
that at present they have sufficient for several
months, should all communication with that point be
cut Oft by the allies. Our readers may remember
that In the papers which brought the account of the
tall OF Sebastopol," it stated that the Russians
in full retreat towards Perekop and that de-
tachment of thirty thousand of the allied army was
despatched to intercept them. This was not only
false proved by subsequent accounts but utterly
absurd as it appears that the Russians had not
the remotest idea OF ietreatng and were determined
to remain where they were and defend their position
to the last.
The story that six hundred Poles had deserted
from the Russian army, Dr. Davega informed us, is
not worthy of the slightest credit few may have
esered but he assured that the OF desertion
on The her side were more numerous, and the day
before he lett six Sarnians had arrived at the Rus
sian camp. The army, too instead of being demo-
raIzed Is in as perfect state of order and discipline
their commanders could desire; and so far from
being even discouraged, they have gained confidence
and selt-reance from their frequent encounters with
the allied forces. They have BEEN he says, greatly
underrated but the allies have by this time found
out to their loss that, as Dogberry would say, they
are not the men they took them for 1t appears now
that they among the finest soldiers in the world,
and that they are in some respects superior to the
French. 1t is singular fact that while the English
and the French scatter under heavy fire. the Rus
slams flock together and cling TO each other with
tenacity that knows not when to yield. They never
think of rereating, and rush into battle with an en-
thuslasm inspired by the deepest feeling of religion.
They tell you they fighting for their God, their
Gar and their county,. and they believe that death
in such cause is little less than martyrdom In
fact, they regard it as such, and believe that the
greatest sacrifice they make, is to die the bat
lie field fighting in defence of their church, of which
they regard the Gar under God, as the head.
The army is composed Of Russians, including the
Cossacks of the Black Sea, Greeks and Poles. The
proportion of the Poles is large as has been re-
ported, but the Greeks very numerous and are a
mong the best and bravest in the whole army. The
Russ ans, without exception actually believe that it
is holy war against the " infdel Turk in which
they are engaged, and whenever any unfortunate Mo-
hamedons fall into their hands. they are killed at
once-the idea of giving them quarter never enter
ing the mind Of the Russian soldier The Greeks
besides the religious feeling which animaes them
are urged on by their national animosy against the
Turk, and they never omit an opportunity of wreak
ing their vengeance upon them for the centuries of
persecution which their nation has suffered at their
hands
At the commencement of the war the highest
feeling of respect entertained by the Russians for
the English, but this has undergone change and
they have al last come to regard them with feeling
OF contempt. 1t is not unusual, Dr. Davega told US,
to hear them say, What are the English Nothing.
We have beaten them in every battle, and would
have destroyed them but tor the French 1t is
against the French fight. Ii we had 10 do only
with the English, we would have swept them off the
earth before this"
g do not know" said DIR. Davega, " of a battle
in which the English were not worsed, and in which
they only saved from destruction by their allies,
| the French"
The Russian soldiers know this well, and when
engaged in carrying cannon balls loosely say, "here
is some bread tors The French" apparently ignoring
the very existence of the English. Their officers
highly educated and it is thing to find
one who does not speak three or four languages.-
They are also men of refinement, and as the Doctor
bad every opportunity of knowing practically, are
most courteous to Americans. He confirms in this
particular all we told by Dr.. hoffman, eight Oh
nine months ago, and says that the highest generals
in the army show them every attention and kindness
in their power. He adds, however, that the climate
in the Crimea is very unhealthy and that of nine
Americans who were in the medical staff during his