The Sardinian army, which fought so valiantly at our side, has about 250 men hors de combat. It inflicted a much greater loss upon the enemy. One hundred prisoners, and about one hundred and fifty wounded, remain in its hands. I am sorry to announce to your Excellency that General Delia Marmora has informed me that Count de Montevecchio, whose character and talents he greatly appreciated, was killed gloriously at the head of his brigade.
I must point out out to your Excellency the rapidity with which General Scarlett's cavalry, placed at my disposal by General Simpson, came up. The martial appearance of these magnificent squadrons betrayed an impatience which the happy and prompt result of the battle did not allow me to gratify.
The English and Sardinian position batteries, and the Turkish battery which Osman Pasha had sent to Alsou, fired with great precision and success. I thanked Osman Pasha for the promptitude with which he sent me six Turkish battalions under Sefer Pasha (General Koscielzki), four of which during the day occupied the passage near Tchorgoun.
Nothing remarkable took place during the day on the Sebastopol side. Generals l)e Salles and Bosquet were, however, prepared to drive back with energy any attack of the besieged. I send your Excellency with this report the copy of the plan for the battle of the 16th, found upon the body of a Russian general, supposed to be General Read, who com* manded the enemy's right, and was especially entrusted with the attack on Traktir Bridge.
Pelissiek,
As this battle really decided the fall of the place, inasmuch as it enabled the Allies to continue without fear of molestation the armament of those tremendous batteries which would have annihilated the whole forces of Russia inside the walls of Sebastopol, it may not be uninteresting to add the despatches of General Simpson, who was late on the field, and of General Delia Marmora, who took an active part in directing the operations of the Sardinians on this memorable day. General Simpson wrote as follows: —
Before Sebastopol, August 18.
My Loud, — In my despatch of the 14th instant, I informed your Lordship that I had reason to believe that the Russians would attempt by a vigorous attack to force us to raise the siege! This they endeavoured to do on the morning of the 16th, but the result was most glorious to those of the Allied troops who had the good fortune to be engaged.
The action commenced before daylight, by a heavy column of Russians "under the command of General Liprandi, and composed of the 6th and 17th Divisions, with the 4th and 7th Divisions in reserve, attacking the advanced posts of the Sardinians. The ground occupied by them is on commanding hills on the right of the position, on the left bank of the Souhaia river, where it forms its junction with the Tchernaya, with two advanced posts on the opposite side. These were held with very determined gallantry for a considerable time; but being separated from their supports by the river, and not having the protection of artillery, they were compelled to leave the most advanced one.