Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-11-14
Aea0lng
From the Now York Herald.
NEWS DIRECT FROM TILE RUSSIAN CAMP.

Among the passengers who arrived at this
port on Tuesday last, by the packet ship Uni
verse, from Liverpool, was DR.. Devaga, who
comes direct from the Russian camp ut Sebas-
topol, where he served in the capacity of Sur.
geon in the Medical staf.. We, paid him a visit
Yesterday4and, ,ip> the Gaasse: ofGa general con-
vcrsation on the war in the Crimea. and The con-
dition of the contendng parties on both sides,
obtained the following particulars;
DR.. Devaga was eleven months in the Crmea,
4 considerable portion of which time was spent
Immediately in the camp, where he had IN eX-
cee opportunity of being acquainted with the
character of the Russian soldiers, and the men
by whom they are commanded What he states.
therefore, may be regarded rs reliable, although
it will be found widely at variance with many
of the accounts published in the English papers.
At the time of his departure from the Rus
sian camp, which was about the middle of last
month, the allies were in possession of the
southern side of Sebastop2l-the Russians un-
der Gortscakotf still retaimng undisputed pos
session of the strongly fortified position on 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 it now appears they did
to give them time to remove their hospitals, their
guns, and whatever else they considered indis.
pensable Their forts command every part Of
the south side which lies below them, com plcte-
ly within the range of their guns, at u depth of
at least over one hundred feet. 1t is evident
from this that they are in still better position
than they were when they had possession Of
the whole city, as they can render that part Of
i, which is in the possession Of the allies alto
gether untenablc. This is so well known to
the allies that they are actually beginning to
regard their late successful, but dearly purchas-
ed, triumph as very Improbable, if not worse
than useless
On The other hand, it is matter of congratu-
lation, he says, in the Russian camp, even among
the common soldiers, who understand the great
advantage it gives them over their foe. For
seven months the work of fortifying and
strengthening the north side has been going on,
and now such is the perfection to which they
have brought that work, that every hill has been
converted into fort, and every point where
cannon can be placed, is absolutely bristling
with them. Here they not only command the
south side, but they render it utterly impossible
for the Allied feet to enter tho harbor, or to
come even within long distance Of it. In adj
dition TO this the road from their camp to Odes.
So is occupied by different dctachments of their
army, which, including the force in the camp,
numbers thirty thousand we'll disciplined, we'll
equipped, we'll provisioHed, and every way eff.
fective troops. But this is not all-their facili-
ties for the transportation of troops are such
that they can, if necessary, bring their whole
disposabe force into the Crimea in the course
of few days. The road from Perekop is open
to them, and they are constantly receiving from
that place immense supplies of provisions. The
statement, that they were deficient in their sup.
plies is, therefore, untrue, and we were told that
at present they have sufficient for several months
should all communication with that point be cut
off by the Allies. Our readers may remember
that in the papers which brought the account of
the fall of Sebastopol," it was stated that the
Russians were in full retreat towards Perekop,
and that n detachment of thirty thousand of the
the Allied army was despatched to intercept
them. This was not only false, as proved by
subsequent accounts, bnL utter.y absurd, rs it
now appears that the Russians had not the re-
motest idea of retreating. 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.. Davcga informed us,
is not worthy of the slightest credit A few
may have deserted, but he assured US that the
cases of deserlion on the other side were more
numerous, and the day before he left, six Sardi-
nians had arrived at the Russian camp. The
army, too, instead of being demoralized, is in
as perfect state of order and discipIines as
their commanders could desire and so far from
being even discouraged, they have guined conf.
dence and sef.reliance from their frequent en-
counters with the Allied forces They have
been, he says greatly underrated; but the Allies
have by this time found out to their loss that,
Rs Dogbcrry would say, they are not the man