English Extracts.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 386, 16 July 1856, Page 8

English Extracts.

DASHING CAVALRY ENCOUNTER NEAR KERTCH. (From the " Daily News.")

At little more than an hour's notice beforehand, I learn that a steamer is just on the eve of starting for Constantinople, and as our lately established weekly postal communication with Sebastopol is in no way to be depended upon, I seize this unexpected opportunity of sending you the following brief account of a recent " brush " between ourselves and the enemy—in preference to taking my chance of the French mail-boat, which should leave Fort Paul on Monday, February 25.

My recent letters will have sufficiently apprised you of the state of our forage supplies, and of the extent to which we have latterly been dependent for them upon the surrounding country; I need not, therefore, repeat that nearly the whole of the hay, straw, and green forage consumed by the small cavalry force with us, as well as by the Land Transport animals and private chargers, has been brought in from villages within a ride of about eight miles from Kertch or Yenikale; nor need I add to what I have already written on the neglect of our " authorities" to lay in an ample store on the first arrival of our force here, as might most easily have been done. Thanks, however, to this last piece of official inertness and want of foresight, the abundance which was then available had dwindled down to a degree of scantiness which promises anything but " high living]" for the quadrupeds during the coming three months; for, in inverse proportion to our neglect has been the activity of the enemy in destroying everything they could lay hands on, that might supply fodder for a goat. However, be the degree of blame arising properly out of our chief's early default in this matter, what it may,, attempts to make up for it before the last pound weight of forage has been burned or otherwise destroyed by the Cossacks, have latterly increased in frequency,, and on one of these errands an infantry foraging party was despatched some few days ago from Kertch to bring in a quantity of hay and straw from a place called the Spanish Farm, about five miles from the town. Parties of the enemy's Cossacks had for some days been prowling .about the neighbourhood, with the view of seizing any opportunity that might offer to set fire to the forage in question, but wisely kept at a safe distance up till daylight of the 16th inst. On the morning of that day, however, scattered twos and threes of them made a nearer approach ; and MajorgM'Dofl.ald who commands th.c Turkish cavalry

detachment accompanying the force, went out with his party of eighty Lancers to beat them off and reconnoitre. After riding some couple of miles in a westerly direction, he fell in with the Russian videttes, who retired as his party approached; but, very quickly afterwards, numerous small bodies of the enemy's regular cavalry galloped into view from different directions, and uniting made a force of about 400 dragoons. This discovery left no option but to fall baak on the farm, and this .Major M' Donald accordingly attempted to do, but the Russian horsemen gave rapid chase, and with their long pieces kept up a galling fire, to which the short carbines of the pursued could make no effective reply. Better mounted, too, they succeeded in outflanking our men, and by this threatened to make prisoners of the whole. The moment was critical ; but Major M'Donald, with a courage beyond praise, resolved to imitate the desperate bravery of the 10th Hussars some months ago._junder nearly similar circumstances, and to cut his way through or perish in the attempt. Forming his little squadron, therefore, he dashed forward at their head against the gleaming barrier of hostile sabres, and being admirably supported by his men, hewed open a way for nearly the wholj. with a cost to the Russians of some 20 killed and wounded. But the enemy speedily recovered from their confusion, gave renewed chase, with a flying fire as before, and again turned for the flank of hard-pressed Turks and their British leader. The escape which had been hoped for from the first desperate effort now seemed impossible ; hut, with a heroism even greater than before, Majcr M'Donald determined to make one more blow for the lives aud freedom of his party. Pulling up for a moment he hastily formed and again rushed, ventre a terre, against the enemy. A fierce hand to baud fight then took place, and after some 20 minutes of as desperate sabring and lance thrusting as the present war has yet seen, the heroic Scotchman and 40 of his little band again cut a passage through—-leaving, I deeply regret to say, poor Captain Sherwood, his second in command, and as many more dead and dying in the enemy's hands. Some minutes elapsed before the well mauled Russians could renew the pursuit, and this short inteival sufficed to give our men headway enough to render pursuit hopeless; still the enemy pressed on, and only gave up the game within a mile of the' camp outside the town, about 3.o'clock in the afternoon. On the following day a flag of truce was sent out from Kertch, when it was ascertained that poor captain Sherwood and five men had been killed, whilst the whole of the 35 were very badly wounded. Since then no further collision has taken place, the infantry party at the Farm having been permitted to come in without any attempt at molestation.

To this hasty narrative of one of the most dashing cavalry encounters, on a small scale, of which the Crimea has yet been the scene. I have no time to add a commentingremark. It proves, however, beyond doubt, that our soldiers possess the "true " metal," and that under such leaders as Major M'Donald they will not disappoint the general hope when their day of action arrives.