from all their batteries, and brought up a number of field pieces, from which they showered grape upon the near approaches to the town. The whole army was got under arms, and reinforcements were sent down to the trenches, as it was thought that they intended to make a general attack on the allied works. The French replied to their fire with equal vigour, but we treated it with silent contempt. Rather questionable pride, I think! It afterwards appeared from a deserter, who came in during the morning, that the Russians fancied, for some reason best known to themselves, that we were going to assault the town at that time. We lost in this cannonade some ten men killed and twice as many wounded. Strange to say, a few nights ago the Russians on the Tchernaya appear to have fallen into the same error, for in the middle of the night their outposts began firing with small arms, and shortly after rolls of musketry were heard, and indeed the flashes seen, by our sentries at Balaklava and also by the French on the heights overlooking the valley. As we had no troops within two miles of the enemy they must have been misled by a false alarm. You will be sorry to hear that for the time being the army has lost the services of Sir De Lacy Evans. He had a fall from his horse a few days ago, which brought on an attack of illness, and in consequence he has been obliged to go on board ship at Balaklava. I forgot to mention to you that the brigade of light cavalry, under the command of Lord Cardigan, has been moved up from Balaklava to the plateau some little way in rear of the brigade of Guards. This has been done chiefly by the desire of General Canrobert, who thinks that, in the event of an assault being made upon the French works to the rear of our position, cavalry could be advantageously used in checking the progress of the enemy until reinforcements could be brought up, as from the nature of the ground at this point it could only be attacked by infantry, and they could not depend upon the support of a direct fire of artillery. CHAPTER VIII. Grand Council of War 4th Nov.-Russian reinforcements Morning of 5th Nov.- Advance of the enemy on 2nd Division camp Lord Raglan - Cossack Hill - Sandbag Battery captured by Russians - Four guns taken by the enemy Retaken- Advance of the Guards, and recapture of Sandbag Battery-False attack on Balaklava-Arrival of 4th Division — Mistake of Sir George Cathcart - His death Russians again take the Sandbag Battery - Barbarous treatment of our wounded by the enemy - His Royal Highness Duke of Cambridge and Staff — General Bosquet's reinforcement of Zouaves and Tirailleurs General Canrobert French troops placed at Lord Raglan's disposal - Final capture by the Guards of Sandbag Battery-Russian artillery and steamers Desperate fighting, four English generals wounded - Death of General Strangways-General Canrobert wounded — Two 18-pounders brought into action — Sang-froid of Lord Raglan; his indifference to fire-Panic of French troops-General Pennefather- -"Quel bon Général!"— Reserve of French troops - Sir De Lacy Evans - Enemy begin to retire - Their artillery limber-up - Lord Raglan's desire to pursue the Russians "Les Black Caps" - Field of battle after the action - Numbers of dead Sir De Lacy Evans's extraor Council dinary advice to Lord Raglan - Sortie against French trenches -Forces of the enemy - Their plan of attack, &c. of War 6th Nov.- Russian losses - Letter from allied Generals to Prince Menchikoff- Interment of Generals Cathcart and Strangways Council of War 7th Nov. Russian wounded-Losses of the English on 5th Nov. Head-quarters before Sevastopol, ON Sunday last, the 5th instant, we had another awful battle, far more desperate and bloody than that of the Alma. But before entering into any details, I may as well inform you that on the 4th there was a grand council of war of the allied generals at the head-quarters of the French army. I am given to understand that it was then decided that a general assault on Sevastopol should take place on the morning of the 7th instant, as our batteries had so far got the upper hand of the enemy that it was at length thought practicable to do so. General Canrobert again assured Lord Raglan that he would send up the long-wished-for support and reinforcement to our extreme right, opposite Inkermann; and had that support arrived, as had been so often promised, before the 5th of November, it is impossible to say how many noble lives and gallant hearts might have been spared to their country. I think I have before mentioned that we had learnt from our spies that large reinforcements had already arrived to the Russian army in the Crimea, and that even greater were to be expected. Nevertheless, every one undervalued this information, and all doubted their being able to bring up large bodies of troops in the time which report specified; and it is only a new proof of how much we have all along underrated the strength and resources of the enemy. The night before the battle of Inkermann passed undisturbed, save by the occasional shots which were fired from the different batteries on both sides. But some of the men, on the outlying pickets in front of the 2nd and Light Divisions, more than once fancied they heard the sound of wheels passing under the heights between them and the harbour. These sounds were reported to the officers commanding the outposts; but no heed was taken of them, as they supposed that it was merely provisions or supplies for the garrison, which would have required a regular attack in force to check. Little did the watchers think that the wheels which they heard rumbling in the distance were carrying the means for their destruction, and were but the forerunners of one of the bloodiest struggles in the history of modern warfare. The morning was foggy; indeed a sort of drizzling rain had fallen throughout the night. It was halfpast 5 A.M. when one of the pickets of the Light Division first saw the Russian infantry; their impression was that it was merely some parties of men who had mistaken their road from the thickness of the fog, especially as these appeared to be unarmed. Our picket of some thirty men stepped forward to meet them, but ere they had gone twenty yards they found |