A RECONNAISSANCE IN THE CRIMEA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 296, 1 September 1855, Page 4

A RECONNAISSANCE IN THE CRIMEA.

( From the Correspondent of the " Times.") " A reconnaissance was made by a strong division of Turkish troops under the command of bis Excelledcy Omar Pasha, assisted by French and English cavalry and artillery, this morning. The particulars of the affair you will learn from another hand ; hut as there" was an English force present, I may be allowed to give my own version of what took place under mv eyes. Late last night, or rather enrly this morning, orders were sent to the head-quarters of the Heavy Cavalry Brigade and the C troop of the Royal Horse Artillery to be in readiness to turn out at daybreak, and the 10th Hussars (Briga-dier-General Parlby, of the Light Cavalry, in temporary command of the Ca\alry Division, during General Scarlett's absence) received similar instructions. The Chasseurs d'Afrique and a French rocket troop, for mountain service, accompanied the reconnaissance, and rendered excellent service during the day The Heavy Cavalry Brigade, consisting „f the remnants of the Ist Royals, Major W.-irdlaw; Scots Greys, Colonel Griffiths; Ei-niskillens. Colonel White; 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards; and sth (Princess Charlotte^) Dragoon Guards, turned out about 5 o'clock, and, with th« loth Hussars in advance, proceeded into the plain of Balaklava, the heights over which were already crowned by the Tuikhh infantry to the number of some 6,000 or 7,000 men, and before 7 o'clock the whole of the troops were in motion towards Komara. The Chasseurs d'Afrique were in advance, with a line of skirmishers spread out in front of the little expedition. The Frei.ch rocket troop and C troop, Royal Horse Artillery, and the 10th Hussars aud Heavy Cavalry Brigade covered the advance of the infantry, and, as the morning was fine and clear, the sight presented by the troops as seen advancing across the plain from the heights was very beautiful. So little was known about the reconnaissance, that many officers at head-quarters were not awaro of it till they learnt that Lord Raglan, attended by a few membeis of tbe ftaff, and followed by only six orderlies, had started to overtake the troops. General Ca»ro.

bert was, I believe, on the field, but I did not see him. A great number of amateurs, forming clouds of very irregular cavalry, followed and preceded the expedition. His Excellency the Pasha, who wai attended by his staff, by Bebrern Pa«ha (Colonel Cannon), and several Turkish officers of rank, had the control of the force. "The Turks marched in dense columns, bristling with steel, and the sunlight flashing on the polished barrels of their firelocks and on their bayonets, relieved the sombre hue of the mass, for their dark blue uniforms, but little relieved by facings or gay shoulder straps and cuffs, look quite black when the men are together. Tbe Chasseurs d'Al'rique, clad in light powder jackets, with white cartonch belts, and in bright red pantaloon4;, mounted on white Arabs, caught the eye like a bed of flowers scattered over the piain. Nor did the rich verdure indeed require any such borrowed beauty, for the soil produces an abundance of wild flowering shrubs and beautiful plants. Dahlias, anemones, sweetbriar, whitethorn, wild parsley, mint, thyme, sage, asparagus, and a hundred other different citizens of the vegetable kingdom spring up all over the plain, and as the Turkish infantry, moved along their feet crushed the sweet flowers, and the air was filled with delicate odours, which overcame the sweltering atmosphere around the columns. Rectangular patches of long, rauk, rich grass, waving high above the more natural green meadow, marked the mounds where the slain of the 25th of October are reposing for ever, and the snorting horse refuses to eat tbe unwholesome shoots. As the force moved on evidences of that fatal and glorious day became thick and painful. The skeleton of an English dragoon, said to be one of the Royals, lay still extended ou the plain, with tattered bits of red cloth hanging to the bones of his arms. All the buttons had been cut off the jacket. The man must have fallen early in the day, when the heavy cavalry were close up to Canrobert's hill, and came under the fire of the Russian artillery. There was also a Russian skeleton close at hand in ghastly companionship. The small bulletskull, round as a cannon hall, had been picked bare all save the scalp, which was still covered with grisly red locks. Further on, amid fragments of shell and round shot, tbe body of another Russian seemed starting out of the grave, which ocarcely covered his lower extremities. The half-decayed skeletons of artillery and cavalry horses covered with rotting trappings, harness, and saddles, lay as they fell in the agonies of death, or had crumbled away into a debris of bone and skin, and leather straps, cloth and buckles. From the numerous graves, the uncovered hones of the tenants had started up through the soil, as if to appeal against tbe hastp with which they had been buried. With the clash of drums and the shrill strains of the fife, with the champing of hits and ringing of steed, man and bop-e swept over the remnants of their fellows in all the pride of life. Not the least interesting part of the spectacle was fur nished by the heavy cavalry brigade passing over the scene of their grand encounter with the Mu-coviie cavalry. Scots Greys and Enniskillens Royals,"4th' D'agoon Gn.-frds ami sth Drasroon Guards, all had been there ; and the survivors might well feel proud when they thought of that day. These regiments were not larger than troops, and some of them, indeed, were not nearly equal in strength to a troop on war footing, for some of* their men have been sent away for remount horses (a proceeding which strikes a civilian as rather curious, seeing that the horses might as well, one would think, have been brought up to them), and others of the men who are left have no horses to mount. The 10th Hussars were conspicuous for the soldierly and efficient look of the men, and the fine condition of their light sinewy and showy horses. As the force descended into the plain they extended'their right flank, and marched towards Kamara, spreading across the ground iv front of Canrobert's hill, from No. 2, Turkish redoubt, up to the slope which leads to the ruined village. A party of Turkish infantry followed the cavalry iv skirmishing order and on approaching the village the column immediately in the rear halted, and Bono Johnny proceeded with great activity to cover the high wooded lull, which overhangs the village to the right. This ihey did without resistance, as the few Cossacks in the village had abandoned it after firing a few straggling shots at the advanced skirmishers. One fellow had been taken so

completely by surprise that he left his lance leaning against a wall. An officer of the 71st espied it just as the Cossack was makings holt back for it. They boib rode their best, but the Briton was first, and carried off tbe lance in triumph, while the Cossack retreated with effective pantomime, representing rage and despair. As soon as the Turks on the right had gained the summit of the hill aboveKamara three of tbe columns advanced and took possession of the ruins, and then drew up on the slope in front of the church. A few men were sent further on towards Baidar, but Jould see no enemy, and they contented themselves with burning a building which the Co&sacks had left standing, the smoke from which led some of us to believe that a little skirmish was going on among the hills. Meantime tbe great bulk of tlie force, leaving three columns, halted at Kamara, marched on past Canrobert's hill, the sides of which are covered wilh the wigwamsof the Russians—some recent, others those which were partially burnt when Liprandi retired last year. They passed by the obi Turkish redoubts, Nos. 1 and 2, towards a very steep, and rocky conical hill, covered with loose stones, near the top of which the Russians threw upa wall of rubbish, about 2^ feet high. A group of Cossacks and some Russian officers had assembled on the top of the hill to examine our strength and watch our movement. As the Turkish skirmishers ,'advanced, the French rocket troop accompanied them. The Turks ascended the hill with ardour and with great agility, firing their pieces as they advanced, to which tbe Cossacks replied by a pretty fusilade. Suddenly an arch of thick white smoke arises from the ground, with a fierce, hissing, rushing noise, and throws itself like a great snake towards the crest of the hill—as it flies onward the smoke disappears and the firev trail is lost, but in the second a puff of smoke bursts out with a slight explosion ou the hill top and the Cossacks and the Russians disappear wilh precipitation. In fact, the French had begun their rocket practice with great accuracy and success. Nothing can be better for such work as this than these light rocket troops. The apparatus is simple and portable—a few mules, with panniers on each side, carry the whole of the tubes, cases, stick", fusees, Sec , and the effect of rockets, though uncertain, is very great, especially against irregular and ill-disciplined cavalry. The skirmishers now crowned this hill also, and the generals and officers of the staff, and numerous idlers and amateurs, followed them. The Russians rode rapidly down the hillside, and crossed tbe Tchernaya by the bridge and at one or two fords near Tchorgoun. Omar Pasha, Loid Raglan, and the French general then spent some time in surveying the country, while the troops were halted in the rear, the artillery and cavalry first, supported by four battalions of Egyptians. At 2 o'clock tbe reconnaisance was over, and the troops slowly retired to the camp, tbe skirmisheis of the French cavalry being followed by the Cossacks at a prudent distance, and exchanging long shots with them from time to time. Before the troops moved off tbe ground the 10th Hussars filed past Omt«r Pasha, who seemrd very much gratified and pleased at the appearance of men and horses. He then inspected his own battalions, and on tbe inarch homeward followed tbe Turks, moving off in good style to tbe music of their own bands, to the great distress of those who heard them. As the Cossacks retired they managed to pick up one of our followers, and I only wonder they did not get more of them, for they loitered about the place in spite of all, remonstrance. The man they took was I believe a commissariat mule driver. A few of the French Cuirrassiers made a charge to get him from his captors, but the Cossacks were too quick. In the twinkling of an eye one of tbem had hoisted up the muleteer to his saddle and lashed him there across the bow, and setting spurs to his horse, he was lost to sight in a ravine in a few seconds. The Cossacks fired some shots at the troops as they retired, but bit no one, and a Russian officer and his staff came so close to observe that they got under the fire of a battery over the Woroiizow road, and received a flight of rockets, but were not hurt. Altogether, the reconnaisance was a most welcome and delightful interlude in the dull, monotonous " performances" of the siege. Every one felt as if he had heaten the Cossacks and got out of the 'prison at last, and I never saw more cheering, joyous faces at a cover side than were to be seen at Canrobert's hill. It was a fillip to our spirits to get a gallop across tbe green sward once more, and to escape

jf from the hateful feeling of constraint and conI finement which bores us to death in the camp* [ A little expedition of the kind now and then I would be of more use to the men, if it could be jj properly managed, than a cargo of physic.