Sinope is a town of some little importance, I still prevented the execution of a manœuvre about one hundred miles from the Bospho- that might at this juncture have inflicted conrus and nearly facing Sebastopol; its dock- dign punishment on the victors of Sinope. yards and arsenal, covering a considerable The loss of such an opportunity proves inextent of ground, were ill protected by a few contestably the absence from the councils of insignificant batteries. the Allied Powers of men like those who achieved the glories of England in days gone by. Who, for instance, could imagine Nelson lying inactive within a few miles of a hostile force flushed with such a victory as that of Sinope, over a power whose interests he had been empowered and commissioned to protect? The day after the news reached England, Sir H. Willoughby, in the House of Commons, took occasion to call attention to the destruction of the Turkish flotilla at Sinope, and inquired of the Government how it had occurred that that lamentable event had not been prevented. Resistance on the part of the Turks was almost hopeless, as their entire squadron mounted altogether only 406 guns, while the Russian ships carried no less than 760, and those mostly of very heavy calibre. As soon as he had entered the bay, the Russian admiral brought his ships deliberately to an anchor, sending at the same time an officer to demand the unconditional surrender of Osman Pacha's fleet. He scarcely awaited the delivery of this insulting message, but immediately opened fire on the enemy, whose force, if duly estimated, was at least three times greater than his own. So unequal was the contest, that it can only be regarded as a massacre in three hours and a half the Turkish squadron was annihilated. The courage displayed by the Mussulmans in this affair cannot be too highly lauded. Most of the captains were killed, or blown up with their ships out of 4575 men composing their crews, 4155 were killed in the engagement, 120 were taken prisoners, and 300 were wantonly slaughtered in the conflagration of the defenceless town,-a worthy consummation to this disgraceful act of piracy, the details of which aroused the universal execration of Europe. The Emperor, on the other hand, was unable to dissemble his delight, and readily accepted this massacre as a glorious set-off against the rout of his troops at Oltenitza. An officer, despatched with the welcome intelligence by Prince Menschik off to the Czar, appeared in the august presence covered with mud, and so exhausted with fatigue that he actually fell asleep while the Emperor was reading the despatches. The Czar roused him with the announcement that "his horses were ready to convey him to the south," and that, from the rank of captain, he had risen to that of lieutenant-colonel. The news of the disaster occasioned great consternation at Constantinople. The crews of the allied squadron began naturally enough to inquire among themselves whether they had been summoned to the Bosphorus to be passive spectators of deeds such as we have detailed. The miserable spirit of an impotent and vacillating diplomacy had hitherto effec tually marred that energetic action by which alone the aggressive policy of Russia could have been successfully encountered, and it Sir J. Graham explained the circumstances which had led to what he termed the "outrage" at Sinope, an event imputed to the culpable neglect of the Turkish authorities. Admiral Dundas (whom Sir James defended against the charge of having manifested a want of decision) had stated that the cause of the disaster was the leaving the Turkish squadron in an open roadstead for so long a period. Warning of the danger of the flotilla had been given, and orders were issued in ample time for its withdrawal, but they had been unhappily revoked by the Turkish authorities. It is not, however, to be supposed that the allied fleets remained positively inactive. An English and a French frigate were sent to obtain specific information relative to the affair of the 30th November. Negotiations, meanwhile, were suspended; but after the return of the Retribution and the Mogador, another month was lost ere the combined Powers of the West took any decided steps to support the Sultan in his unequal struggle with the Czar. The conference of Vienna not long after issued a protocol, and also a document, called "a collective note," which were followed by explanations and diplomatic circulars, none of much importance, nor calculated to operate beneficially in staying the progress of hostilities. It was not until six o'clock on the morning of the 3d January, 1854, that the AngloGallic squadron entered the Black Sea. The English ships comprised the Britannia 120, Queen 120, Trafalgar 120, Albion 90, Vengeance 90, Rodney 90, Agamemnon 90, Bellerophon 80, Sanspareil 70, Leander 50, Firebrand, 6, Furious 16, Fury 6, Niger 14, Inflexible 6, Retribution 20, Sampson 6, [ in person. That officer embarked on board Tiger 16, Terrible 20. The French squadron was composed of the Ville de Paris, 120, Valmy 120, Friedland 120, Henri IV. 100, Jena 90, Bayard 90, Charlemagne 90, Jupiter 86, Gomer 24, Mogador 16, Magellan 14, Sané 14, Caton 30, Serieuse 30, Mercuré 18. They were accompanied by a few Turkish steamers, the Fezzi- Bahri, Medjedié, Chehper, Saidi Chadi, and Mahbiri-Susuz, each ing about 1000 troops, and a large supply of ammunition and provisions for the army in Asia. H. M. S. Retribution, whose captain (Drummond), with the copy bearing Lord Redcliffe's signature, taking advantage of a dense fog, and without any pilot, boldly steamed into the very harbor of Sebastopol. Two shots were fired as a signal to bring-to, but they were disregarded; whereupon a Russian officer, in a state of considerable excitement, carry-hailed the frigate from a boat, emphatically announcing that no vessel of war could be permitted to enter the harbor, and that consequently the Retribution must forth with retire. This requisition Captain Drummond refused to comply with until the object of his mission had been accomplished. He was then informed that the governor was not in Sebastopol. The commander of the Retribution inquired for the deputy-governor, to whom he delivered his despatches; and it is said that this unfortunate officer was degraded to the ranks for permitting an English man-of-war to make her way without opposition into a port so jealously guarded. At this time the Russian force in the Black Sea was composed of the Varna, Twelve Apostles, Rostilas, Sviatoslaf, Sviafard, Sviatiteli, each of 120 guns; the Sultan Mahmoud, Tschorcow, Uriel, Yagoudib, Chabry, Czelem, Silistria, Catharine II., all of 80 guns; the Midis, Kavarna, Flora, Brahilow, Misifria, Zisopool, Kagul, Agathopol, of 50 or 60 guns; the three steamers, Bessarabia, Gromonoz, and Grosney, and fifteen corvettes and a few smaller vessels which have not been enumerated. Considerable as was the squadron at this time in commission in the Black Sea, under the command of the Russian Admiral, we have good reason to believe that the force, if requisite, could have been rendered still more imposing by the equipment of numerous large ships lying in ordinary in the harbor of Sebastopol. At this conjuncture the representatives of the great Western Powers addressed a letter to the Governor of Sebastopol, announcing that the Anglo-Gallic fleet had been ordered to the Black Sea to protect the shores that fringe the Ottoman territory against any act of aggression they, moreover, expressed a diplomatic hope that his Excellency would give such instructions to the Russian admirals as would prevent a hostile collision. This letter was deficient in one main essential, since it studiously avoided announcing that the combined fleet was engaged in convoying a Turkish squadron ladened with mu nitions of war, having, moreover, undertaken to defend it against any attack. There is something in this omission which might be characterized by a stronger desig❘ nation than excessive caution. But this is not the only instance, during the negotiations we are now recording, that diplomacy has worn a more than questionable guise. One copy of the epistle, however-such as it was signed by General Baraguay d'Hilliers, was entrusted to a French officer, commissioned to deliver it to Prince Menschikoff While the parley between the English commander and the deputy-governor was going on, the officers of the Retribution, by the aid of cameras and pencils, took a series of sketches of the works of Sebastopol, and thus made themselves masters of all the information which the Russians had any interest in concealing. On the 6th January, just as the allied fleets had taken possession of the Black Sea in order to retain a material guarantee" equivalent to that of the Wallachian provinces, so unwarrantably seized by the Czar, the army of Abdul Medjid on the Danube was preparing to prove itself worthy of the important alliance he had just concluded. His soldiers had shewn well enough at Sinope that they knew how to die: at Citate they satisfied Europe that they knew how to fight. Though, for the most part, inexperienced levies, they were more than a match for the veterans of the Czar, many of whom had for years past been inured to hard fighting in the Caucasus, while many more had seen something of warfare in the Hungarian campaign. The Russians having determined to attack Kalafat, where Achmet Pacha had resolved to establish himself in force, began to manœuvre so as to reduce within the narrowest limits the Ottoman position: they threw up also a considerable number of field-works, so as to command almost every approach. Achmet Pacha felt that the moment had ar rived when it was incumbent upon him to act with vigor, if he did not wish to break the spirit or lower the morale of his men. Till the last moment, however, he divulged his plans to no one; nor did he, till the hour had arrived, intimate his intention of giving battle at Citate, the nearest point to the enemy's lines. Citate is little more than a village, situate upon a gradual slope commanding the surrounding plain, which is bounded by two ravines. That on the eastern extremity is steep, abutting upon a lake, to the rear of which is a long level tract, extending to the Danube. The western gully is less abrupt, and inclines gradually towards a hill behind the village. The main road to Kalafat lies in a north-westerly direction between these ravines. On a height above Citate, and to the left of the road, the Russians had thrown up a redoubt, which subsequently had the effect of preserving them from absolute destruction. Achmet Pacha selected for this enterprise three regiments of cavalry (inclusive of 200 bashi-bazouks,) thirteen battalions of infantry (altogether 11,000 men,) and twenty guns. At sunset on the evening of the 5th January, the chosen band silently quitted Kalafat, reaching the village of Maglovit at eight o'clock. Some few found shelter in the de- | serted houses, but the greater part bivouacked without fire and without shelter. The ground was covered with half melted snow: the men were consequently compelled to keep on foot till daybreak, when the bugle summoned them to proceed to the scene of the impending action. Two Turkish battalions were posted, with two guns, on the road, one in the village of Maglovit, the other in that of Orenja, to keep up the communication with Kalafat. A reserve of seven battalions was stationed at the foot of the hill already alluded to, while the four other battalions, with six guns (under the command of Ismail Pacha, who led the attack,) were posted somewhat in advance. The day dawned fair, the air was clear and calm, and the sky cloudless. Not a Russian sentry was visible, from the Turkish position, along the whole valley of the Danube: from the unbroken silence it might have been imagined that they had evacuated Citate. Six companies of light infantry, headed by Tey fik Bey (the nephew of Omar Pacha), were pushed forward entirailleurs. They were on the point of occupying the hill, when a heavy discharge of grape and canister plainly enough revealed the presence of the enemy, as well as their intention of disputing the position. A well-directed fire of musketry ensued, but the Turkish sharpshooters, supported by four battalions of infantry and a field battery, opened a murderous fire on the Russians, whose artillery was miserably served in comparison with that of their antagonists. They fought, however, with desperation; and as the Turks advanced, carrying house after house at the bayonet's point, the Russians disputed every inch with all the frenzy of despair. Quarter was neither asked nor given. Many of the Russian officers, seeing their men give way, actually threw themselves on the swords of the Mussulmans. The desperate struggle lasted more than four hours, occasioning a heavy loss on both sides. At noon every dwelling in the village had been captured, and the Russians were retreating in tolerable order along the road; but they there found themselves confronted by two fresh regiments of Turkish cavalry, which had advanced unperceived along the ravine to the right of the village. Thus situated, the Russians had no alternative but to take shelter with their guns behind their redoubt. They thus obtained a partial shelter from the Turkish cavalry. At this moment Ismail Pacha, who had had two horses killed under him, and had been badly wounded, yielded the command to Mustapha, and he, with two battalions that had not yet been engaged, and with four field-pieces, hastened to attack the redoubt, in conjunction with four additional battalions, each flanked by five guns. In half an hour more the des truction of the Russians would have been complete; but at this moment the attention of the combatants was arrested by an occurrence in another part of the plain. As might have been expected, the intelligence of this engagement had already reached the Russians quartered in the surrounding villages, and reinforcements to the extent of 10,000 men and sixteen guns, might be seen rapidly advancing in various directions upon the Turkish reserve, which was well prepared to receive them. The Russians were marching in the direction of Kalafat, so as to place the Turks between two fires. The Mussulman generals, however, though in a critical position, concerted measures well, and at the proper moment, after having again displayed the superiority of their artillery, led their gallant battalions against the enemy, who speedily took to flight, strewing the ground with an immense quantity of arms, accoutrements and ammunition. The Turks had now been eight hours under arms, besides having bivouacked, in the depth of winter, without fire, on the muddy ground; but they were still eager to attack the redoubt, where the Russians remained literally penned in like sheep. Achmet Pacha, however, sounded a retreat, which was executed in perfect order. The Turks left 338 killed on this hard fought field, and carried away 700 wounded; while the Russian loss could not have been less than 1500 killed and 2000 wounded. At nightfall the redoubt was abandoned; and the Russians, after burying their dead, completely evacuated Citate, and all the other villages which had served them as advanced posts. We have been thus particular in the details of this action, because it was, in fact, one of the most important of the campaign. The Ottoman troops, elated with so decisive a victory over a detested foe, were now only anxious to be led again to battle. On the 7th, Omar Pacha, who had hastened to the spot on hearing of the achievement of this division of his army, gratified their wishes, and on that and the three following days engagements took place, each terminating in results favorable to the cause of the Sultan. Not even Russian mendacity could long conceal the fact, that, with inferior numbers, and on an open plain, the Czar's vaunted troops had been utterly discomfited by men who had hitherto been contemptuously regarded as little better than an armed rabble. Nor had this success been achieved in a single skirmish only, but in a series of battles fought during five consecutive days. Turkey thus at once resumed her position in Europe as a military power, and gave earnest, that when the ten or twelve millions, constituting her Christian population, shall have accepted the offer of the Sultan to bear arms like their Mahometan fellow-subjects, she will be in a position to protect herself against any aggression. Time of course must elapse before this takes place; but enough has been done to prove that the protection of Eng. land and France need not be always indispensable to the existence of the Turkish empire. had no desire to attempt any rash enterprise, but prudently kept watch, so as to avail himself of any favorable contingency; his character presenting a happy combination of daring and prudence. While the events we have related were proceeding, the war was being carried on with vigor on the frontier of Asia: numerous conflicts took place, attended with much slaughter, but not with any very commensurate results. The most important battle was that of Akhaltzik, claimed by the Russian General, Prince Andronikoff, in a bombastic bulletin, as a great victory. Like that of Sinope, it was celebrated at Petersburg by a solemn Te Deum: "The most pious Czar," in the words of the Government organ, thanking the Lord of lords for the success of the Russian arms in the sacred combat for the orthodox faith." (!) The allied squadron in the Black Sea, after having escorted a Turkish squadron freighted with supplies to Batoum, Trebizonde, and Chekvetil, reconnoitered the Russian fleet in Sebastopol, and returned to the Bosphorus. England and France having announced to the world their intention of affording to Turkey both moral and material support, but their moral aid having failed to avert the invasion of the Danubian provinces, the massacre of Sinope, or the treachery of Austria, masked as it was under the guise of friendship, it became incumbent on the two Western Powers to abandon at once all further discussion, and to appeal to the stern but inevitable arbitrament of the sword. The Queen's declaration of war appeared in the Gazette of the 28th of March: on the preceding day, at Paris, the Minister of State read to the Legislative corps a message from the Emperor, announcing that the last resolution of the Cabinet of St. Petersburg had placed Russia in a state of war with respect to France-a war, the responsibility of which belonged entirely to the Russian Government.' Great now was the activity displayed at the naval ports and arsenals of England and France. From Portsmouth and SouthampIt is unnecessary for our present purpose ton regiment after regiment were embarked to follow the hostile armies on the Danube-ships were commissioned faster almost than through all their operations. It will be sufficient to observe, that after the various engagements in the neighborhood of Kalafat, Omar Pacha resumed the plan on which Le had previously proceeded at Giurgevo and Oltenitza, the object of which was to constrain the Russians to detach a portion of their army in order to cover Bucharest. He they could be got ready for sea-and additional reinforcements were despatched in all haste to Sir Charles Napier's magnificent Baltic fleet, which sailed from Spithead on the 11th of March.* * The division which sailed from Spithead on the 11th of March comprised sixteen war steamers; of which two-the Duke of Wellington and the And now became apparent the miserable | the first, France and England engage to suppolicy of those short-sighted economists, who. port Turkey by force of arms until the consome years since, prevented the organization clusion of a peace which shall secure indeof a transport service, adequate on occasions pendence of the Ottoman empire, and the like the present to the emergencies of the integrity of the rights of the Sultan. The country. From the lack of such a service, two protecting Powers undertake not to deGovernment were obliged to charter as many rive from the actual crisis, or from the negovessels as they could procure from private tiations which may terminate it, any exclusive companies, many of them very badly adapted advantage. By the second article the Porte, for the required purpose. Yet as much as on its side, pledges itself not to make peace four hundred pounds per day was paid for under any circumstances without having premany of these extemporized transports. viously obtained the consent, and solicited the participation of the two Powers, and also to employ all its resources to carry on the war with vigor. In the third article the two Powers promise to evacuate, immediately after the conclusion of the war, and on the On the 12th of March the treaty of alliance between England, France, and the Porte, was signed by the representatives of those powers. The treaty consists of five articles. By IV. 100, Bayard 90, Charlemagne, screw, 90, Jena 90, Jupiter 90, Marengo 80; steam-frigate, Gomer 16, Descartes 20, Vauban 20, Mogador 8, Cacique 14, Magellan 14, Sané 14, Caton steam-corvette, 4, Sérieuse sailing ditto, 30, Mercure, Oliviere, and Beaumanoir, 20-gun brigs, Cerf, 10 gun brig, Prométéhe, Salamandre, Héron, and Monette, small steamers. The squadron of Vice Admiral Bruat intended to act in the Black Sea, the sea of Gallipoli, and in the Eastern Archipelago, comprises the following vessels: Montebello 120 guns, Napoleon, screw, 92, Suffren 90, Jean Bart, screw, 90, Ville de Marseilles 80, Algar 80, Pomone, screw, 40, Caffarelli, steam-frigate, 14, Rowland and Primauguet, steam-corvettes, eight guns each. Independently of these three squadrons, and of all the frigates or steam-corvettes assembled in the Mediterranean for the transport of the army to the East, all the naval stations in the West Indies, the Pacific Ocean, the Indo-China seas, and in all quarters where the fisheries are carried on, have been reinforced. The French navy has now on service on different seas 56,000 sailors. The entire French navy is at present composed of : 19 of 90 guns. 11 from 86 to 82 guns.. 53 ships. The French Baltic fleet, which, under the command of Vice-Admiral Parseval-Deschênes, sailed from Brest for the Gulf of Finland, is composed of the following vessels: Tage 100 guns, Austerlitz, screw, 100, Hercule 100, Jammapes 100, Breslaw 20, Duguesclin 90, Inflexible 90, Duperre 80, Trident 80, Semillante 60, Andromaque 60, Vengeance 60, Poursuivante 50, Virginie 50, Zenobie 50, Psyche 40, Darien, steam-frigate, 14, Phlegethon, steam carrying 1080 guns. carrying 1400 guns. carrying 1710 guns. carrying 914 guns. FRIGATES. 5104 guns. 39 from 30 to 14 guns.. carrying 868 guns. BRIGS, SCHOONERS, AND CUTTERS. 101 from 20 to 4 guns. ... carrying 1066 guns. TRANSPORT-CORVETTES, LIGHTERS, &c. corvette, 10. Souffleur, ditto, 6, and Milan, Lucifer, 39, carrying together 788 guns, and measuring 18,Aigle, and Daim, small steamers. The French naval force in the Black Sea, under the command of Vice 500 tons. STEAM-NAVY. Admiral Hamelin, is composed of the Friedland 3 ships, 20 frigates, 30 corvettes, and 64 avisos, re 120 guns, Valmy 120, Ville de Paris 120, Henry presenting a power of 28,750 horses. |