The battles of the world : $b or, cyclopedia of battles, sieges, and important military eventsBorthwick, J. Douglas (John Douglas)
History
The battles of the world : $b or, cyclopedia of battles, sieges, and important military events
Borthwick, J. Douglas (John Douglas)
Battles; Military history
Fortunately, we say, the generals were wiser than their teacher.
When the ships collected at their appointed rendezvous, orders
were received to proceed to a spot about forty miles west of
Cape Tarkan, in the north of the Crimea; then, embarking in the
_Caradoc_, a small English steamer, Marshal St. Arnaud and Lord
Raglan, accompanied by their seconds in command, Generals Canrobert
and Brown, and Sir Edmund Lyons, proceeded to survey the coast and
select the spot most favourable to their purpose. They skirted the
western shore, ran close into Eupatoria, examined the coast thence
to Sebastopol (where a few weeks previous, General Canrobert and
Sir George Brown had closely scanned the fortifications on a flying
visit, penetrating, under cover of night even into the harbour,
and not retiring until the grey light of morning had revealed to
them a considerable amount of information), passing almost within
range of the guns, and coasting round to the little harbour of
Balaklava; which having scrutinized, they returned in safety to
the fleets. Had any of the large Russian steamers crossed the path
of the little _Caradoc_, and attacked it, a very different fate
might have awaited the Allies from that which they anticipated. But
the Russian Admirals little dreamed of the prize they might have
secured, and our modern Agamemnons were borne back unscathed from
their perilous cruise.
On the morning of Monday, the 11th of September, the chiefs
returned from their trip and rejoined the fleet; and the anxious
expectation as to the point of debarkation, which had agitated
the minds of all on board, during the two days’ tedious riding
at anchor, was in some degree alleviated by the order to make
sail, and rendezvous thirty miles west of Sebastopol. Even then,
uncertainty seemed to cloud the counsels of the Commanders. The
fleet was dispersed, the heavy sailing vessels having failed to
keep in company with their more alert fellows of the steam fleet.
At length, the English and French fleets, in one compact flotilla,
approached the shore, and the town of Eupatoria, and the hills of
the south-east, were presented to the eager gaze of the soldiers.
A small steamer was despatched to summon the town to surrender at
discretion, and a refusal being received, a small body of English
and French marines was landed, their appearance soon stifling
any qualms of conscience the local authorities might have felt
at yielding up their trust to the enemy. The fleet then shaping
a course in a south-easterly direction, the plans of the allied
Generals became apparent. About eight miles from Eupatoria the
ships cast anchor at a mile from the shore, in the Bay of Kalamita,
near a place known as Old Fort. A narrow strip of level land
was the spot selected for debarkation, and the enemy exhibited
no signs of opposition, or even preparation. It had been not
unnaturally anticipated that a formidable resistance would have
been made to the expected landing of the Allies, which could only
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