Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-12-03
sRsAsroPoL EIGHT YEARS AFTER TIE SIEGE

Having lately returned from fortnght's visit TO the
Crimea It may possibly interest some Of your readers
TO hear how found Sebastopol and its neighborhood
looking in 1885, One il at once struck with the desc
ation that prevails each aide Of the harbor There
are indeed few guns mounted on Fort Constantine,
and the Russian ensign waves 1t, but the other
forts on the North aide crumbng to pieces and not
gun or soldier is visible along the whole range Of
these once formidable works At the entrance OF the
hGrbor are the few Wormeaen hulks lately raised by
Colonel zen, and of South Bay lies the Admirals
steam yacht whilst few coasters are laden with shot
and broken shell, the rstinguiS DaHaSm OF lSS46S,
ct the further extremity and these the representa-
tves of the Russian feet in the Black Sea in 1853
Landing at the quay, where now no Russian ocal sc
costs the suspicious stranger, walk of two hundred
yards leads to the hote, kept BY one Mr. Wisel form
ery head waiter Of the club house. the ruins of which
are Immediately adjoining.
OF all the British cemeteries We viaited We scarcely
found one that had received any injury beyond the
avodGbe decay which eight Crmean winters must bring
with them Around each enclosure small or large low
solid walls have been built and keptin good repair
On OAthcArts Hill, though the grass has grown over
many Of the fat tombstones, We only noticed enc head
stone that had been injured 1t which marked
the grave of Colonel Of the 55h reg men and on In.
quiry We found that It was blown down 10 gale last
winter. In the adjoining cemsteries where some hun
dreds of our brave soldiers rest, h gratifying 10
see that even the round shot which eight nine years
ago some friendly hand placed as border to hs COM
rades grave remsns undsturbed. What has been said
Of Cathcars Hill applies equally to the graves of the
Light Division and in fact TO all the large enclosures
Wild flowers spring up uxuriantly above them all and
there is no appearance OF any intrusion either Of man
or beast
General Pelissier's headquarters and Lord Ragans
house inhabited by Tartars who have taken great
pride in preserving everything that tells of their depart
ed glory. The huts still surround Lord Raglans head
quarters which sheltered his staff small tablet in
l. I'LL l.. 49, o.k kos
BalAcava are quiet as the grave, some few small
boats lying idle in the harbor our quay rotng pieces,
and oar huts occupied by returned Tarars whose
only occupation seems to be fishing for the treasure
trove the sad mementoeS Of the awful gale Of Nc
vember H. 1854. bag full of soyereigns was fshed
up few days before our arrival The field ofBalac-
lava is now dotted with vineyards, and 10 by means
good ,lloping ground in 1858 All our batteries re-
main much as we left them The trenches be traced
for miles They have fallen in, might be expected,
but eiery position is recognizable. at glance. In
kerman's heights are thickly covered with brush
wood, though the batteries are easily discerred,
and the camps are also well distinguished, though
the grass has grown over the paved streets that
intersected the lines. The Redan monument is In u
dseraceful state the inscription has been almost en-
tirey oblterated Some vAndals have cut their names
t. and large pieces Gu, Of t for keepsakes and
the wall round it Is broken down in several paces
The Redan itself Ia uhaltered in general appearance,
though gradually crumbng into the DITCH and vine
yards are quietly sprDgng up in itsfear The hals-
koif remains OF rum in fact, nothing has been
done since the to alter the appearance Of the town.
save the rebuilding Of line Of barracks near the
docks where the preseAt garrison, consisting Of one
battalion, is quartered
If possible, the desOlAion ia apparent on the
North than on the South side. You traverse the
whole line Of forfcations and meet with neither SOL
der nor guu the ramparts falling into their fosse
the walls have sunk though the general appearance is
that of deserton rather than destruction. Tntre are
said to be three thousand inhabitants now In sebasto
pol; We scarcely mel thirty London Nor rirg Post