the Russian lancers. At this moment the Russian artillerymen, returning to the guns behind, sent a deadly shower of grape into the fighting mass of horsemen, indiscriminately at friend and foe. The charge lasted barely half-an-hour, and but 198 out of 800 returned to the British lines. Whilst the batteries were firing upon the retiring cavalry, a body of French chasseurs d’Afrique charged at the guns erected on the left of the valley, and forced them to retire. After sabering amongst the Russian skirmishers, the chasseurs retired. This closed the operations of the day. The Russians withdrew their forces from the heights, and did not carry out their menaced attack on Balaklava. The bombardment of the forts before Sebastopol continued without cessation all day. Elated by their success against the Turks, and the capture of the guns of the redoubts, the Russians attempted a sortie from Sebastopol on the following day, the 26th October, whose strength exceeded 9000 infantry, with a numerous artillery; but no sooner had they entered within range of the Allies’ guns, which, eighteen in number, had taken up their position, than the word, “fire,” was given, and a volley of shell tore open the ranks of the Russians, and checked their advance. The guns being reloaded, a second discharge, no less severe in its execution, caused the enemy to wheel round and retire. A few rockets, dexterously discharged, transferred this retreat into a rout. Upwards of 200 Russians were killed, and a large quantity of muskets and sabres taken. After this unsuccessful _sortie_ of the Russians, the siege continued without any incident of particular interest to November 5th. CHAPTER XV. SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL. Lord Raglan--His Life--Battle of Inkerman--Morning of Battle --Sons of Emperor Nicholas--The Attack--Troops Engaged--Fierce Encounters--Sir George Cathcart--His Death--Russian Cruelty --French Infantry--The Zouaves--Chasseurs--Russians Retire --Renewed Attack--Repulsed by the French--Defeat--Sorties--Night after Battle--Treaty with Austria of 2d Dec.--Negotiations for Peace--The Four Points--Landing of Omer Pacha at Eupatoria--Death of the Emperor Nicholas--Alexander II.--Fall of Sebastopol. FIELD-MARSHAL LORD RAGLAN. Lord Raglan, Commander-in-Chief of the English army, is a descendent of the Somersets, the youngest son of the fifth Duke of Beaufort. He was born in Sept. 1788, and christened Fitzroy James Henry Somerset. He was a cornet in the 4th light dragoons at sixteen, and rose in military rank, as the boyish sons of Dukes do rise, over the heads of their seniors. He was a captain at twenty. He went with the troops to Portugal, and fought in the first great battle--that of Talavera, in which the French and English armies fairly and singly tried their strength against each other.