Vol. IV.— No. 96.] 
Saturday, October 28, 1854. 
[Gratis. 
THE FIELD OF WAR. 
MAILS FOR SCUTARI HOSPITAL. 
On Tuesday, the 24th of October instant, the Postmaster- 
General issued orders for a separate bag to be made up with 
letters and newspapers addressed to the invalids and 
wounded of the British army in Turkey ; and. in order that 
no delay may take place in their delivery, all such, instead 
of being addressed “ Head-quarters,” should bear the super- 
scription, “ The Hospital, Scutari, Constantinople." These 
-mails will be dispatched on the evenings of the 3rd, 9th, 19th, 
23rd, and 29th, or, when the month has 31 days, on the 30th. 
The postage must be paid in advance. The next mail will 
be made up on Monday, the day after to-morrow. The 
additional medical staff for the army in Turkey has already 
left the Metropolis, to proceed to Constantinople, inti Mar- 
seilles, where they embark on board the Vcctis. The total 
number of medical men who go out in this ship is thirty. 
Among them are Dr. Spence and Dr. Cumming, Inspectors- 
General of Hospitals, and ten staff-surgeons. Miss Night- 
ingale, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Bracebridge, and 
thirty-four trained nurses also go by the Vectis to attend on 
the sick and wounded at Scutari. 
"JACK ASHORE” AT SEBASTOPOL. 
There certainly never was a siege in the course of which 
such heavy guns were used on both sides. The English 
siege tram comprises about thirty-eight 32-pounders, thirty 
56-pounders, thirty 68-pounders, eighteen 84-pounders, and 
about a dozen 12 and 13-inch mortars, with six Lancaster 
guns throwing 96-pound solid shot. H.M.S. Terrible and 
Retribution have each lauded four 68-pounders of 113 cwt., 
■and having a range of from 3,800 to 4,000 yards. Trafalgar’ 
Sanspareil, and Diamond have also landed some of their 
heaviest metal, and two long-range Lancaster guns have 
been landed from the gun-boat Arrow, and two from the 
Beagle, which recently arrived from England. There is no 
possible combination of which stone and mortar is capable 
that can resist the concentrated action of such guns as 
these. The Russians however, are not deficient either in 
range or weight of metal ; some of the finest and heaviest 
guns used in modern warfare will be found in the fortresses 
of Sebastopol. 
The working of the heavy siege train at first presented 
a slight difficulty to our commanders. The troops of the 
line know less than nothing of their management, and 
even our best artillerymen would be somewhat at sea in 
conducting for the first time artillery of such heavy calibre. 
To meet the difficulty, 150 sailors were drawn from each 
English three-decker, and 100 from each two-decker, and 
formed into a division about 1,200 strong, divided into two 
brig cle3 of 600 each, officers and men. The division is placed 
under the charge of Captain Lushington, of H.M.S. Albion, 
and each brigade commanded by Captain Moorsom and 
Captain Peel, of H.M.S. Diamond. “Jack” seemed highly 
delighted at the prospect of serving ashore at the siege, and, 
girded with his revolver and cutlass, took up his quarters 
m the tents on land with as much saiuj froid as if it was 
his natural sphere of action. Soon, however, the native 
jollity of the tars broke out, and uproarious singing was 
kept up in their different tents until near midnight. A 
plain ordnance tent, without decorations to distinguish it 
trorn those of the “ sojers,” is far too unassuming an abode 
for them under their present altered circumstances. Accor- 
dingly, the decorative abilities of Tom and Bill having been 
called into requisition, the canvas is covered with rather 
bold attempts at ornamentation placed round sundry sentences 
written over the doors expressive of the amiable intentions 
oft ho occupants towards Russians in general. One set of 
beuts are the “ Sinope Revenge;” another, “jRevenge for the 
ilger; while a little lower down you come upon 150 hairy 
muscular strapping fellows, who, if you believe their own 
inscription, are the “ Trafalgar's Lambs,” or the "Bellerophou’s 
Doves, or some other part of the ship's company, equally 
mild and inoffensive. The way these fellows have got up 
the ships guns is perfectly astounding. An iron gun, 1 1 feet 
.long aud weighing 113 cwt., seemed nothing to them., 
They volunteered to fist it along, and they literally did so 
tying ropes to its stand, and dragging it by their force over 
the hills. I have seen, says the special correspondent of 
the Murmur, Herald, “ fourteen horses aud all the apparatus of 
the artillery barely moving a gun which fifty sailors have 
dragged after them at a trot.” The Russians will get such 
melancholy proofs of the superiority of our marine artillery 
.during the siege as they will never forget. They would not 
meet our vessels before they tried our gunnery— what will 
they do afterwards ? Every one expects the tars to do their 
duty in a noble manner during the siege. All that is to be 
teared of them is their over courage. 
Balaklava, Sunday, Oct. 8. — The French opened a fire 
upon Sebastopol two days ago. A three-decker (they eav 
the Twelve Apostles) is careened over as much as possible 
mid is troublesome ; and a gun-boat, with heavy guns, w 
also disposed to be annoying. It is said that the first step 
iv ill be to destroy these vessels at a long range. The Twelve 
Apostles is a fine ship, built on the same lines as the English 
S'f S^en large Russian ships of war (almost, or per- 
of th« h ! ne ' of ' bafctle 8 hips) have been sunk at the entrance 
side I emdrf’ * cbnnnel being left close to the north 
dav J 8 -f three Ime-of-battle ships the other 
and V !T tzers have been landed from our fleet, 
a teTher vrilf J v ei « hts * the English pieces 
Terrible hjSnES?" T tl,e side about 150. ‘ The 
fc 1 4yX?.y« n rhe r ?r d hr^ i, L tl,e ? eae '° (guu ' 
"W The Frenchare al.o **“ “ 
Th, of hfe (,ay„ th6 Bp 4 ial c P or S pondent of , he 
Morniurj Chronicle) are quite unknown now in the British 
army in the Crimea. “ I wish,” said a Guardsman, worth 
£8,000 a-ycar, to me, “that the Simoom would come up, for 
I vo not had a clean shirt for a fortnight.” The transports 
realise fabulous prices, and, I am sorry to say, in too many 
instances make a market of the necessities of the army. Two 
pounds for a cheese, and 7s. a bottle for brandy, are common 
prices. Candles, too, and tobacco, are in great request, espe- 
cially the latter. “ Please to let me on board," cried a 
sergeant alongside of one of our men-of-war steamers, “ I'm 
the purser's cousin.” On being admitted, he at once begged 
pardon for the assertion ; “but sure," said he, “ I knew you 
wouldn't let mo come in unless I belonged to somebody ; and 
the boys are all wanting so much a bit of tobacco." I need 
not sav he went off with enough to last him for many a day. 
Our allies, however, are worse off than ourselves. Bread aud 
onions picked up in the fields were their only food for two 
days ; and I believe the officers of some of our steamers had 
never a pleasanter task than dining one or two among the 
French officers who had extended their forage as far as 
Balaklava. 
C ami* before Sebastopol, Oct. 6. — An immense amount 
of gunpowder, shot, and shell, has been carried up from 
Balaklava to the lines, aud is placed in park and reserve ready 
for use ; but there are many guns lauded for which we have 
no present use, and large numbers of heavy pieces, and 
quantities of ammunition aud ball, remain in the town maga- 
zines or in the field magazines along the road. Jack has been 
of essential service in this hard work. The only thing 
against him is that he is too strong. He pulls strong carts 
to pieces as if they were toys. He piles up shot-cases in the 
ammunition-waggons till the horses fall under the weight, 
for he cannot understand “ the ship starting till the hold is 
full. He takeB long pulls and strong pulls at tow ropes 
till they give like sewing silk, and he is indefatigable in 
“rousing crazy old vehicles up hill, and running full speed 
with them down hill till they fall to pieces. Many a 
heap of shot or shell by the road side marks the 
scenes of such disasters ; but “ Jack's " good-humour 
during this “spree on shore” is inexhaustible, and 
he comes back for the massive cargo from the camp with the 
greatest willingness, when he is told it must be got up ere 
nightfall. It is most cheering to meet a set of these jolly 
fellows “ working up a gun to the camp." They are splendid 
fellows at tliis work, which is a pleasure and not a toil to 
them, and their merry songs, as they drag and strain at the 
ropes, cheer the ear of the passer-by contrasted with the 
silence of our troops and artillerymen. They have a camp 
full of quaint names— “ Albion's Pets," “Tiger’s Revenge,” 
Rule|Britanuia, aud such terms, being marked on the tents, 
which are pitched on the side of a pleasant hill near the town. 
The naval officers are very active. Captain Peel has landed 
the heaviest guns of the Diamond, proprio motu ; and Captain 
M Cleverty has contributed some fine specimens of heavy 
metal — 68’s from the Terrible. To move these up, 
puts “Jack” in his glory. From a distance you hear 
some hearty English chorus borne on the breeze over 
the hill side. As you approach, the strains of an un- 
mistakeable Gosport fiddle, mingled with the squeaks 
of a marine file, rise up through the unaccustomed 
vales of the Crimea. A cloud of dust on the ascent 
marks their coming, aud tugging up the monster gun 
in its cradle, with “a stamp and go," strange cries, and 
oaths sworn by some thirty tars, all flushed with honest 
exercise, while the officer in charge tries to moderate their 
excessive energies, and to induce the two or three hairy 
Hercules— who are sitting astride on the gun, or on the few 
horses in front, with vine-leaves in their hats, or flowers in 
their hair— to dismount and leave off the music. The asto- 
nishment of the stupid fur-capped Crim Tartars, as they 
stare at this wondrous apparition on its way, is ludicrous to 
a degree ; but Turk, Crim, Russian, or Greek, are all the 
same to Jack ; and he is certain to salute every foreigner who 
goes by, while in this state, with the universal shibboleth of 
“ Bono ! Bow no ! Johnny J” 
The sailors' camp is now formed near the artillery park of 
the left attack, near the lines of the Third Division. There 
are about 2,000 men on shore. 
The officers who command the Naval Brigade are Captain 
Stephen Lushington (Albion. 90), Commander-in-Chief; 
Captain William Peel (Diamond, 27), second in command ; 
Commander Randolph (temporarily disqualified by illness), 
third in command ; Commanders Burnett and Borlase’ 
Lieutenants— First, J. N. Norman (Trafalgar) ; Second W 
H. Bridge (Vengeance) ; Third, O.G reathead (Britannia) ; 
Lieutenant V ilmshurst (Trafalgar), Lieutenant Partridge 
(Queen), Lieutenant Capel (Britannia). Commander Hoarc, 
of the Beagle, and Commander Snow, of the Arrow, have 
lauded the heavy guns of their vessels, and rendered excellent 
service at the naval camp by their exertions. The guns 
landed by the fleet were furnished by the following vessels, 
as nearly as I can ascertain —The Albion landed 6, the 
Queen 6, the Rodney 6, the Trafalgar 6, the Terrible 2 
(heavy metal), the Britannia 6, the Diamond 20 — in all 52. 
The Marine Battalions, numbering about 1,200 meu, arc 
encamped on the heights over Balaklava, but I have not yet 
been able to ascertain who are the officers in command. 
They are to have charge of the batteries of howitzers which 
will be placed on those heights, aud are entrusted with the 
charge of the road to the town from the eastern heights. 
Oct. 11. — There was an amusing incident to-day, which I 
wish I had more time to describe. Towards noon a large 
ship, under Austrian colours, was seen standing in towards 
Sebastopol. Fort Constantine opened fire on her at 2,500 
yards, but the ship never paid the least attention to the shot 
and shell which flew over her. The other batteflts followed 
suit; still the Austrian cared not ; "not a sheet did she slack, 
nor a brace, nor a tack,” while the Russian shot hulled her 
and roared through her rigging. She came light in front of 
the batteries, aud passed them unscathed, nearing the shore 
as she come. The Firebrand went off to her assistance, and 
received several shot in her hull while doing so ; but Captain 
Stuart persevered, and, aided by a screw gun-boat, brought 
her oft. bhe was found to bo deserted by her crew, who had 
gone on board the Britannia when the wind failed, and it 
was found she was getting near Sebastopol. She was laden 
with 600 tons of hay for the English army, and her escape 
is almost miraculous, but it is a satisfactory proof of the bad 
gunnery of the Russians. 
PROGRESS OF THE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL. 
T Camp before Sebastopol, Oct. 6. 
Lord Raglan and Staff moved yesterday from the town of 
Balaklava, and established head-quarters near the farm of 
Dzeuzdo-otar. From the rising grouud in front of this posi- 
tion, about a mile and a half distant from head-quarters, the 
town of Sebastopol is plainly visible. The outworks mi the 
south side are not more three miles from us, and every day 
Hince our army made the masterly march on Balaklava the 
Russians have been throwing up works and fortifying the 
exposed portions of the town with the greatest energy. 
Another Polish deserter has been brought in to-day. He 
is a common soldier, aud his statements may not bo entitled 
onnno h ' vel « llt > but t ho asserts positively that there are 
90 000 men within the walls of Sebastopol. Meusehikoff is 
stdl commander-in-chief, Gortschakoff second in command 
and Chomutofl has the direction of the artillery. The Rus’- 
siaus have groat confidence in the latter, who is said to huvo 
greatly distinguished himself on that apocryphal field of 
glory, the Caucasus. When ho came in the day before yes- 
terday the garrison received him with tremendous choeriug. 
General Luders is next in command to Gortsclmkoff It 
appears quite out of the question that the Russians havo 
such a force as 90,000 men in the place; they could not 
keep them a week. 
The Russians are plainly visible through the glass, working 
like bees ; women and children aro carrying up earth in 
baskets, and already the white tower on the right of our 
lines is blocked up with a double line of earthworks pierced 
for guns. The fort is no longer the white fort— it has been 
painted of a buff colour, probably not to look so conspicuous 
at night. 
Our siege train is divided into two “Attacks ” — the 
Right and the “ Left Attack. The officers commanding 
the batteries on the Right Attack aro-Lieutennnt-Colonel 
Dickson (who volunteered his services for the battery left 
vacant by the death of Captain Patten), Captain D' Aguilar 
and Captain Strange. The officers commanding the batteries 
of the Left Attack are— Major Young. Major Freese, and 
Major Irving. The whole of the siege train is commanded 
by Lieutenant-Colonel Gambier. 
From calculations which have been made, it seems probable 
that the French and English batteries w ill be capable of 
hurling no less than 23,600 shot nnd shell against the 
enemy's works per diem, and that calculation allows ten 
minutes' interval for each gun, between round aud round 
We have opened about 1,500 yards of trench, much of 
which is in a fit state for the reception of heavy guns. The 
French have completed somewhat more, say 1,600 metres, 
and are rather more forward than wo are, but they have not 
yet landed all their heavy guns. Some of their pieces are of 
brass, and will not stand quick firing, as the metal heats so 
readily, and when much heated softens and becomes what is 
technically called “ drooping at muzzle." 
Illness in the camp diminishes ; the weather is very fine ; 
nevertheless, we have to deplore the loss of Major Banner’, 
of the 93rd Highlanders, Lieutenant Freemau, of the Scotch 
Greys, Lioutenant Walmsley, of the 77th, aud several men, 
since lost I wrote. 
“October 5. — At two o’clock p.m., the tattoo was beaten 
The garrison made a sortie along the coast on our left. The 
whole army was in un instant under arms. The Hussions, 
seeing that we were on our guard, retired into the place. 
Their guns, as on the preceding day, havo kept up an inces- 
sant fire on our reconnoitring parties. In the evening a 
convoy, said to consist of 4,000 men, entered Sebastopol. It 
was to draw our attention to another point that the garrison 
had feigned a sortie. 
“October 6.— We are still living in expectation. The 
unavoidable todiousness of our preparations cannot be helped. 
The Russians, however, will lose nothiug for waiting. The 
four fleets are rapidly landing their heaviest artillery, aud if 
they continue at the present rate the fire will bo opened with 
1,200 guns. Fancy the tremendous uproar they will cause 
v.-hcii they nil come into play. Wo may dance to that de- 
lighttul concert, for English ladies are not wanting in our 
camps. The Captain of Engineers, Schmitt, hod his thigh 
carried off by a cannon-ball while effecting a re^onuoissauce. 
and expired an hour afterwords. The French army toscs in 
him a brave and intelligent officer, and will share the grief 
of the two brothers of the worthy captain, who are serving 
here in its ranks. 
“ October 7, at Noon. — Ten battalions of Russian infantry, 
and sixteen squudrons of the relieving army, have shown 
themselves at the north-western extremity of our lines, close 
to the telegraph. Our advanced posts are ou foot, ami 
crowds of curious persons line the high grounds. It is so 
long siuce we beheld our adversaries ou the Alma ! Twenty 
rounds, fired by the British artillery, drove them buck u 
little, but they still remain within sight." 
It is now ascertained that eight Russian ships have keen 
sunk at the entrance of the bay. They are in two lines, the 
second line covering the interstices of the first. The bay ut 
the point where they lie is about 700 yards across, so that 
the entrance is effectually haired to ships of the hue, though 
steamers might manage to obtain an entrance, the more so 
us the masts of the suukeu vessels still indicate their posi- 
tion. At the head of the harbour, which runs up to the east 
