Eaton Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1843-1856, 1855-05-03


tered between 1900 and 1000 men. Not
until this hand to hand combat had lasted
nearly twenty minutes, and not till every man
who succeeded in forcing his way down from
the pnrapet into the trench was instantly bsy-
oneted, did the enemy falter in their stisck,
and even then they strove 10 hold the top of
the breastwork. But from this last stand they
were driven also; the 8Sth literally pitched
them of with their bayoneis headlong into
The ditch below. Even slter hsving been .driv-
en- out Of the parallel, the enemy stood siilland
fired a continued heavy file. fire into the work
which, ! regret TO say, caused some severe
losses among our gallant officers. Captain
the Hon. Cavendish Browne, OF the 9TH, While
cheering and snimating The men, received no
less than seven musket balls through the chest
aud expired instantly. Under cover of this
file. fire, the Russ ians strive 10 carry Off their
wounded, but The inceSsant volleys of mus
kerry which were poured into Them from our
lines eventually compelled them 20 fell back,
though they still continued to FIRE heavy mus.
kerry from lime 10 time.
hlle this was going on, on The left and
center, The French on The right were en- aged
lnsa most serious contest. Ii seems that our
allies were comp lelely taken by surprise by the
enemy's soTtie, so much so, that before they
could oiier any ~effectual resistance, or move
up their reserve, The Russians had gained
possession OF their portion OF The work,
and opened such a deadly fire upon the French
That they were compelled 10 give ground be-
lore 1t. The French soon received re.en-
~forcements, but by that time The enemy had
considerably advanced, and were destroying
the trench. phe French, nevertheless, in
SANITY charged them, and succeed in driving
'hem back Tor some distance, though norout
nj fhR Wnfk RnIh rtt ill.,. 1.I,.l -
within twenty PAGES commenced a terrific
file fire into each others ranks, which caused
serious loss both TO The enemy and our allies.
A iler q lew minutes Of this the French again
charged, and soon, by o series OF desperate
struggles, succeeded, in the course OF holt
an hour in completely %ejecting tie Russians
from the trench, though not, ! regret to say,
until the work was very considerably injured,
and our allies had sustained a very heavy loss
IN both men and officers. But that the two
columns which attacked the English line
were S%ignally defeated, the hold which the
enemy for a time obtained in the French ad-
vnnced work might have proved most serious
affair.
The loss on the English side in men was
low Eeyood all precedent, but among off,
GERS, regret 10 say, the casualties have been
most severe.
nuouL twenty prisoners were captured by
our men. One, a Russian officer, whom
Capt. Richmsn engaged and cut his ear off,
and succeeded in capturing him. The Russian
officer who displayed such courage 10 leading
his mer was bayonetted, with the i've SOL
diers, who, with him, succeeded in getting
into the trench. He was armed with a yala.
CHAN and double. edged dagger. The former
was laken by an officer Of The 88th. Ii is a
beautiful weapon, handsomely mounted, and
the blade inlaid with gold Damascene work.
Both sword and d6gger were as keen as "a.
zors, and bore distinct marks of having lust
been sharpened and a fine edge put 10 them.
The loss of the French | am sorry 10 add,
has been unusually heavy. The very careful
manner in which they always conceal their
number Of caSualitieS, in affairs like last night
makes il difficult to arrive at The truth; but
am informed that they lost no less than Is
oflrerS,, and upwards of FIVE hundred men
killed and wounded. or these, six officers
and one hundred and fifty men are said to DO
killed.
The loss OF the enemy has been most Sc.
we're. To-day | visited our works, which &.
are only distant about two hundred and iity
yards from the scene Of The contest, md, from
a hill near Gordon's battery, . long line Of
Russian dead were visible outside our paral.
lei. should say tina; not less than two hum
dred corpse lie beyond our line at this point,
In front Of the F,ench they were thicker.
some three hundred being in front of their
works.. Nearly one hundred of The enemy's
dead lie inside the French parallel as they fell.
OnIy i've ore IN ours-one officer and four
men.