The Daily Nashville true Whig. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1851-1855, 1855-09-20
BATTLE OF TcHEREAYA.
Brilliant Description ofBloody and Desperate VI


Brilliant Description ofBloody and Desperate Work
Our readers understand, we presume, that the
battle of Tchernaya was an attempt of Russian
army 100000 strong) to force the lines OF the Allies
on the Tchernaya river, which is the boundary, or
frontier of the territory held by the Allies in the
Crmea The annexed from the correspondent OF
the London News is a most splendid battle picture;
The Battle Field.
To give you anything like correct idea Of con-
Aict which, though fought, considering the number
of the combatants, in very small space, derived
great deal of its incidental importance from the
ture OF the terridn it is almost unnecessary to call
attention to a few of the leading features of the
well known, so often described district around
Balakava. If you descend from the nothern side
of the plateau, on which the beseigng armies are
encamped, into the gorge through which the Tcher-
maya empties itself into the harbor and follow the
banks OF the river for short distance upwards, you
find yourself in narrow valley, with the heights
of Mackenzie's Farm rising abruptly on your lett,
like tall cliffs the shore; and on your right
row of small hills, extending with great or less H.
teryals between them, on Tchorgoun. Beyond
them is the plan of Balaklava. which is broken In
its centre by somewhat similar line OF eminence,
but in this instance small hardly to be entitled
to any better aPpellation than that oil mounds. IL
was on these last that the Turkish redoubts were
thrown up, which were so precipitately abandoned
by their defenders on the 18th OF October.
Position of the Armies.
On two or three of these which lie in a cluster
on the side OF the plain next Inkermann and direct
" facing Mackenzie's Heights, the road from
which passes between them have encamped for
some time past three divisions of French. On the
side next the Tchernaya the position was defen-
ded by a percipitous and escarpe descent, on
which some stunted brushwood still remained, but
which, in most places, stripped of the soil By the
rain of ages presents but the white masses OF the
chalk which plays so important part in the geol-
ogy of the whole district; on the side next Bala.
lava the descent is comparatively easy. On the
summit rested the right wing of Liprandi's army on
the 25th of October, and on the Southern side
planted the great number of the batteries which
moved down the British Light Cavalry.
How the French Slept on it, and What the senti-
nels Saw q .-.r
The Turks remained under arms all night, but,
strange to say, the French, who were most Of all
interested in the matter, to have given them
selves no trouble whatever about it, but went to
bed and slept TRANQUILITY. A peloton of Chasseurs
dAfrque who went out TO patrol during night and
on the other side of the river fell into ambuscade
we're all made prisoners, except TWO men, who
escaped and gave the alarm; but even this was
treated as one of the ordinary incidents of night
duty in presence of the enemy. About an hour
before ybreak the sentines in front of the bridge
thought they could perceive shadows gliding past
3hem in the darkness, and fired. There was no
reply, and silence deep as death followed; about
the same time few shots were heard from the
bill occupied by the Piedmontese outpost but as the
utmost stiffness prevailed afterwards on every side,
no precautions taken till just the first streak
of light made itself visible in the horizon sharp
fire was opened from party of skirmishers.
The Conflict in Earnest.
On the side of the French, the Tete de Point was
assault ed in great force and carried very soon after
the enemy's first showing himself on the ground,
notwithstanding the heroic resistance OF the goth
regiment of the line, which, in one battalion alone
lost twelve officers. The bridge was now occupied,
two batteries of artillery brought across so as
to sweep the road leading between the two heights
towards Baaklava, and strong column pushed
to the assault and mounted the declivity Strange
to say, although Gen. Pellisser had received full
warning the previous night, he refused to believe in
an attack until it actually commenced, and cOnse~
quently no dispositions were made, and nobody was
ready. The Russians had already reached the crest
Of the HILL while the French still asleep many
officers were awakened by round shot passing thro'
their tents; a sergeant had his head taken off while
writing the orders of the day for the division This
took place just in the gray of the morning, which
the smoke of the first struggle converted again to
darkness.
After a pause, the curtain lifted Both sides
prepared for renewal of the struggle the came
out from behind the hills the smoke rose, and the
valley of the Tchernaya lay before US like picture.
The track of table land lying at the foot of Macken
zie heights was covered with masses of cavalry, in
fantry and artillery. About thirty guns we're ranged
in a crescent outside the bridge, and Numbered
increasingly against the French position.
How the Allied Cavalry looked-The Pomp Of War
Below, on the plain, along the hollow on which
the English light horse died so CALAMITY last winter,
every turf beneath their feet soldiers sepulchre
were ranged the English and French cavalry squad
ron after squadron, extending back nearly to the
Turkish redoubts ready to act in case the enemy
should force the Piedmontese position and attempt
to debouch upon the open ground behind. The
pennons of the lancers futtered gaiy in long lines
in the fresh morning breeze, and when the sun rose
high in glory and poured down its rays full on the
plain, making scarlet look redder, and steel and
brass brighter and more respondent, gliding the
hill tops making the tents glitter, and rolling smoke
and mist in great packs up the valley towards In
hermann, the scene became one of passing spendor
as well as of passing interest. We looked in breath
less anxiety for the renewal of the conflict The
combatants had taken breath-their blood was up
for hundreds of both sides lay already stark and
stiff on the river side.
The Russians Came On.
From behind the cloud of smoke which naturally
hung around the Russian batteries came two large
columns of the enemy, marching in quick time
about two hundred yards apart and exactly parallel
a short distance from the river, and in a line with
the bank As they wound and twisted, mounted