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THE WAE .
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We give the official despatches as they arrived since last Saturday . This despatch of Lord Raglan ' s arrived on Sunday morning . It refers to the affair of the 25 th : — Before Sebastopol , Oct . 28 , 1854 . My Lord Duke—I have the honour to acquaint your grace that the enemy attacked the position in the front of Balaklava at an early hour on the morning of the 25 th instant . The low range of heights that runs across the plain at the bottom of which the town is placed was protected by four small redoubts hastily constructed . Three of these had guns ha them , and on a higher hill , hi front of the village of Camara , in advance of our right flank , was established a work of somewhat more importance .
These several redoubts were garrisoned by Turkish troops , no other force being at my disposal for then * occupation . The 93 rd Highlanders was the only British regiment in the plain , with the exception of a part of a battalion of detachments composed of weakly men , and a battery of artillery belonging to the 3 rd division ; and on the heights behind our right were placed the marines , obligingly landed from , the fleet by Vice-Admiral Dundas . All these , including the Turkish troops , were under the immediate orders of MajorrGeneral Sir Conn Campbell , ¦ whom I had taken from the 1 st division with the 93 rd .
As soon as I was apprised of this movement of the enemy , I felt compelled to withdraw from before Sebastopol the 1 st and 4 th divisions , commanded by Lieut .-Generals his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge and the Hon . Sir George Catheart , and hiring them down into the plain ; and General Canrobert subsequently reinforced these troops -with the first division of French infantry and the Chasseurs d'Afrique . The enemy commenced their operation by attacking the work on our side of the village of Gamara ^ a nd after very little resistance , carried it . They likewise got possession of the three others in contiguity to it , being opposed only hi one , and that but fora very short space of time .
The farthest of the three they did not retain , hut the immediate abandonment of the others enabled ; them to take possession of the guns in them , amounting in the whole to seven . Those in the three lesser forts were spiked by the one English artilleryman , who was in each . The Russian cavalry at once advanced , supported by artillery , in very great strength . One portion of them assailed the front and right flank of the 93 rd , and were instantly driven back hy the vigorous and steady fire of that distinguished regiment , under Lieut .-Colonel Ainslie .
1 he other and larger mass turned towards her Majesty ' s heavy cavalry , and afforded Brigadier-General Scarlett , under the guidance of Lieutenant-General the Earl of Lucan , the opportunity of inflicting upon them a most signal defeat . The ground was very unfavourable for the attack of our Dragoons , but no obstacle was sufficient to check their advance , and they charged into the Russian column , which soon sought safety in flight , although far superior in numbers . The charge of this brigade was one of the most successful 1 ever witnessed , was never f or a moment doubtful , and is in the highest degree creditable to Brigadier-General Scarlett and the officers and men engaged in it .
As the enemy withdrew from the ground which they had momentarily occupied , I directed the cavalry , supported by the fourth division , under Lieut .-General Sir George Cathcart , to move forward , and take advantage of any opportunity to regain the heights ; and , not having been able to accomplish this immediately , and it appearing that an attempt was making to remove tho captured guns , the Karl of Lucan was desired to advance rapidly , follow tho enemy in their rotroat , and try to prevent them from effecting their object . In tho meanwhilo tho Russians had time to re-form on their own ground , with artillery in front and upon their Hanks .
l ' rom some misconception of tho instruction to advance , tho Liout .-Gonoral considered that ho was bound to attack at all hazards , and ho accordingly ordered Major-Gonoral tho Earl of Cardigan to move forwurd with the light brigade . This order was obeyed in tho moat spirited and gallant manner . Lord Cardigan charged with tho utmost vigour , attacked a battery which was firing upon tho advanced squadrons , and , having passed beyond it , - ^ nn'uscod tho Kussinn cavalry in ita rear ; but tlioro hia troops word . "HflrtUod by artillery and infantry , aa avoII " after having
m cavalry , n , £ neceasar ^ . T ^ . committed much havoc upon tll {} onomy . ^ ^ They effected this movement without iniHt 0 or con . J " sion ; but tho losa they lrnvo Huatainod has , I deeply lament , boon very novcro in oiUcora , men , and horsoH , only counterbalanced by tho brilliancy of tho attack and tho gallantry , order , and diNoiplluo which distinguished it , forming u striking contract to tho conduct , ol the enemy's <; ayujry , which hail proviounly been ongngpd with tho henry brigade . The 0 h « 9 »< mra d'Afrimio advanced on our loft , and
gallantly charged a Russian battery , which checked its fire for a time , and thus rendered the British cavalry an essential service . The enemy made no further movement in advance , and at the close of the day the brigade of Guards , of the first division and the fourth division , returned to their original encampment , as did the French troops , with the exception of one brigade of the first division , which General Canrobert was so good as to leave in support of Sir Colin Camphell . The remaining regiments of the Highland brigade also remained in the valley . The fourth division had advanced close to the heights , and Sir George Cathcart caused one of the redoubts to be re-occupied by the Turks , affording them liis support , and he availed himself of the opportunity to assist with his riflemen hi silencing two of the enemy ' s guns .
The means of defending the extensive position which had been occupied by the Turkish troops in tlie morning having proved wholly inadequate , I deemed it necessary , in concurrence with General Canrobert , to withdraw from the lower range of heights , and to concentrate our force , which will be increased by a considerable body of seamen , to be landed from the ships under the authority of Admiral Dundas , immediately in front of the narrow valley leading into Balaklava , and upon the precipitous heights on our right , thus affording a narrower line of defence . I have , &c , Raglan . His Grace the Duke of Newcastle , &c , &c , &c . A second despatch from Lord Raglan , dated the same day , refers to the affair of the 26 th : — Before Sebastopol , Oct . 28 , 1854 .
My Lord Duke , —• .. . . . . . . . The enemy moved out of Sebastopol on the 26 th with a large force of infantry , cavalry , and artillery , amounting , it is said , to 6000 or 7000 men , and attacked the left of the 2 nd division , commanded by Lieut .-General Sir De Lacy Evans , who speedily and energetically repulsed them , assisted by one of the batteries of the 1 st division , and some guns of the Light Division , and supported by the brigade of Guards and by several regiments of the 4 th division , and in rear by the French division commanded by General Bosquet , who was most eager in his desire to give him every aid . I have the honour to transmit a copy of Sir De Lacy Evans' report , which I am sure your grace will read with the hi g hest satisfaction , and I beg to recommend the officers whom he particularly mentions to your protection .
Captain Bayly , of the 30 th , and Captain Atcherley , of the same regiment , and Lieutenant Conolly , of the 49 th , all of whom are severely wounded , appear to have greatly distinguished themselves . 1 cannot speak in too high terms of the manner in which Lieutenant-General Sir De Lacy Evans met this very severe attack . I had not the good fortune to witness it myself , being occupied in front of Balaklava at the time it commenced , and having only reached his position as the affair ceased , but I am cortain I speak the sentiments of all who witnessed the operation , in saying that nothing could have been better managed , and that the greatest credit is due to the Lieutenant-General , whose services and conduct I have before had to bring under your grace's' notice .
I enclose the return of the losses the army has sustained since the 22 nd . —I have , &c , Ragian . His Grace the Duke of Newcastle , &c . [ The " enclosed" despatches , from Lord Lucaxi , Sir Colin Campbell , and Sir De L . Evans , tell nothing which is not better told by the newspaper correspondents . Lord Lucan , in his despatch , says , respecting the great charge— " Being instructed to make a rapid advance to our front , to prevent the enemy carrying the guns lost by the Turkish troops in the morning , I ordered tho light brigade to advanco in two lines , and supported them with the heavy brigade . " This gives no idea of what took place , nor of tho emotions of the moment ; and , to tho end , Lord Lucan is cold and reserved , merely " regretting tho heavy loss . " ]
The next despatch , referring to a great battlo which occurred on the 5 th of this month , arrived in Paris ( by telegraph ) on Monday morning-, and waa immediately transmitted to London , It is from General Cnnroberfc to his Government : — Before Sevastopol , Not . 6 , 1854 . Tho Russian army , increased by reinforcements from tho Danube , by tho reserves collected in tho southern provinces , and animated by tho presence of tho Grand Dulcos Michael and Nicholas , attacked yesterday the right of tho Kngliuh position boforo tho placo . Tho English army maintained tho combat with tho most romarkablo wolidity . I ordered it to bo mipported by Bouquet ' s division , which fought witli admirable - " -nur , ariu tf'O troops nenruut nfc hand . Tho cnomy , much more nmW : o » s & £ boot a rotroat with
onorrnouB losbes , estimated at 8000 or 9000 mon . This obntinato Htrugglo liiHtod tho whole day . On my loft , General Foroy had to drive back at tlio aamo tiino a aortic of tho gnrriHon ; tho troops onorgotlcnlly led on by him drove back tho onomy into tho place , with a Ions ol' about 100 O men .
This brilliant day's feat of arms ( Journee ) r which wa 3 not achieved-without loss to the Allies , reflects the highest honour upon onr arms . The siege continues regularly . The Paris correspondent of the Independence states that to General Canrobert ' s despatch of the 6 th inst was added a postscript representing the Russians as so thoroughly beaten in their last engagement that it would be at least ten days before they would again expose themselves to the chances of a battle . The French Government , it is said , keeping in view the vicissitudes of war , and more alive than ever to the difficulties attending the enterprise of the allied armies , thought proper to withhold this prediction from the public . At Paris it is generally admitted that the Allies are at the beginning of a winter campaign .
The following despatch from Lord Raglan , confirmatory of the above , was received on Wednesdaynight by the Duke of Newcastle . The despatch was delayed between Bucharest and Vienna by an interruption of the telegraph from injuries received during a violent storm : — Nov . G , 1854 . The enemy , with immense forces , attacked yesterday , in the dawn of morning , the right of the English position before Sebastopol , which was defended by the second
division and the brigade of Guards of the first light division , the fourth division , and part of the third , and subsequently by the division of General Bosquet and other corps of the French army , which by their gallant conduct contributed essentially to the decided success of the day . General Canrobert immediately came to the spot , and gave me the support of his assistance and of his excellent counsel . The battle was extremely obstinate , and it was not till past noon that the enemy was definitively repulsed and forced to retreat , leaving the field of battle covered with his dead and several hundreds
of prisoners . The number of the enemy much exceeded that which was opposed to us at Alma , and the losses of the Russians have been enormous . Our losses have also been very great . General Sir George Brown , Major-General Bentinck , Brigadier-Generals Adams , Buller , and Torrens , have been wounded . They are all doing well . The conduct of the troops in the face of an enemy so superior in numbers has been excellent . ( Signed ) Raglast .
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What purported to be Russian versions of the same affair have been circulated in London and Paris : but it is supposed that they are fictions . The following was handed about at the Paris Bourse , as having been sent by Prince Menschikoff to Prince Paskiewitsch , under the date of November 6 , at ten in the morning : — The arrival of their Imperial Highnesses excited in the army and in the town the greatest enthusiasm , and the Princes were received with hurrahs and transports of delight . The troops would have been delighted had the Princes witnessed our success of the day before , and the garrison of the town testified its impatience to welcome their Highnesses by a new exploit .
In the afternoon , a column , consisting of sixteen battalions , marched resolutely on the right wing of the enemy , and seized on a redoubt . After a furious contest hand to hand , our battalions returned to the town without being disquieted . Almost at the same moment three battalions executed a rapid movement of attack against the siege works of the right flank of tho enemy . They took ( iftcen guns and spiked them , after having killed tho greater part of the men who were serving them . The French hastened up , and pursued our men with tho impetuosity which is natural to them , and a body of 8000 or 10 , 000 men rashly advanced to tho walls of the placo . They were there received by a well-directed fire , which killed a groat number of them ; nnd a sortie , executed with a rare vigour , forced them to return to their lines .
During thia last movement , and a little before three in tho afternoon , General Liprandi , with a part of tho forces under his command , attacked tho English lines . A desperate engagement onsued . I ordered forward from Tchorgun the troops that could bo collected in liasto to nupport them . Our dragoons executed two brilliant charges . Tho enemy defended themselves most stubbornly , and the approach of night alone put an end to tho combat . In our share of tho day ' H proceedings 22 , 000 men wore engaged on both Hides . Tho losses hnvebeon great ; oura has been about 4000 mon , and that of the enemy at least as great .
Wo nro now getting nil our reserves up from Simphoropol , Buchi Snrni , and Sutnohiva . We nro about to roHolutoly nHsuino tho olftsnuivo , nud wo shall not allow one day ' s repose to the onomy . Their forcen are * diminishing viwibly . Tho partial reinforcement }} which they Huocessivcly hnvo received hnvo not boon Huuidonf ; to fill Hp tho voida which vnr and mulmlicH hnvo innde in their ranks . Their number cannot bo nioro at nro-NOitt , limn S ?/ 100 niOH . This ) uriny nnnnot tlSOnpo us ; we have for us tho morn * ascendancy and a great ? mponorfty in inmiboi'fi . Wo < irfl on our own ground , « nd wo arc lighting at tho minno tinio for our soil , mid fur the mo » t holy of causes .
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1082 THE LEADER . [ Saturday ,
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Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 18, 1854, page 1082, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2065/page/2/
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