The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1864-01-20
sebastopol Eigh. Years after the Siege.

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Sehastopol Eigh. Years after the Siege.
Having lately returned from fortnight's
visit to the Crlmea. il may possibly inter-
est some OF your readers to hear how
found Sebastopol and its neighbour God
looking in 1863.
.One IS at once struck with the desolation
that prevail. on each side of the harbor.
There are, indeed, few guns mounted on.
Fort Constantine, and the Russian en-
sign waves over it. but the other forts on
the north side are crumbling to pieces, and
not a gun nor soldier is visible among
the whole range OF those once Formidable
works. Al the entrance of the harbor are
the lew worm eaten hulks lately raised by
Col. Gowen, and of South Bay lies the Al
miraPs steam yacht, whilst a lew casters
arc laden with shot and broken she'll, the
refiqide Ddnaum of 1854, IS at tile further
extremity /; and these are the representa-
tiyes Of the Russian feet in the Black Sea
IN 1868. Landing at the quay, where now
no Russian official accosts the suspicious
stranger. walk of 200 yards leads to the
hotel. kept by one NJ. Syi,zell,. iormerly
head waiter of The club honse-tbs RUNS
OF which are Immediately adjoining.
Of Ill the British cemeteries we visited
we scarcely found nne. that had received
any injury bevond the unavoidable decay
which eight Crimean winters, must bring
with them. Around each enclosure, small
or large. low. sdIld walls have sheen built
and are kept in repair. On catheart's
Hill. though The grass has grown over many
oi the Hat tomb-stones, we only noticed
one headstone that had been injured; il
vas one which marked the grave nf Col
onei Of the 55th regiment. and on inquiry
We lonnd thar IL was blown dawn in gale
last winter. In the adjoining cemeteries,
where some hundreds of our brave soldisrs
rest, u was gratifying 10 see that even the
round shot which, eight or nine years ago,
s"me feleUdly hand placed - border to
ms comrade's grave, remains undisturbed.
What has.been said of Cathcart's Hill ap-
Plies equally 10 the graves Of The Light
Division. and ia fact, 10 all the large en-
closures. Wild howers spring up luxuri-
antly above them all, and there i no ap-
pearanee ot any intrusion either Of man. Or
besst.
General Pe'issier's headquarters and
Lord Raglan's houses are inhabited BY Tar.
tars. who have taken great pride in pre-
serving everything that tells of their de-.
parted glery. The huts still surround
Lord Raglan's quarters which once shell
tered his staff: small tablet IN the room
anere he died records the fact. kadikol
and Belsclasa are rs quiet as the grave,
so'ne lew small boats lying idle IN the hsr-
oar. our quay rntting 70 pieces, and Dur
butts DeM sccupied by returning rartars.
~hose only occupation seems to be fishing
ivr the treasure trnye. the sad memen,oes
ot the awful gale OF Noyerhsr IA. 1854.
\ bag full ~ sosercigns was ii.hed up a
few days before our arrival. The field Of
Balscia,s is now dotted with vineyards,
and ls by a. means good gallcping ground
10 '65, All our batteries remain much as
We left them. Tie trenches can be traced
iot miles. They have fallen 10. as aight
DO expected. bur every position j. reeog.
nixsble st = glance. lnkermans heights
are thIckly covered with brushwcod. though
the batteries are easily disteroed. and the
camps are slso we'll distinguished, though
the grass has grown over the paved streets
that lntersecled the lines.