Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1855-10-20
sEBAsTOPoL AFTER ITS POSSESSION by
the ALLIES.

The Semaphore of Marseilles publishes the
following letter, giving an account OF the
state of Sebastopol when occupied by the AL
lies:
After crossing the cemetery, where there is
still! chapel riddled with balls and bullets, |
entered Sebastopol through an enormous
breach made in the central bastion. A large
fortified wall protects all this side Of the
town within it lies a suburb composed Of
small houses, which were no doubt occupied
by various small tradesmen. This suburb
gradually descends towards the water; four
streets converge TO sort of platform, con-
nected with little bridge, which enabled the
inhabitants TO cross a street below when vio-
lent rains transformed it into torrent. In
this small space / counted siXty-eight shells
that had not burst. and balls. We then pro-
cceded to the street and boulevard which
bear the name of Catharine it is the elegant
quarter of the town all the houses have but
one story are very neat, and are surrounded
with gardens. There is not one that has not
received at least a ball they are completely
Quilted; all the furniture, such as mahogany
bedsteads, chests of drawers, writing desks,
&c, was lying about the street. l remarked
q considerable number Of pianos, mony prints
(most of them rather licentious,) and, what
is very extraordinary portraits OF the Empe-
ror Napoleon and the Empress Eugenie.-
! The whole Of this quarter rises in an ampbi-
! theatre Just opposite Fort Constantine the
/ theatre is untouched it is a pretty white
! building. When passed by, the scenes were
! lying outside against the wall The church
called St. Catharnes, Doric temple, with
gilt pediment, has also suffered very little
! In this quarter not soul Was to be seen
the streets were deserted, the houses com,
! pletcly abandoned and il made one melan,
! choly to see these vast soltudes. The whole
town is now peopled with only two thousand
| French soldiers, who are encamped in the
streets Most Of the houses have n story un
derground where artisans had their shops
| From this quarter we went down to the
Quays, The nearer one gets to the port the
greater is the number of barricudes. Tho
Russians evidently intended to have defended
Sebastopol street by street, for at the top o
every street is a wall Of large stones, two me
tres in height, behind which small pieces o
artillery were placed. On the quays, whicl
are wide, and planted with trees, it was morl
difficult to enjoy ones walk, as the Russian
still occupy Fort Constantine opposite, ant
every three minutes they throw either a shell
or ball at the people who were walkin,
! about an Englishman was killed in that wa
ten steps of from where / was standing
From this quay and as far as the docks, W
may distinguish the mast-tops of the Russia
feet rising above the water: it has all bee
burnt and sunk, with the exception of sma
steamer on her beam ends at the cornes O
the military port. The streets are actual
covered with projectles of every description
The docks have suffered considerably fror
our FIRE; skirting them was quarter of tn
town set apart most likely, for workmen an
lnyalids it is now a shapeless mass of ruins
Nothing in the town has been destroyed b
US: our artillery has only ruined what wa
indispensable; it was tie Russians, who dul
: ing their retreat sprung an enormus numbe
! OF mines, aud we are finding more daily.