SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.[158]
Reading edition
SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.[158]
On the 28th. of September, the British Siege Train, consisting of eight companies of Royal Artillery, commenced disembarking, and notwithstanding the smallness of the harbour of Balaklava, and the want of suitable facilities for the reception of the guns, shot, and shell, the whole matériel was landed in five days, the sailors of the Royal Navy rendering good service on this and other occasions.
The basis of operations, in connection with the fleets, being now attained, the main body of the British army moved forward towards Sebastopol, and occupied ground on the western side of the plateau, near the “Maison d’Eau,” General Bosquet’s division taking up a position beyond Cathcart’s Hill, on the extreme right. The celebrated Redan and Flagstaff batteries occupied the centre of the position, and ships of war were moored in the dockyard and careening creeks, and at the head of the harbour, in order that their broadsides might be brought to bear on any lines of approach attempted by the storming parties of the allied troops. Batteries were at once commenced, to be established in order to reduce the fire of the enemy’s artillery, and an alteration was made in the relative positions of the French and English forces, with a view of bringing the former nearer their base of operations at Kamiesh. To effect this, the British were ordered to carry on the attacks on the left of the enemy, for which purpose they moved to the right until their right was beyond the west of the ridge on which the Russians had a large advanced white tower, afterwards the famed Malakoff.
It was a busy time for the assailants; guns and siege matériel had to be brought to the front; ammunition, military stores, and provisions were conveyed with great labour for seven miles, that being the distance from the port of Balaklava. Obstacles only nerved the soldiers to increased exertion, and day by day some new earthwork was completed, some guns placed, or heaps of ammunition accumulated for the destruction of the place. Determined efforts at the same time were made by the Russians to frustrate the efforts of the besieging troops, and their sharpshooters had frequent skirmishes with the outlying pickets.
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