TRAKTIR BRIDGE

BATTLE OF.—Fought during the Crime an campaign, between the French and Sard in i an forces, and the Ru ians— “The garrison of Sebastopol having failed, on the 2nd of August, in a desperate attempt to forces the Allied lines by the Woronzoff Road, remained inactive only in appearance. They were ready for a new Balaclava and a new Inkerman all in one, so far as the strategic movement is concerned. In August the Tchernaya is fordable at many points, well known, of course, to the enemy. On the 16th of that month they debouched from the Tchouliou Heights, and descended to the Tchernaya, in the neighbourhood of Traktir-bridge. Behind this bridge rise, at a little distance, the Fediukine hills, on which rested the rear of the French army, which now faced about. To their right were the Sardinians,—to theirs the Turks. Beyond the river, and under Tchouliou hills is a valley, along which swarmed the Ru ian ma es, driving the outposts of the Sard in i an Bersaglieri, or sharp-shooters. About 1500 Zouaves and Cha eurs guarded the bridge: they were attacked by 10,000 Ru ians, under General Read. For an hour the 1500 held the 10,000 beneath the storm of artillery which pound upon their dense columns from one English battery and from the Sard in i an and French artillery. At last, the Ru ians swarmed over the fords, forced the bridge, and slowly pushed the brave Zouaves up the hill; but executed this movement painfully, out of breath, in disorder, and rent by ordnance. At the hill’s brow the main body of the French received in their openings comrades worthy of Leonidas, who, turning, and now backed by strong columns, charged bayonets down the declivity. Twice the enemy rallied, but in vain. The Sardinians and French made a final rush, and drove them with carnage upon their supports, who were thus disarrayed. The artillery reopened, and the battle was won. General Scarlett’s dragoons came up at this moment, but General Peli ier deemed pursuit unwise. The enemy retired on Mackenzie’s Farm. He left on the field a quantity of fascines, planks, beams, ladders, and sappers’ tools, destined to destroy the works of the besiegers. He left also 2500 dead; and 1620 of his wounded were that night in the ambulances of the French, who took, in addition, 500 prisoners. They themselves lost 180 killed, and 810 wounded—chiefly on and near the bridge. This great battle occurred the day succeeding the First Napoleon’s natal anniversary, and the fête-day of the French Empire. It was on that very morning that the Queen of England set out to pay the first Royal visit ever made by English Monarch to a Sovereign of that warlike dynasty. It seemed as if events both in the East and in the West were conspiring to raise to the highest point the glory of the Napoleon destinies at one and the same hour.”