The Powers of Europe and Fall of SebastopolA British officer
History
The Powers of Europe and Fall of Sebastopol
A British officer
Crimean War, 1853-1856; Europe -- History -- 1789-1900
On the night of the 18th September, 1854, orders were given by Lord
Raglan that the troops should strike tents at daybreak. An advance
had been determined upon, and it was understood that the Russian
light cavalry had been sweeping the country of all supplies up to a
short distance of the outlying pickets.
At three o’clock next morning, the camp was roused by the reveille,
and all the 30,000 sleepers woke into active life. Of Turkish
infantry, 7,000, under Suleiman Pacha moved along by the sea side;
next came the divisions of Generals Bosquet, Canrobert, Forey, and
Prince Napoleon. The order of march of the English army was about
four miles to the right of their left wing, and as many behind them.
The right of the Allied forces was covered by the fleet, which
moved along with it in magnificent order, darkening the air with
innumerable columns of smoke, ready to shell the enemy should they
attack the right, and commanding the land for nearly two miles from
the shore.
The troops presented a splendid appearance. The effect of these grand
masses of soldiery descending the ridges of the hills, rank after
rank, with the sun playing over forests of glittering steel, can
never be forgotten by those who witnessed it. Onward the torrent of
war swept, wave after wave, huge stately billows of armed men; while
the rumbling of the artillery, and tramp of cavalry, accompanied
their progress. A halt took place about three o’clock, at a muddy
stream, of which the men drank with avidity. At this stage they
passed the Imperial post-house, twenty miles from Sebastopol.
Orders were given to halt and bivouac for the night, which was cold
and damp, but the men were in excellent spirits, looking forward
to the probability of an engagement with the enemy with perfect
confidence as to the result.
THE MORNING OF BATTLE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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