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BOMBARDMENT OF ODESSA. [From the Times, May 9.]

The German papera contain the following extract from a report of General Osten Sacken, a Russian General, dated 23rd of April, relative to the bombatdment of Odessa : — "On the 21st April, the English and French squadrons cast anchor at a distance of three verstes from Odessa. The squadron was composed of six first class vessels, thirteen two decked vessels, and I nine steamers. Towards four o'clock in the afternoon Admirals Dundas and Hamelin sent a flag of truce with a summons to surrender the Russian. English and French vessels lying in the quarantine port. To this summons no answer was given. j " Yesterday, Saturday April 22, at half-past six o'clock in the morning, nine steam vessels of the enemy, one of which carried 54 guns, and almost all the others 34, after stationing themselves beyond the reach of the battery No. 1, situated on the right of the roadstead, advanced successively to the whole extent of the batteiies No. 2, 3, 4, 5 which they attacked, throwing occasionally sliplls into the town itself, and finishing by diiecting their concentrated fire upon battery No. 6, situated at the extremity of the quarantine port. Our batteries were armed with 48 pounders- The enemy profited by the large calibre of his pieces, and kept at a distance, which circumstance did noi, al ow the batteries Nos. 3 and's to take an active part in the engagement, although exposed to the enemy's fire. The battery No. 6, under the command of Cornet of Artillery Schogoleff, kept up a well sustained fire from it» four pieces ; but one of the latter having been destroyed, and the enemy having placed himself beyond the reach of the third gun, only the two guns of the left could be brought into play, and with these two pieces the battery No. 6 held out during six hours against the steamers of the enemy, and to the end against eight steamers and a screw steamer of 84 guns, which had come up as a reinforcement. Even then the bittery was not silenced, and Count Schogoleff did not quit the position until the vessels stationed in, the post behind the battery itself took fire. " In consequence of the fire from this battery three of the enemy's vessels were, towards the end of the action, forced to be towed by the others." _ A roport of this brilliant feat of arms wa3 immediately sent to the Commander-in-Chief, who exercising the prerogative he possesses, conferred the decoration of the military ordei upon those who had particularly distinguished themselves. '"'Thanks to their small draught of water, the iron vessels of the enemy succeeded in surrounding the port of free pratique, and in approaching the faubourg of Perissep, irom where, by the aid of boats, they were enabled to throw Congreve rockets which set fire to the vessels iv the port, and to a few houses in the faubourg. They even attempted a landing, but the grape sahot from four pieces of aitillery, covered by six companies of infantry, prevented the execution of that enterprise. The boats were met by our balls, and experienced considerable loss. " We had on our side a few dead and wounded, and two gun caniages were destroyed. ''During the action some of the ships of the line belonging to the enemy left their order of battle, and advanced towards the country house of General Luders, against which they directed their fire, but having been fired upon by- our batteiies Nos. I 1, 2, and 3, they contented themselves with-afew

discharges- and resumed their previous position. jThis manoeuvre was repeated several times: At. seven o'clock the action ceased, and the assniling vesse's joined the res^ of the squadron. Our artitlerv worked in a brilliant manner, and our batteries suffered little, with the exception ofHiatof No. 6. \' c had four Killod and 64 wounded '' The Vienna Presse of the 4th has an Odessa letter of the 25th ult., of which the following is a translation :—: — " The last ship belonging to the combined fleets has disappeared to-day, and the excitement and terror of the inhabitants of Odessa have in some measure subsided. As the Anglo French vessels neared the city the greater part of the people fled. As on the 13th. the Furious which had come to fetch away the English and French Consuls, was fired at by the strand batteries; the commander of the port probably had a presentiment that the protecting fli-et would soon appear. Accordingly, on the 14th April, he addrcaed a proclamation to the inhabitants of Odessa, in which he summoned them, as a blockade, or even a bombardment, was expected, to remove their goods into the interior. At half-past three on the 14th seven men of war hove in sight, and announced their arrival by discharging a few guns at our port batteries. Tn spite of the assurance of the Russian officers that the danger was not so near, the terrified people fled from the city, which was garrisoned by strong detachments of soldiers. " Without loss of time intelligence was forwarded to St. Petersburg and Sebastopol that the bombardment of Odessa had begun on the 14th, The newly arrived vessels, however, kent out of range of the port batteries, and snapped up all the merchantmen that attempted to enter the harbour. During the night between the 14fch and 15th, the vessels sent a few broadsides into the magazines near the beach, and one was burn t.The watchfulness of the commander of the port, who had made all the necessarypreparations for extinguishing a fire, saved us from any greater misfortune. On the" 15th the ships left for Varna with their prizes, and every one thought the danger was over. On the 16th. towards 6in the evening, some seventeen vessels appeared on the hoiizon, and on their arrival placed themselves just within range of our batteries, and no more : they then turned, and their first salutation was a broadside from 0.00 guns. 11 On the 17th April a steamer, with a flag of truce flying, entered the port; but a few shots which were fired from the batteries prevented her advancing. A Russian ship went off to the steamer which had brought a written summons from the British Admiral to surrender all the ships which were in port. This was peremptorily refused and at 3 on the same day the ships, then at a greater distance, opened a tremendous lire upon our strand batteries, two of which were dismounted. Two magazines took fire ; but as night drew on the bombardment ceased. From the 18th up to the 22nd negotiations were carried on, during which the Russians were receiving reinforcements, and the injured batteries got into order. On the 22nd, at 8 in the morning a still more violent bombardment began, which was continued without interruption until % past 6in the evening. Most of the strand batteries were injured, and those in the north east corner of the port were almost entiiely dismounted. The loss of the Russians, who displayed the greatest intrepidity is estimated at 200 men ; more than 300 were dangerously, and more than twice that number less severely wounded. Six magazines were burnt. The city suffered comparatively little, though a few of the principal buildings, and among the rest the WoronzofF palace, were a prey to the flames. Odessa has completely changed its external appearance. The terrific cannonade ha 3 broken all the windows, many chimneys have fallen, and the steeples of many churches are injured. ,The fleet also suffered, for five ships were put hors de combat; and taken in tow to Varna. The French attempted to land at the south west end of the port, but were repulsed with loss by a powerful Russian force. We are still occupied in quenching the burning ruins. During the action the sea ran extremely high." According to another report the batteries at the north eastern or Cherson end of the port, were extremely well worked, although they were exposed to the fire of 6 steamers, which sent in an incessant shower of bombs, rockets, and red hot balls. The harbour or harbours of Odessa, are artificial. There are two moles. The so called Pratika, or quarantine harbour is in the centre ; Cherson is the so called war port. Among the prizes taken to Varna 19 one which is said to have a very considerable sum in silver on board. Further reference to this news will be found below in our quotations from the Morning Chronicle, Paris correspondence, Ville de Paris, Odessa roads, April 25. "On the morning of the 22nd, eight steamers, three French and five English, proceeded to the Imperial Port of Odessa, and at half-past six four of them had opened their fire on the land batteries. The two moles, as well as the intermediate batteries warmly returned it. At ten o'clock four of other frigates joined, and then the action became general. It continued until 5 o'clock in the evening, when Admiral Dundas made signals to the frigates to join the squadron. The fire had gained the battery of the Imperial mole; the powder magazine had blown up; fifteen vessels, with the exception of two or three, were either sunk or on fire. The naval establishments were also on fire. or very much injured from the bhells. The town and the commercial port where a number of vessels of all nations were moored, were respected. Several of the vessels took advantage of the confusion and got out, and among them the only two French vessels that were there. The Turkish Ambassador, on his part, has received from the Ottoman Legation at Vienna the tollowing despatch on the same subject. " I have just received the following despatch from Belgrade; it has been communicated to me by Omar Pasha who begged me to transmit it to you. Eight steam frigates belonging to the combined fleet proceeded to Odessa, and commeuced bombarding the military port on the 22nd. In a few hours they destroyed all the fortifications, the batteries, and the. military establishments of the Russians. Two powder magazines blew up, and twelve of the enemy's vessels of war were sunk. The commercial port was spared, and the merchant vessels escaped; Thirteen Russian vessels laden with stores and ammunition were captured. The town of Odessa was defended by four batteries, which were constructed about the beginning of this year, and were placed*as follows — The first ; of 12 guns, on the mole of the quarantine port, defending the entrance of the great roadstead ; the second of six guns-, below the boulevard and to the right of the flight of steus which comes down to the sea, and divides the boulevard into two : this battery defends the entrance of the quarantine port ; the third to the left of the steps, placed in such a manner as to cross its fire with that of the- second battery, and to command the roadstead ; the fourth on the quay of the port de pratique below the palace of Prince Woronzoif ; each of these two last named batteries had eight guns. In addition to these four batteries there were three others; one on the other side of the Gulf of Odessa at the Russian village of Dofinofka, nearly opposite the quarantine porl ; the other to the south of the port near the country house of the Countess of Langeron ; and the third in the same direction, and near the Cape of the Great Fountain, where a lighthouse is also placed. Another Turkish Victory. — A letter from a friend to Widdin contains some interesting details relative to the combat which tookpl&ce. on the 19th April, near Kalafat. The writer was an" eye wit-_ nes3 of what he describes: — "The garriion of Kalafat," he say», ""-knew for some time pass that General Gottschjikoff had fallen back enKrajova, and then on Bucharest, where he had fixed his head quarters, and that he -JiadJ-been succeeded in Little Wallachia by GenteralSchild,er. The question is viiether the new .commander had orders to make a last desperate attempt onKala'fat. This I cannot answer, but, at any rate;" the" attempt he made was most unfortunate. On the morning of the 19th, at 9 o'clock, three guns gave the alarm, and announced to us the welcome tidings that the Russians were approaching. In a few

minutes the whole of the garrison, infantry, cavalry, and artillery turned out — each arm, each rejnmpnt, each man, in the place allotted to them previously. It wat a 1 done with admirable punctuality and celerity. Tho Greater part of the infantry took their post on I lie rampftiH, and, as the Russians appeared in enns'deiable foice, the whole of the regular cavalry, the whole of the field artillery, and all the inegular infantry and cavalry were ready to sally out. Scarcely had they quitted the place, when xre saw, on the immense plain which stretches out before the fortifications of Kalafat, the Russian army drawn up in order of battle, between Puiano and Kalafat, with their lines extending from Kupretchin to Puiar-o. Sixteen squadrons of regular cavalry, 2U pieces of artillery, several battalions of infantry, the whole of the irregular infantry and cavaliy, amounting to 4000 men, sallied out to meetth^m and accept the challenge. The Russians contin 'ed to anproach towards the town. We waited till th*y were within reach of cannon, and th»n our Turks unmasked the batteries, and the forts threw their fire amongst them. Contrary to their usual habit, the Russians persevered in advancing, and we soon saw that they really meant to give battle. In the meantime the Bashi-Bazouks, who, I may tell you, en passant. are capital marksmen, opened in a most apilited manner the action with the Cossacks in the direction of Kupretchin; the field pieces were placed in battery, and »hrew in an effective fire on the Russian column. You are aware, I dare say, that the Turkish artillery is far superior to that of the Russians in accuracy of aim. While we pounded into them in this manner, the Muscovite cavalry charged the Tuikish horsemen three times, and three times the Turks repulsed them with loss, while the guns from the forts played on them with excellent effect One of the regiments of the Ottoman cavahy, having with it four^pieces of artillery which were masked from the Russians by a rising ground, allowed with the greatest sangfroid the Muscovites to continue their charge till they were within 200 paces, and suddenly unmasking, the battery let fly point blank with ils four pieces at the Russian column, mowed some down, and threw the jest into the greatest confusion. I assure you the movement could not be made with greater steadi-ni-ss or precision by the most experienced troops. It is unnecessary to say that the Russians were repulsed on that point. While this was going on the Turkish infantry obtained the same advantages on the other point, and the Russians though they defended themselves bravely, gave the signal for i-etreat, and fell back in the direction of Muglavet. It did the heart good to see how'admirably the Turkish cavalry, seconded by the anillery, followed all their movements. The irregulars, who certainly ahared with the artil'ery the honour of the day, stuck to them with implacable tenacity. In the direction of Kupretchin, a sanguinary conflict took place in the village between the Cossacks and our irregulars. It was a murderous affair, but it decided the complete retreat of the Russians The cavalry, victorious on other points, galloped up to the support of the irregulars. The combat lasted seven hours. I now give you, within one or two thousand men, the force of the Russians against us. It was composed of 24 squadrons of regular cavalry, hussars, lancers, hulans; 15 squadrons of Cossacks, from 20 to 24 pieces of artillery, and 500' 1 infaiury -in all from 12,000 to 14,000 men. As to their loss they must have had more than 200 men killed, from 500 to 600 men badly wounded, 100 hoses killed, and 60 taken and brought to Kalafat. You will be surprised to learn that on our side we had but 20 men killed, 40 wounded, and we lost some prisoners. The hero of the day is unquestionably the famous Colonel Iskander Bey, whose adventurous and chivalrous, career rather resembles romance than history. It was he who commanded the whole of the irregular cavahy at Kalafat, and under hioi they made the most brilliant charges and displayed the most admiraLle courage. He was vigorous^ seconded by another Polish officer named Idact Aga, a man of approved valour, and by Colonel Mercier, iwith whose name you have been long lamiliai 1 . On the following morning at the same hour, the Russians again made their appearance "aird the eignai gun again sounded the alarm. But it was not to attack us that they shewed themselves, they came on slowly to perform a sad duty — to remove their dead and wounded. Nevertheless, fearing foul pla3 r , we sallied out once moie in force equal to theirs, to be prepared for any emergency. The Russians did not shew fight this time. They soon returned, taking with them a great number of ambulances filled with dead and wounded. Lord Raglan had arrived in Constantinople. The best feeling exists between the British, French and Turkish troops. The French fleet had reached the Baltic. The Russian fleet was coining out of Helsing fors, and Sir Charles Napier had made signal to sail in pursuit of them. The commander of the British squadron oft Odessa is said to have promised that the Austrian vessel which was burnt during the bombardment should be paid for.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZSCSG18540802.2.6

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 939, 2 August 1854, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
2,951

BOMBARDMENT OF ODESSA. [From the Times, May 9.] New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 939, 2 August 1854, Page 3

BOMBARDMENT OF ODESSA. [From the Times, May 9.] New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 939, 2 August 1854, Page 3

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