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
While the English attack was thus disastrous, the French assaults
on the Little Redan and the Central Bastions were equally
unsuccessful. The division of Dulac and De la Motterouge three
times carried the works to which they were exposed, only to be
repulsed by the heavy fire of the inner defences, and of the
steamers, which ran up, and poured their broadsides into the
ranks. General De la Salles, on the extreme left, attacked with
great energy the Central Bastion; but the intense fire to which
his division was exposed, daunted his men, many of whom were fresh
troops, unused to the stern realities of battle; and after a
sanguinary struggle, he was forced to abandon the attempt. General
Pelissier having obtained possession of the Malakoff, suspended
farther attacks; and, at length, night closed in, leaving the
armies in anxious expectation of the events of the morrow.
It was the intention of General Simpson to renew the assault on the
Redan with the Highlanders and Guards on the next morning. When
daylight broke, a few soldiers crept forward to seek for wounded
comrades, and found the work was deserted! In a brief space,
flames arose from every quarter of the town; and long lines of
troops could be seen passing to the north forts. Then tremendous
explosions rent the air--the great forts on the south side were
exploded; and, covered by a conflagration which effectually
prevented pursuit, Prince Gortschakoff evacuated the town. A few
hours later, and the ships in the harbor--the steamers excepted
(and a few days afterwards they, too, shared the same fate)--burst
into flames, or were scuttled, and sank slowly beneath the waters
of the once crowded inlet of the sea, where had ridden the fleet
with which Russia hoped to rule the Euxine, and from which had
darted forth the murderers of Sinopé.
In this final assault the English lost no fewer than 29 officers
and 356 men killed, and 124 officers and 1762 men wounded; 1
officer and 175 men were missing; total of casualties, 2447. The
French suffered a loss of 5 generals killed, 4 wounded, and 6
hurt; 24 superior officers killed, 20 wounded, and 2 missing;
116 subaltern officers killed, 224 wounded, and 8 missing; 1489
sub-officers and soldiers killed, 4259 wounded, and 1400 missing;
total, 7551. The Russians admit a loss on the last day of the
assault of 2684 killed, 7263 wounded, and 1754 missing. Between the
battle of the Tehernaya and the opening of the final bombardment,
they lost 18,000 men.
Thus did Sebastopol fall! The strongest fortress in the world,
garrisoned by the most colossal military power, after a siege
unexampled in modern history had succumbed to the efforts of the
armies of the Western Powers. Three great battles had been fought
beneath its walls, and four bombardments of hitherto unknown
fierceness had been directed against its bastions. The siege
occupied very nearly twelve months; and more than 100,000 men must
have perished by wounds and disease in and before its walls.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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