The siege artilleiy has been ordered home — at least a large portion of the officers and 'materiel will go ere winter is over. The batteries -vvill be filled up to their full complement. The staff officers of the train will return to Woolwich. MajorGeneral Dupuis will be succeeded in his command by Colonel Wood, a very energetic and able officer. It is not with any view of claiming undue pre-eminence for the troop of Royal Horse Artillery which came to the Crimea under the command of the gallant Maude, and which is now commanded by Major Tupper during Major Brandling's absence on sick leave, that I give the following resumd of their services. I publish it simply because I have been able to procure the facts with exactness, and because it contains a reference to the reconnaissance to Dusankoi after the battle of the Alma, with which I was unacquainted at the time, as well as some particulars of the flank march at Mackenzie's farm.
Since the battle of the Tchernaya the field artillery have had little opportunity of trying their strength with the enemy, except upon one occasion, which was afforded to Major Thomas at Eupatoria or Tchebotar during the recent reconnaissances, and of which that officer skilfully availed himself in the presence of our allies. They look forward with confidence to the results of next campaign, which will enable them to show that they are as superior to the Russians in the rapid and dextrous handling of their guns as they are in courage under fire, and in their equipments and appointment. It is with much regret that Major-General Dupuis finds himself obliged to relinquish the command of the Royal Horse Artillery, on account of his jn-omotion, which will effectually shelve an excellent officer, unless the authorities give him the command of the Royal Horse Artillery of one of the corps d'armie, which it is expected will be formed.
The artillery is a service of strict seniority, and Major-General Dupuis is forced to resign his command because he has been made a Major-General for " distinguished services in the field." The career of the C troop under Major Brandling may, during the campaign, and up to a recent period, be considered as identical with that of the I troop. The I troop. Royal Horse Artillery, left Woolwich for Turkey on the 24th of April, under the command of Captain Maude — Right Division under Lieutenant Vandeleur, Left Division under Lieutenant Dashwood, Centre Division, Captain Maude, and Dr. Thornton in charge — and disembarked at Varna on the IGth of June. On the 26th of June they moved up to join the Light Cavalry Brigade at Devno, where they remained till cholera broke out among the soldiers, and on the 26th of July they went to Yenibazaar.
The want of water was felt severely during their encampment here, iu the midst of the Bulgarian summer heats, as the wells were distant half a mile from the camp, with the exception of one over which Lord Cardigan placed a guard for his own use for the first three weeks, by which time one-third of the troops were in hospital. The troop, along with the Light Cavalry Brigade to which it was attached, left Yenibazaar on the 25th of August, reached Varna on the 28tli, and embarked for the Crimea on the 30th. On the 14th of September, they landed at Kalamitabay, and on the 19th they engaged the enemy at Bouljanak, They had crossed the little bridge at the post-house when Lord Raglan ordered Captain Maude to return, as it was intended to rest the troops on the other side.
Soon after this they were ordered to cross over and advance rapidly to the front, where the C troop, under Captain Brandling and Captain Strange, the latter having volunteered as second captain, was already in advance, and both troops at a gallop ascended the hill, and came into action with ten guns of the Russian cavalry at 120(^ yards. We had 5 cavalry men wounded by round shot and shell, and 5 horses killed on this occasion, and the Russians lost 18 men killed, 35 men wounded, and 32 horses killed, including their losses from the French artillery. At seven a.m., on the 20th, after breakfast, the troops fell in, and the troop moved at ten a.m., and at one p.m. came in front of the enemy.