The Virginia Gazette

From the London Evening-Post, October 6.

The taking Oczakow by the Arms of Russia being the most remarkable Exploit of the present Campaign, the following Letter from the Seraskier, who commanded in the Place, and the other Prisoners in Count Munich's Army, to the Ministers of the Porte, giving an Account of the whole Transactions, will not, perhaps, be unacceptable to our Readers.

Tuesday the 11th of the Month Evola, the Muscovite Troops arrived at Karcula, 2 Hours from Oczakow, and immediately fell upon one of our Parties. Wednesday they took Possession of all the Space about the Town, from the River Bog to the Sea, and the Fire of their Artillery and small Arms continued the whole Day. Thursday they penetrated to the Forts before the Pallisadoes; and from that Day to Saturday they threw an infinite Number of Bombs into the Town, which in the Night set Fire to the Houses; at Break of Day the Fire seized another Quarter of the Town, spread with inexpressible Fury without any Possibility of being extinguished. In this Crisis the Muscovites began the Assault without; the Combat was brisk and obstinate, our faithful Musulmans fighting with great Bravery; Multitudes perish'd every Moment: At length the Flames within reach'd three Magazines of Powder, which by an Effect of Providence blew up into the Air, and destroy'd many Thousands of Persons.

Myself, your Servant, was bury'd under the Earth for an Hour, and at length drawn out with great Difficulty. In this Extremity, it being impossible to bear the Town, much less defend it, by reason of the Violence of the Fire, the whole Garrison agreed to capitulate. We sent a Messenger to the Muscovite General, to let him know our Resolution; but his Answer came too late, for in the Midst of this Confusion the Muscovites broke into the Town with irresistible Fury. The Garrison began to fly towards the Sea; but Part perish'd in the Flames, and the rest in the Water, very few escaped; as to myself, your Slave, who in this dreadful Calamity did not know whether I was alive or dead, I fell into the Hands of General Rumantzoff.

To conclude, the sublime Porte can only determine, whether it is convenient to put an End to this destructive War, to deliver me and the other Prisoners from Bondage, and restore Tranquility to the whole Empire.

The following Letter is transmitted to us from Russia.

Aimet Gira, Sultan of the Budziack Tartars, Basha Iagia, Seraskier of Oczakow.

Health, perfect and without End, to my most exalted, most honourable, and most beloved Brother Iagia Basha.

As to the Fatality thou hast undergone, the Cause of it is to be sought for in the Will of the Almighty, to which we ought to submit with an unshaken Constancy, since the Alcoran assures us, that those that suffer for God's Sake go directly to Paradise. Give up thyself to the Direction of the Eternal; he will deliver thee. I sincerely wish it, and to him I address my humble Vows accordingly.

Thou hast writ to me, that we ought to fight for our Country and thy Deliverance; I answer, the Tartars here are of Two different Sentiments. The Turks have made me Seraskier; the Tartars who obey me, say we have neither Cannon nor Muskets; how shall we march to the Succour of another, who are unprovided of every Thing ourselves? The Khan of Crimea has appointed another Seraskier, and Part of our Troops are following him into Crimea. Thus divided, they little regarded what became of Oczakow; in the mean Time the Infidels enclosed the Town on every Side, which was a sensible Blow to all the Faithful, and to us in particular; but under such Circumstances it was not in our Power to succour thee. May the great God preserve thee, and his Prophet assist thee; this is all the Consolation I can give thee; but I repeat it, place all thy Confidence in God, and believe firmly that this Fatality is the Consequence of his immutable Predestination.

The Dervise Immentzemoy, poor Man, assures thee of his Remembrance of thee; he prays constantly for thee, and exalts thy Name. The Bearer of this Letter, if he lives, and is permitted to see thee, will tell thee more by Word of Mouth.

* A Turkish Monk.

The following is the Answer of the Seraskier, who is Prisoner in the Russian Camp.

To the Potent, most Renowned, and Incomparable Sultan Aflimet, our great Friend and Brother, Greeting: May God keep us all in perfect Health, and preserve us from Sorrow and Vexation.

It is now some Time since we sent an Account, not only to the sublime Porte, but to the Celebrated and Exalted Seraskier of Bender, of the great Misfortune which befell us; and we caus'd our Letters to be delivered to the most Noble and most Fortunate Count de Munich, Chief General of the Muscovite Troops, that he might send them to the Emperor's Embassador, as directed: Whether they are come to Hand, is what as yet I know not?

In that inestimable Letter which thou didst lately write to me, and which was delivered to me by the Muscovite General, I took Notice of the wise and salutary Exhortations which thou gavest me. Upon this Article I declare to thee, that there is no Happiness nor Prosperity which I don't wish to the sublime Porte. May Heaven hear my Prayers!

As for my own Part, I resign myself as thou advisest me, in all Things, to the adorable Will of God. I will not mention the Circumstances of our Misfortune, because I believe thou must have been therewith acquainted, by such of our People as had the good Fortune to escape in their little Boats. The Bombs that pour'd into the Town as fast as a Shower of Rain, blew up the Magazines of Powder; the Gates of the City were consumed by Fire, and all the Houses reduced to Ashes, because it was impossible to extinguish or stop the Flames. Several Thousand Men of our Troops lost their Lives, but the rest are with me in the Muscovite Army; and I have near my Person some of my Retinue, who have escaped Death. The other Musulmen are dispersed in small Companies into different Places. Mutapha Pasha is still alive, and here as well as I.

For the rest, we all desire thee to employ all thy Interest, to procure to the sublime Porte a safe and honourable honourable Peace, to the End that we may soon recover our Liberty. The Muscovites allow Waggons to the wounded and old Soldiers, and the rest have a certain Portion of Biscuit per Day, so that they do well enough.

I most heartily greet the Incomparable Mahmut Pacha, and all that remember me, and desire they would think of me particularly in their Prayers. In fine, I intreat thee, if it be possible, to acquaint the Sublime Porte of the Condition I am in, and to give Notice of it also to my well-beloved Son Seid Beck.