The gallant officer who was badly wounded at Inkermann was adjutant of the Scots Fusileer Guards; but he went into the trenches in his turn of duty, and last night, as he was posting his sentries in front of the fifth parallel, a Kussian rifleman shot him from the Ifediin ambuscade, as he stood on a mound to take a view of the ground. Colonel Seymour is hit in the head by a piece of a shell. This officer was wounded in the hand at Inkermann. The Highland Division came back to camp on Saturday, and returned to Kamara at night, to remain there, as thej' expect, about a week. The 56th Eegiment, about 800 strong, having arrived at Ijalaklava, were detained a day or two on board ship, until their destination should be decided upon.
The original plan was to send them to Kertch; on Saturdiiy it was said they would go to Kamara; but they have finally been annexed to the First Division. The army continues to get under arms before daybreal:, cavalry and all. Yesterchiy the latter arm turned out 2950 British sabres and lances, and, had the necessity arisen, 500 or 000 more could have been brought into the field. It is a pity that active emplojnncnt cannot be found for this fine body of horsemen, who assuredly need but the opportunity to distinguish HUMOURS OF PEACE. lOl themselves, and to turn to account the courage winch flashed forth so hrightly on the plahis ol' Balaklava. Although many here have been disposed to treat as idle rumoui-, and even to turn into ridicule the reports that the Eussiaus meditated an attack upon Bahilclava, it would appear that this danger has not been disregarded at head-quarters, where information has doubtless been received on the subject.
The " Leander" and " Diamond" frigates have been moored by a single cable, and Lieutenant Fletcher, commanding the " Triton" war-steamer, has directions to be in readiness to get his steam up at brief notice, in order to tow them out of Balaklava harbour to a position whence their guns would bear on the jMarine Heights. Notwithstanding all these preparations lor action, I repeat that people seem less contident or, at any rate, do not converse so much of that which two or three days ago every one declai'ed to be imminent; and last evening some sanguine spirits, who doubtless, and with good reason, would prefer a day on the moors to a night in the trenches, were heard with much earnestness talking in our little hut of speedy peace.
The liussians, the}'' declared, could sustain the contest no longer, owing to the want of water and the difficulty of obtaining supplies; their final attempt had been made in the action of the 16th, and, having been repulsed with heavy loss at the point which they had selected, on account of its seeming to offer most chances of success, they would not risk another battle to raise the siege, but would yield, treat for peace, and make the necessary concessions to obtain it. According to these authorities in a couple of months the British arm}' would go home again. The hopefulness of youth and a certain vivacity of imagination vasij doidjtless qualify a man to produce rose-tinted sketches of this kind, and there certainly can be no manner of question as to the immense superiority of a merry Christmas in England to a muddy one on the heights of Balaklava, any more than there can be of the smoking sirloin and tenderly-fed turkey being preferable to lean kine of the Crimea, and fowls that refuse to be fattened.
But there is no magic in wishes any more than in words, and it is to he feared that these prophets of peace underrate the tenacity and endurance of the Russian government and people. It is certain that their position is a difficult one, if, as is now the growing belief, they run short of water and cannot get up supplies fast enough for the number of men necessaiy to m.alntain the ground. Tliat such is the ease we liave evidence wortliy of consideration, but which must not be unhesitatingly received, since it is furnished principally by deserters. Accepting it, for argument's sake, us trustworthy and positive, the enemy's only alternative will be to attack or to yield. To induce them to attack is just what is most to be desii-ed.