By Friedrich Engels

The mail which arrived on Thursday evening by the Asia enabled us to publish yesterday General Pélissier’s despatch on the engagement which took place on the evening of May 22 before Sebastopol, as well as an authentic account of the advance of the Allies towards the village of Tchorgun, which was reached on the 25th. About 25,000 men under Canrobert crossed the Chernaya, and, having driven the Russian outposts from their positions on the heights which immediately overhang the right bank, occupied the line along that little river. Since the Russians did not intend to give battle here, they naturally withdrew, to concentrate all their forces on the strong line between Inkerman and the chain of rocks situated to the east of it. By this advance the Allies were able almost to double the extent of the territory occupied by them – thus gaining the space urgently required for their reinforced troops – and to open up the road to the valley of Baidar, which may prove very useful. The first step towards the resumption of field operations was successful, and actions of greater importance ought to follow it.

As regards the engagement of May 22, the scene of the struggle was the section between the Quarantine Bay and the Central Bastion, the Russian No. 5 Bastion. The struggle was very severe and bloody. As we now learn from Pélissier’s despatch, the Russians had provided the whole space from the point of the Quarantine Bay up to the cemetery, and from there to the Central Bastion, with detached works and rifle pits, although, according to the official plan of the fortifications published by the British Admiralty, this important ground is completely intersected by trenches. But it now turns out that, as soon as the Flagstaff Bastion and the Central Bastion were seriously threatened, and the outworks defending them had been captured by the French, the Russians transformed this piece of ground into one great fortification. In a few nights long lines of interconnected breastworks were thrown up, enclosing the whole area, and thus a great place d’armes, or defensive space, was created, in which troops could be concentrated in safety, in order to fall upon the flank of any French attack, or even to venture strong sorties against the flanks of the advanced French works. Pélissier knew from experience the rapidity with which the Russians execute such constructions, and the tenacity with which they defend their fortifications once completed. He attacked them at once. On the evening of May 22 an attack was made in two columns. The left column established itself in the Russian trenches at the point of the Quarantine Bay, and fortified the conquered position; the right column also obtained possession of the advanced trenches, but, under the heavy fire of the enemy, was unable to establish itself, and had to withdraw at daybreak. On the following night the attempt was repeated with stronger columns, and complete success was obtained. The whole fortified section was captured, and secured against the Russians by carrying the gabions from one side of the trench to the other. As it appears, the French fought in this action with the greatest bravery, and showed something like a revival of that old furia francese (the martial fury of the French) which made them so famous in times past, though it must be admitted that General Pélissier’s assertion that they had to fight against superior numbers looks somewhat like boastfulness.

With regard to the third bombardment of the town, which, according to a communication we have received from Halifax, was to have commenced on the 6th, and was followed on the 7th by the storming and capture of the Mamelon and the White Citadel (the Selenginsk and Volhynsk redoubts), the mail brought by the Asia contains no fresh news, and we cannot add anything to our remarks of last Wednesday. However, we have learnt that 25,000 men from the army of Omer Pasha have been transported from Eupatoria to the Chersonese; obviously the Allies intend field operations, since, had a further bombardment and an assault been planned, these Turks would have been better left in their former positions. But it also appears that the allied army is very insufficiently equipped with means of transport and supplies for a campaign into the interior of the peninsula. It is possible that Pélissier, in anticipation of these obstacles, has resolved to employ the troops by renewing the active siege operations against the town, not in order now actually to storm Sebastopol, but to keep up the morale of the soldiers.

From Pélissier’s conduct since assuming command, it seems certain that he is resolved to be guided exclusively by his own judgment, and to take no notice of all the plans and projects which Louis Bonaparte’s fancy may hatch. In Paris, drawing up plans for Crimean campaigns now appears to be a fashionable occupation. Even old Marshal Vaillant has sent one or two plans, but Pélissier immediately telegraphed that if Vaillant thought his plans so good, he had better come to the Crimea and carry them out himself. How this energetic, but pig-headed and brutal commander will proceed, we shall very soon see. In any case, he will very soon stir up a fine squabble in the allied camp, if it is true, as we see hinted, that he has sent “orders” to the British, Turkish, and Sardinian chiefs of staff, without even taking the trouble to inform the respective commanders of their contents. For hitherto, not a single general, but the council of war comprising all the commanders, has been regarded as the supreme authority. Imagine old Field-Marshal Lord Raglan under the command of a mere French lieutenant-general!

In the meantime, the Russians are not idle. The “waiting” position into which Austria has relapsed, and the arrival of reserves and new levies from the interior of the country, have given Russia the possibility of sending fresh troops to the Crimea. Besides several cavalry divisions, the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th infantry corps are already there. Now the 2nd infantry corps, which was reported to have been in the Crimea six weeks ago, has really departed from Volhynia for the theatre of war, followed by the 7th light cavalry division attached to the Grenadier corps. This is a pretty certain sign that the infantry and artillery of the Grenadier corps will be the next to march to the Crimea; and in fact they are already on their way to Volhynia and Podolia in order to relieve the 2nd corps there. With this 2nd corps, which is under the command of General Panyutin, who in Hungary commanded the Russian division attached to Haynau’s army, there will be brought to the Crimea, besides artillery and light infantry, 49 infantry battalions – in all about 50,000 to 60,000 men – for, doubtlessly, this corps, which has not yet been engaged, has been brought up to full war strength. The elements of the 2nd corps will arrive successively on the theatre of war from June 15 to July 15, at a time when very likely decisive operations will be carried out, and they may thus play a very important role in the forthcoming Crimean campaign.

The month of June must bring some decision in this Crimean war. Before June or, at the latest, July has passed, either the Russian field army will have left the Crimea, or the Allies will be obliged to prepare for their own retreat.