CHAPTER XIII.

Military System of Britain when the War broke out-Commanders of the French and British armies-Plan of the Campaign-Position of the Russians in the Principalities-Movements of Omar Pasha-Siege of Silistria-Its Failure-Defeat of the Russians at Giurgevo-Occupation of the Principalities by Russia-Bombardment of Odessa-Condition of the allied troops at Varna-Resolution to attack Sebastopol-Landing of the Allies at Eupatoria-Battle of the Alma-The Flank March-State of Sebastopol-Objection of the French to an immediate assault-Arrangements for the protection of the French and British armies-Great efforts of the Russians to defend the Town-Its Bombardment by the army and the allied fleet-Its Failure-Critical position of the allied armies-The battle of Balaklava-Defeat of the Russians-Charge of the Heavy Brigade-Charge of the Light Brigade-Attack upon the British-Its Failure-The Battle of Inkerman-Defeat of the Russians-Heavy losses on both sides-Barbarity of the Russians-A Winter Campaign undertaken.

AFTER forty years of peace, during which | left Marseilles on the 19th of March, and our military establishments had been suffered to decline considerably below those of the secondary Continental states, Britain was not in a condition to enter promptly and vigorously upon a war. The party in the House of Commons and in the country who were the strenuous advocates of economy and peace had time after time insisted on the reduction of these establishments, and successive administrations had yielded as far as possible to their demands. It thus came to pass that when war with Russia broke out an army had virtually to be created, and the commissariat, the transport, and other important departments, which had been reduced by improvident economy to a state of great inefficiency, had all to be reorganized. The country, in short, was quite unprepared for war; and as the Premier continued to cherish the hope that hostilities might be averted long after peace had become hopeless, it was determined to make only a small increase of the army. Even when war had been virtually commenced loud complaints were made that sufficient activity had not been displayed in raising recruits and making the necessary preparations for the great struggle that was impending.

arrived a short time before our troops. The British army which was despatched on this service consisted of five divisions of infantry, of six battalions each, and one of cavalry. The artillery mounted fifty-six field-guns, and the whole force might be reckoned in round numbers at nearly 30,000 men. It was expected that the French army would amount to double that number, and it was supposed that the Turks could supply at least 25,000 more of efficient troops. The effective strength of the French forces, however, seems to have fallen short of the number intended by the Emperor. The command was intrusted to Gencral St. Arnaud, who as Minister of War had taken a prominent part in the coup d'état and in the Parisian massacres. He was a person of considerable ability and extraordinary spirit, had shown himself a brave and skilful officer, but was reckless, profligate, and unprincipled. Though a good soldier, his fitness for the chief command of an army was doubtful, and the Emperor took care to surround him with generals who were supposed to be able to guide him with their counsels. Lord Raglan-long known as Lord Fitzroy Somerset-the commander of the British contingent, was the fifth son of The first division of the British army left the Duke of Beaufort. He had served with London 28th February, 1854, and on the great distinction under the Duke of Wel31st of March they sailed from Malta for lington, and had displayed not only great Gallipoli, where they landed on the 8th of bravery, but a remarkable talent for organApril. The first division of the French army | ization. He was wounded at Busaco, and 32

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was foremost in the breach at the storming | position effectually prevented the Russians of Badajoz. At Waterloo he lost his from turning the left of the Turkish army, right arm by a stray shot when he was or operating on the Balkan by the route riding with the Duke of Wellington through Sofia. In the beginning of January, near La Haye Sainte. He held the office 1854, General Aurep made a vigorous of military secretary to the Duke both assault upon this position, but after a during the war and afterwards at the struggle which lasted four days he was Horse Guards, and thus passed a great part compelled to retreat. All through the of his life under the immediate guidance of winter Omar Pasha made attacks upon the that illustrious commander. On the death posts of the enemy along the whole line of of the Duke he was made Master General the Lower Danube from Widdin to Rassova, of the Ordnance, and was raised to the peer- and thus both harassed the intruders and age. He was a man of the highest honour gave confidence to his own troops. Prince and integrity, and a skilful soldier-clear- Paskievitch, a distinguished veteran general, headed, cool, and resolute. Though now whom the Czar now called into his councils, sixty-six years of age, he was still vigorous recommended that the Russian forces should and alert in all his movements, and capable cross the Danube where it bends towards of performing much work and enduring the north, make themselves masters of great fatigue. Silistria, then assail and carry the entrenched camp at Shumla, where Omar Pasha had established his headquarters, and thus clear the way for an advance through the passes of the Balkan to Adrianople and the shores of the Bosphorus, as he had done in the campaign of 1829.

The plan of the campaign, as sketched by the Ministry, was 'first to secure the Dardanelles, next to defend Constantinople; next, that capital being safe, to defend the lines of the Balkan; and lastly, to be ready to attempt to strike a blow at some vital part of the Russian Empire.' But though waggons were as necessary as swords and muskets to carry out this plan, no attempt had been made to supply them. The Government had been warned by Mr. Layard that our army would find no means of transport in Bulgaria. None had been provided, and in consequence when the army arrived at Varna it was incapable of moving, and our soldiers were condemned to inaction when their presence was urgently required at the seat of war.

The position of the Russian army in Wallachia was regarded as very unsafe, in a military point of view, as it lay open to the attack of Austria in the rear, as well as of the Turkish army in front. Five days after the delaration of war, Omar Pasha, the commander of the Ottoman forces, having secured and fortified Widdin, a town on the right bank of the Danube in Bulgaria, crossed that river and entrenched himself at Kalafat, on the left bank, confronting the extreme flank of the Russian army. This

The Russian army crossed the Danube on the 23rd of March in front of Brailow and Galatz. The Turkish fortresses of Isáktcha and Matchin fell with little resistance, and the Dobrudscha was invaded. These successes, however, were not followed up with the activity and rapidity which such a campaign required, for more than seven weeks. elapsed from the passage of the Danube before a regular attack was made on Silistria, though the capture of that fortress was indispensable towards carrying out the plan devised by Prince Paskievitch. It was not until the middle of May that Silistria was invested. The siege, once begun, however, was pressed with the utmost vehemence. The fortress was weakly garrisoned, and its speedy fall was confidently expected; but fortunately two young officers, an Irishman and a Scotsman, Captain Butler of the Ceylon Rifles and Lieutenant Nasmyth of the East India Company's service, had thrown themselves into the place, and animated by their example and counsels the Turkish and

Egyptian troops who formed the garrison a lodgment upon a strip of ground on its fought with the most heroic courage. The left bank. They were immediately attacked siege is not less memorable in the science of by a body of Russian infantry, whom they war than for its political results. A mere repulsed. Two battalions of the Turks passed detached earthwork, called the Arab Tabiah, the Danube further up, and fought their way soon to become famous in Europe, over to the same place. Fresh troops crossed the which a dragoon might have leaped his river at the point opposite to the landing charger, kept the whole force of the Rus- first seized, and at length a force of 4000 sians at bay. By diligent fighting on the men established themselves on this spot. hill side, by sapping close up to the ditch, They were four times assailed by a strong by springing mines which more than once body of Russian infantry, who came down blew in the counterscarp and levelled the upon their flank, and four times were the parapet, by storming it in the daytime, by assailants repulsed with great slaughter, storming it at night, the Russians strove and compelled to retreat, fiercely pressed hard to carry the work; but when they by the victorious Turks. On the third day sprung a mine they ever found that behind after this engagement Prince Gortschakoff the ruins the Turks stood retrenched, and himself came up with an army of 60,000 or whether they stormed it by day or by night 70,000 men, who must have completely their masses of columns were always met overwhelmed the comparatively small body fiercely, were always driven back with a of Turkish troops on the right bank of the cruel slaughter.' General Cannon, an officer Danube; but at this critical moment some of our Indian army, with a brigade of British gunboats appeared on the scene, irregular light infantry, succeeded in throw-with thirty seamen and a like number of ing himself into the place, and contributed sappers, under the command of Lieutenant greatly to strengthen and encourage the Glyn of the Britannia. He promptly placed garrison. In the course of the siege Captain these boats in a narrow loop of the Danube, Butler received a wound, of which he died; which divided the Turkish forces from the but his place was supplied by another young Russians. The British sappers, with the officer, Lieutenant Ballard, of the Indian aid of the sailors and the Turks, promptly army. After a siege which lasted forty constructed a bridge of boats across the days, and cost the Russians 18,000 men and main stream of the river, and thus opened most of their generals, Prince Paskievitch, a communication with the Turkish forces. who was himself severely wounded, was stationed at Rustchuk. Prince Gortschacompelled to retreat. This extraordinary koff, in these circumstances, did not venture and most unexpected event changed the to assail the detachment on the right bank whole character of the war, and put an end of the Danube, and retreated towards to all schemes for the invasion of the Bucharest, leaving to the Turks the undisSultan's dominions in Europe. puted mastery of the Lower Danube.

The deliverance of Silistria was quickly Meanwhile, an occurrence had taken followed by an important success obtained place which seriously affected the position by an inferior Turkish force stationed at of the Russian army. On the 14th of June Rustchuk over twelve battalions of Russians a convention was signed between the Porte posted at Giurgevo, on the left bank of the and Austria, which had a powerful influDanube, mainly by the advice and assist- ence on the subsequent operations of the ance of General Cannon and several young campaign. Austria, in common with PrusEnglish officers, who had found their way sia, had not only declined to enter into a to the Turkish army. By Cannon's advice, treaty of alliance with the Czar, but had and under his leadership, a body of the Turks decidedly refused to promise neutrality in crossed the river, and succeeded in effecting the war. The occupation of the Princi

ing of the 19th the troops set out on their march upon Sebastopol. The French army formed the right wing, resting on the sea, and attached to them were the Turks under Selim Pasha, while the British forces were on the left, the post of danger, with the light cavalry on their inner flank. In this order they marched over a bare and thinly inhabited country, in which there were no inclosures or villages to impede their progress, but suffering severely from the heat of the sun and the want of water. They had some slight skirmishes with a reconnoitring body of Russian cavalry and Cossacks, but they encountered no serious opposition until they reached the northern banks of the Alma.

sketched by the Duke of Newcastle was | Crimean shore. At daybreak on the mornto strike a blow at some vital part of the Russian Empire, and a strong feeling had arisen in Britain that this threatened blow should be directed against Sebastopol-a strong fortress on the south-west side of the Crimea—and that 'the grand political and military objects of the war could not be attained so long as Sebastopol and the Russian fleet were in existence.' It was 'the keystone of the arch which spanned the Euxine from the mouths of the Danube to the confines of Mongolia.' It was the great arsenal of Russia. Its sea forts protected the Black Sea fleet, which had destroyed the Turkish ships at Sinope. Its existence was a standing menace to Turkey and to Europe. If Sebastopol were annihilated, it was said, 'the whole fabric which had cost the Czars of Russia centuries to raise must fall to the ground;' and 'the taking of Sebastopol and the occupation of the Crimea were objects which would repay all the cost of the war, and would permanently settle in our favour the principal questions in dispute.' The destruction of this fortress, the key of the Russian position in the Black Sea, was sure to be regarded in the East as the most decisive proof that Russia was unable to make head against the Western powers. The Government were therefore supported by public opinion, if not impelled by it, when they resolved to undertake the reduction of this great

fortress.

Orders were accordingly sent to the allied generals at Varna to take immediate steps for the invasion of the Crimea. As the French and British ships had undisputed command of the sea there was no difficulty in conveying their troops to the place selected for a landing-Kalamita Bay, on the south-western shore of the Crimea, about thirty miles to the north of Sebastopol. Their disembarkation began on the morning of 14th September, and by the evening of the 18th there were 27,000 British, 30,000 French, and 7000 Turkish soldiers landed without opposition on the

The narrow stream of this river was bounded on the south by precipitous cliffs between 200 and 300 feet high. About two miles from the sea they open into a spacious amphitheatre, intersected by deep ravines and narrow ridges. Upon its eastern slope was an earthen battery containing heavy artillery; higher up on the slope was another field battery of twelve guns. Between it and the crest of the hill the Russian army was drawn up, having on its flank a third battery of twelve guns placed behind a breastwork on the heights at the extreme right of the Russian army. The allies bivouacked for the night on the south bank of the Bulganac, a sluggish muddy stream. Their watch-fires on the hillside seemed to be reflected back by the Russian fires on the opposite heights. Owing to the inadequacy of the means of transport the British troops were without tents, and had to spend the night on the ground without cover, exposed to cold and the heavy dews, which, following the oppressive heat of the day, were highly injurious to their health. The strong position which the Russians occupied on the south bank of the Alma was regarded by their commander, Prince Mentschikoff, as impregnable. He expected to bar the progress of the allied armies at this point, and to detain them in front of the Alma