Cavalry Victory of Allies near Eupatoria

Marshal Pelissier reports, on the 1st inst., that a brilliant contest of cavalry was fought on the 29th ult., at Koughil, five leagues N. E. of Eupatoria, in which the Russian Cavalry, commanded by Gen. Korf, were defeated by the French cavalry, under General Allonville. Six guns, twelve ammunition wagons, and a campaign forge, with all the appurtenances, and 160 prisoners, of whom two were officers, were captured, besides 250 horses of the Russian Hussars. Fifty of the Russians were killed; among them was Col. Androwsky. Of the French six were killed, and twenty-seven wounded.

Prince Gortschakoff's Dispatch

Hamburg, Oct. 5. - Intelligence has been received at St. Petersburg, from Prince Gortschakoff, which brings news from the Crimea up to the 3d inst. The Prince reports that on the previous day the enemy made an ineffectual flank movement.

Crimea, Oct. 3, Evening. - Yesterday the enemy effected a movement against our left flank, and then withdrew. Our advanced posts still occupy their former line. Nothing has yet been undertaken against the northern forts.

Decorations of Gen. Simpson and Marshall Pelissier

Major-General Wyndham is likely to be placed at the head of a division, in the Crimea. The Grand Cross of the Bath has, it is said, been conferred on Gen. Simpson. Marshal Pelissier has received the same decoration of the Queen, and his Majesty, the Emperor of the French, has further awarded to General Simpson the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor.

Bombardment of the North Side of Sebastopol

The Allies are reported to have established 120 mortars at Sebastopol, with which it was expected they would soon render the north side untenable.

Dispatch from Gen. Simpson

A dispatch from Gen. Simpson to Lord Panmure has been published. It contains Gen. Simpson's list of the names of officers and men brought to his notice by the Generals of the Highland, 2nd, and Light Divisions, on the occasion of the attack on the Redan, on the 8th inst.

It is stated, in a note, that the list of officers recommended by Gen. Simpson for promotion for distinguished services, has not yet been received. The first mentioned is very long. Besides the officers, it comprises the names of twelve soldiers of the 3rd Regiment, eleven of the 41st Regiment, and eighteen of the 6th Regiment, who distinguished themselves by bringing wounded from the front of the advanced trenches.

Position, Movements and Prospects of the Armies in the Crimea

The last official dispatches report the south side of Sebastopol to be occupied by detachments of French and English troops, who have had distinct quarters of the town assigned to them. The Russians concentrated their forces in the northern forts, and were occasionally firing upon the town, to which the Allies replied from the two forts which remained intact (Nicholas and Quarantine), and from the ruins of other forts. Prince Gortschakoff, in his reports, describes the fire of the Allies as heavy.

Preparations were making by the British and French engineers, by the sinking of immense mines, to destroy the splendid docks, arsenals, and ship-building yards of Sebastopol, and thus uproot the place as a naval stronghold. Though there is no official information on the subject — the Allied generals for obvious reasons being silent as to their future operations — there are various premonitions of a vigorous campaign in the open field.

Prince Gortschakoff, on the 23d ult., reported that 26,000 men had been landed at Eupatoria, and that on the 26th this force was increased to 33,000. He has since reported that "imposing masses" of the Allied troops continue to threaten the left wing of the Russian Army, from the valley of Baidar, while a force amounting to between 30,000 and 40,000 men threaten the right wing of the Russians from Eupatoria.

It is uncertain, and will remain so for some little time, which of these threatened attacks is the real one. But there is quite enough in Prince Gortschakoff's dispatches to show that he considers himself seriously threatened in front and on both flanks. Another significant fact is that the English land transport corps are in full activity; that the field batteries of the artillery are in marching order; that large numbers of the French cavalry have embarked for Eupatoria; and by the telegraphic accounts from Vienna it is stated that the Allied fleets have left Sebastopol on some secret expedition.

It is again asserted from Vienna that the Russian Army is retreating.

The Times correspondent, writing on the 21st, is not at all sanguine that the Russians will be forced to abandon their position on the approach of Winter.

The correspondent of the Daily News takes a different view. He says:

The belief gains ground that the Russians are preparing to evacuate the north side of the harbor of Sebastopol. The extensive earthworks which have been lately constructed, and others in course of construction, are regarded as simply intended to cover the retreat, and protect the rear guard of the Russian Army. Carts have come in empty from the direction of the Mackenzie Heights, and have gone away laden, it is supposed with provisions.

These arrangements are supposed to indicate an intention to retire. It is still understood that a combined movement is to take place against the enemy's position on the Mackenzie Heights. A direct attack from Bakshi-Serai is spoken of, the approach from the South being made by a route which is kept secret, and which will have the effect of avoiding the enemy's fortified intrenchments.

Le Nord, of Brussels, takes a hopeful view of Russian affairs in the Crimea. The writer in that Journal says:

The situation is not entirely to our disadvantage, and the honor of our arms has been in no way compromised. Our men will no longer be obliged to offer themselves up as a holocaust, but will now be able to defend themselves in a close fight, and sell their lives at a high cost.

The same paper states that out of 10,000 seamen who had undertaken with their officers, the defence of Sebastopol, only a fourth survive, and some six or seven officers.

In an order which Prince Gortschakoff has addressed to his soldiers the Prince admits a loss of from 500 to 1,000 men per day, during the last thirty days of the siege. To continue to defend the South side, he says, would have been to expose the troops to be uselessly murdered. He concludes by saying:

It is not Sebastopol we have left in the enemy's hands, but burning ruins that we have set fire to ourselves. Sebastopol enchained us to its walls; with its fall we acquire freedom of action, and a new war commences.

The following private telegraphic dispatches have been received:

Trieste, 3d, Evening. - A report was in circulation at Constantinople that Marshal Pelissier would not for the moment push his operations to the interior of the Crimea, and that he would limit his efforts to attacking the forts on the north of Sebastopol. The troops at Eupatoria would, in the meantime, continue to harass the enemy by their demonstrations. French troops were expected at Varna. The intelligence from Trebizonde, which reaches to the 20th of September, makes known the fact that the want of provisions rendered the situation of the garrison of Kars extremely precarious; but it was thought that the cold would prevent the Russians from continuing their encampment round the place longer than the month of September.

The Camp correspondent of the London Times says:

Early this week the army was agitated by the universal report and belief that they would be sent on some great expedition forthwith, before they settled down in their winter quarters. The French made a great demonstration towards Baldar and Altodor, which led to no result, except directing the attention of the enemy to the pass from the latter place to the plateau of the Belbek. Now, all hope of active operations being undertaken before the Winter sets in, has been abandoned; but there is some reason to hope that the advantage offered by Eupatoria as a base of operations, will no longer be neglected, and that the Allies will act on the Russian rear, from that point. It is said that Simpheropol is quite open, and that no field-works or redoubts have been erected to protect it.

Every one is going into Sebastopol. The fear of mines has died out. All day we walk about and watch the Russians. Now and then the soldiers blow themselves up impromptu in the magazines, but, generally speaking, few accidents have occurred.

Last modified 22 April 2002