The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-09-15
THE AFRICA'S MAILS.
DETAILS OF FOREIGN NEWS

LIE AEhICA'S MAILS.
DETAILS OF FOREIGN NEWS.
.ne Africa a. announced by telegraph, arrived
a. ner wharf at Boston, Tuesday. Her mails fur.
nisn some interesting Information
THE BATTLE OF TRAKTIR BRIDGE.
Hen. Simpson after describing this affair pret
says; ''''o'oas'
This brilliant affair has caus ed the greatest de-.
light among the ranks of the allied army. snd
while 1t adds fresh luster 10 the gallant acb,eve.
fnents OF the French arms, 1t Is with the utmost
pleasure that have to record the jntrenid Coo
duct and gallant bearing of the Sandman troops
unoer zen. de Ia Marmora, who haye for the Fl rst
Tune mef, conquered, and shed their blood against
our common 1 enemy, who is now disturbing the
peace of Europe"
THE COMMANDMENT OF swEABons-auss,.n A..
couTT.
LIE Moro publishes an extract from a letter
dated heisinglors, August 13-two days after the
n1e!s nao lett s"eaborg-ii which we read =
Alter forty-slx hours bombardment, and the ex-
penoiture OF from l8 900 TO 10000 shells all the
forincatfons, all the batteries and all the works
OF defense are left completely intact The day
aiter tne departure OF the allied fleets the fire at
Swesborg was completely extinguished. and pre
parations are making for rebuilding the twenty
houses that were destroa ed. Captains OF vessels
nsVigating the Gulf of Finland may easily satisfy
tnemseives as to the continued existence of Swea.
borg"
THE SIEGE OF sEBAsroPoL-oPENING FIRE,
Fourth DiUision Camp, Aug. I7.-At 4 O'Clock
THIS morning the English batteries opened heavy
hre along the whole of their liae The Russians
kept silence for full twenty minutes when thew
replied in good style. The French were slow In
cooperating with u.s. 1t was fully St o'clock be.
fore they opened In the lett and when they did It
was sort Of Intermittent fl e. their right pausiug
when the lett was active, and oice versd. report
bad been current that but for the action on the
Tehernaya the long talked of bombardment was to
have commenced yesterday at noon, and when at
daybreak to-day the roar of the arti lery was
heard, 1t was suppoeed the cannonade had CON.
menced 10 earnest, and would be vigorously sus-
tanned. After short time, however. 1t slackened
considerably, and 1t became evident that no serious
commandment was intended.
THE NAVAL BRIGADE.
Inc naval brigade suffered severely. About 200
were In the trenches, aud they had 90 casua alties
Including six men and an officer killed. This gal
liant but i.treated brigade usually gets all the
hard knocks, but none of the rewards OF good ser
vice.
CASUALTIES AMONG THE BRITIsH-DEATH OF CAPT
HAMMETT.
We have casualties TO lament and have suffered
some damage tn our batteries. Four guns of No. 7
battery, left attack, were slenced, the other two
thereupon suspended their fire Two guns of the
N Navel Brigade were disabled. Captain Oldfeld, of
the Royal Artillery, was killed. Mai Henry of tie
same corps, lost his arm at the shoulder Joint but
WAS doing well this evening. He had iust been re.
ieved' and was about to quit the battery when the
ball struck him.
During the whole day the cannonade has varied
In violence, and has often been scarcely more ses
we're than that we are accustomed 70 witness every
evening At other times, however, the fire has
been very heavy. Ito real object 10, believe, to
enable the French to continue their approaches to
the Malakoff. Many conjectures and reports are
atoat on the subject 1t has been said that the
ireis to be succeeded by feiut attack. Then,
when 1t ts supposed that the enemy has brought
large bodies of troops to the front of his defences
more effective bombardment is TO take place, to
be followed by areal attack on a different point
Lieut.. Denniss, Sd Buffs, has been very badly
wounded, and there 10 scarcely chance for his
recovery. Capt Hammet, commander of the AL
b1on, was killed In the trenches He saw the ba
coming, called to his men to stand out of the wsy
and himself remained, and was instantly killed.
either by the ball or by a spoke of the wheel which
1t smashed
AWoNDERFUL MORTAR SHOT.
This afternoon, about 6 o'clock, one of our
mortar batteries on the right discharged six NOR
tars simultaneously at one spot In the Malakoff,
and blew up mag gszine of shells, which popped
off In succession In beautiful Style while the Rus.
SLAMS jumped over the parspets in mortal terror,
end our fellows In Gordon's battery jumped on
theirs and cheered with delight
RUSSIAN SPY.
This evening, about O'Clock, we were disturbed
from our post prsndis pipe by sudden alarm 10 the
SPY" Seize him!'' There be goes!" and siDi-
lar exclsmations of course we bowled out of our
hut in double quick time Nobody seemed to have
distinct idea of what the Russian spy wa. like, but
he was said to be mounted, aud some bold Hibernian
warriors were heard to deeIare they him 'doub-
ling" in the distance. which, consdering the dark
ne,s, was rather daring assertion Foally the ,py
if any it was, and not some new come Englishman
riding home to his quarsers-escapsd unscsIhed.
FRANCE. - T-r
The public will have remarked that the Empress
Eugene has taken but little part In the festivities
celebrated last week In Paris. For this of her
Msjesty's health there is every reason to believe
that there is most sstisiactory cause and indeed.
it is kBown that Queen Victeds most anxious
and pressing in her kind adgices to the Empress to
observe every precaution on which impor ant a
future may depend. We expect confidently that, at
NJ distant date, the official Moniteur, according to
the etiquette OF France, will announce to the nation
the pregnancy of the Empress.-M Morning Post.
AID FOR NORFOLK AND PORTSMOUTH.
Dear Dipatch-A meeting of the citizens Of Louisa
was held Monday last, that being court day over
which Or A. Anderson, the presiding justice of the
county, presided. and Mr. James l. Gordon acted a.
aid Norfolk and Portsmouth I" in tn