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
A column of eight battalions, with 16 guns and three regiments of
cavalry, attacked the English lines at half-past five A.M. This
line of fortification was at the time very weakly garrisoned; the
breastwork was carried in a few minutes, the batteries Teesdale,
Thompson, and Zohrah, successively fell into the enemy’s hands,
and the men who formed their garrisons retired into Williams Pacha
Tabia. The Russians then brought up their artillery into position
in front of Zohrab Tabia, and began firing upon Fort Lake and
shelling the town, but Fort Lake (under the able superintendence of
the gallant officer whose name it bears), Arab Tabia, and Karadagh,
opened so heavy a fire on them with 24 pounders, that they were
compelled to withdraw their artillery altogether. The Russian
infantry then charged Williams Pacha Tabia, but were repulsed by
a flanking fire from Fort Lake and a severe fire of musketry from
the defenders of the battery attacked. They retired into Zohrab
Tabia, re-formed, and again assaulted; a body of their chasseurs
was at the same time sent forward to within 500 yards of Fort Lake,
to take a small open work called Churchill Tabia, which was doing
the enemy without the lines much harm. This was occupied by two
companies of our chasseurs: they turned to receive the attack of
the enemy; and, after retiring a short distance halted, and kept
the Russians at bay. While this was going on, Captain Thompson, who
had charge of the batteries of Karadagh and Arab Tabia, sent over
the 5th regiment of infantry from Arab Tabia to retake the English
Tabias of Teesdale and Thompson, and from below two battalions of
the 2nd regiment came up to recapture Zohrab Tabia. The forces
commenced the attack together from each end of the line, and drove
the Russians out of the forts and breastworks at the point of the
bayonet. Once out of the lines, they did not attempt to retake
them. Unfortunately the enemy had time, while in possession of the
batteries, to take away five guns, and to spike three, but they
abandoned three of the captured guns at a short distance from the
redoubts, so that we only lost two. As the enemy retreated our long
guns again played on their columns, and they retired as speedily as
possible.
Some cavalry attempted to engage the battery above the village of
Tchakmak, but again the terrible guns of Fort Lake drove them off.
By 10.30 A.M. the English Tabias were silent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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