Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1855-10-31
From the n. Y. Courier and Enquirer.l
THE INTERIOR OF SEBASTOPOL.
By AN EYE WITNESS.

SEBAsToPoL, Sept. I4.-For the last
two days 1 have passed several hours
each day riding over the whole of the
city and batteries. Sebsstopol, as yop
know, is divided into two parts by the
Dockyard Greek. The city properly so
called) is very large its houses, public
buildings, and churches were for the
most part nearly new, very handsome,
and built Of clean white stone. They
are now all crumbling, smoking ruins.
The streets were wide and planted with
trees. Its forts large casemated bull
dings, constructed for three tiers of guns
facing the entrance of the harbor-were
also very handsome and solid, but are
now also in ashes.
On the other side of the Dockyard
Greek (separated from the city, the pub
lie buildings, docks. quays, and basins
are on scale of still greater magnif.
cence These buildings, although much
shattered by our shells, are still standing,
the enemy having, believe, failed to ex
plode a mine under them, owing to their
hurried departure. Here were collected
vast stores of clothing and other military
materials
As an instance of the frightful loss the
Russians must have sustained in men du
ring the last bombarment and assault, l
may mention that one of these vast range
of buildings proved to have been an hos
pital. On entering it our people found
about 1 200 dead bodies lying in their
beds The horror of this scene far ex-
ceeds any ever Witnessed. They were
evidently the bodies Ofmen who had been
brought down from the batteries as they
fell wounded, but so rapid must have
been the accumulation that the medical
men were overpowered with numbers,
and thus these poor creatures were unheed.
ed, left in their beds to die. Many must
have been for days, and, horrible 10 re-
late, among them few were found still
alive This number, of course, excludes
the hundreds and thousands who were
found lying in all parts of the works af-
ter the assault. cannot help feeling a
pity for the enemy now in their discom-
fiture, and admiring them for their hero
ism in defending their much beloved city.
l have heard that Russian officer "a
prisoner) said = If our men only knew
how to fight as they know how to die,
they would be the finest troops in the
world p'
Around the great buildings en- the cas-
tern side of the Dockyard Greek was
town of small houses. called the Kara
belnaia superb, once probably occupied
by artisans mechanics. Such is a short
and hurried account of the general fea-
lures and appearance of the city.
l will now proceed TO give you short
account of the general assault of the
place. 1t was ordered to be attempted
at four points-the Rsdan dn CARNAGE,
Malakhoff, Great Redan, and on the
town side) the Bastion Centrale. The
Redan du CARNAGE was attacked with
immense force by the French they got
in, but in spite of all their efforts, the
second line of intrenchment stopped them
and they failed. The Great Redan had
been so terribly pounded by our artillery
that the ramparts had crumbled away
into the ditch, and partly filed it. 1t
was not very difficult to get in, and our
men did it easily but, once there, they
found themselvet in wide open space,
and were torn and driven out BY
works in the rear and, unless we could
have poured in thousands upon thou
sands, the place could not have been
held, as for intrenching in open day, with
columns of the enemy constantly coming
up, it was impossible. Our men held it
for some time, but only by lying along on
the outside ofthe rampant The French
attack OIL the Bastion Centrale failed al
together. Now with regard to the NAL
akhof. The French formed their troops
in trenches within 25 yards oft. swarm
ed in thousands, took 1t, and, once estab.
lished, they poured their masses through
it down into the small houses of the Ka-
rabelnaia suburb and here, skillful in
street fighting, they persevered in the
mcst heroic way. The Russians, true to
their old policy and mode of warfare,
had previously prepared even for the
worst. Finding the key Of their position
gone, they set fire to the city in every
part and by means of the bridge and
steamboats, managed to convey their
whole army across during the night to
the north side. They then blew up all
they could, destroyed their bridge, sunk
their men of war, and when The morning
rose we found ourselves in possession Of
a burning ruin !
Nature makes US poor only when We
want necessities, but custom gives the
name of poverty to the want of super
1uities.
.1u be blessed i'll do >, as the Girl