American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1855-08-04

up 10 tho battery, winch quite overhangS
the suburb. The Russians could mob
depress their guns sufficiently to fire
down upon our men, but they directed
severe thanking fire upon them from
an angle ofthe Redan works. There
was nothing for it butte keep up Wig
orous fire from the houses, and to delude
The enemy into the belief that the occu-
piers were more numerous than they
were. Mean time the Russians didtheir
utmost to blow down the houses with
shell and shot, and fired grape incessapt-
~, but the soldiers kept close, though
they lost men occasionally, and they
were most materially aided,by the fire
OF the regiments in the cemetery be-
hind them, which was directed at the
Russian embrasures; so that the enemy
could not get out to fire down on the
houses below. a "
Some of the houses were comfortably
furnished. One of them was as well
fitted up as most English mansions, the
rooms full of furniture, piano in tho
drawing-room. and articles of luxury
and taste not deficient. Our men unfor-
tunate'y found that tho cellars were not
empty, and that there was abundance
OF line muscat wine from the South
coast ofthe Climea, and of the stronger
wines perfumed with roses and mixed
with fruits, which are grown in the inte-
rior, in the better sort ofhouses. Some
OF the officers, when they went away,
carried of articles of clothing and pa
pers as proof of their entrance into the
place, aud some others took away pig
cons and guinea pigs, which were tame
IN the houses. The troops entered tho
place about four O'clock in the morning
aud couldnot leave until nine o'clock III
tho evening. The Russians blew up
many of the houses and set fire to 9TH
ers, and when ourmen retired the flames
were spreading along the streets.
When the men retreated oyerwhelm-
cd by the storm of the enemy's battery.
several officers and men were left behind
wounded, and endured fearful agonies
for hours without a cup of water or
cheering voice to comfort them Lieu
tenant Ermiston lay for five hours under
the abattis ofthe Redan, and was repor-
ted dead, but he watched his opportttn-
ity and got away with only confusion
on the knee. Kennedy, senior mate of
the London, and of the Naval Brigade
was also left behind, close TO the abattis
and, after several hours Of painful con-
cealment, he rolled himself over and o.
verliko a ball down the declivity, and
managed to get into tho trench. Lieu
tenant Kidd came in all safe, aud was
receiving the congratulations of BROTH
or officer, when he saw wounded son
der lying out in the open space. He
at once exclaimed, 1--WE must go and
save him !" and leaped over the para
pet in order to do so. He had scarcely
gone yard when he was shot through
the breast and died in an hour AFTER
Only three Of the officers came out of
the action untouched.
A daring deed is related of Private
John Lyons of the 10Th regiment. A
32-pounder shell sent from the battery
near the Round Tower, struck the
| ground short of the work, and thence,
by Nrieochets alighted on hie parapet,
aud rolled down TO Tho inner side, among
a group of mon who were lying under
its cover The fuse was burning aud
kissing with that peculiar rushing noise
which few can hear close to them with
out some degree of alarm. 1t was
what is commonly called dive SHELF"
that is shell ready to scatter death ant,
destruction on all around. A few mo-
ments and the fuse would communicate
with the burning discharge the she'll
would be rent to peices, and no one
could say how many would fall victims
from its fragments. "My God we're
| all murdered !" cried one Of the men;
but, on tho instant, Lyons who is a tai
and exceedingly powerful man, started
up, rushing to the shell and, graspiug
i'll both hands the threatening missile,
hurled it over the parapet. A second
scarcely elapsed after it reached tho
ground on the opposite side when tho
explosion took place.