The Invasion of the Crimea: Its Origin and an Account of its Progress Down to the Death of Lord Raglan

408 Pages·1888·17.887 MB·English

by  Alexander William Kinglake

Cabinet (^tiition.
THE
INVASION OF THE CEIMEA.
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2009 with funding from
University of Toronto
i
http://www.archive.org/details/invasionofcrime09king
THE
INVASION OF THE CRIMEA:
ITS ORIGIN, AND AN ACCOUNT OF ITS PFvOGRESS
DOWN TO TUE DEATH OF LORD RAGLAN.
BY
A. W. KINGLAKE.
NEW EDITION.
VOL. IX.
WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS,
EDINBUrvOII AND LONDON.
MDCCCLXXXVIII.
AH Rights reservrij
ERINDALE
COLLEGE
LIBRARY
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER
I.
THE NEW FRENCH COMMANDER AND THE PROSPECTS OF VIGOROUS ACTION
—
WHICH HIS LEADERSHIP SEEMED TO BE OPENING. THE STRENGTH
—
OF THE BELLIGERENTS. THE PROBLEM AWAITING SOLUTION.—THE
—
RESOLVES OF PELISSIER. THE IMPENDING STRIFE BETWEEN HIM
AND THE EMPEROR.
..........
I.
FAOB
P^lissier, 1
II.
......
Accord between P^lissier and Lord Raglan, 4
Full discretion demanded, 5
Prospect of the two gener.als b.eing.able.to a.ct in.full.concert, 5
Concord also to be expected with the Sardinian contingent, 6
And with Omar Pasha, 7
........
III.
.........
Strength of the Allies, 7
Of the Russians, 8
IV.
The problem to be solved by the AUies, 8
V.
.10
P(51issier's resolves, . . . . . . . .
Pi'ospectof violent strife between Louis Nai)olcon and Pclissier, 13
VI CONTENTS.
CHAPTER
IL
NEW COUNTER-APPROACHES AND CONSEQUENT FIGHTS ON THE
WESTERN FLANK OF SEBASTOPOL.
The Cimeti6re Ridge, 16
Measures for securing it taken by the French and the Russians, 17
......
n.
.......
Todloben's project, 17
And KhroulefF's, 17
Both the projects adopted, 18
. . . . .
And executed in the night of the 21st, resulting in, 18
The Cimetiere, counter-approacli, 18
. . . .
And the Bay-head entrenchment, 18
. . , .
.....
... III.
Pclissier, 18
. .
His resolve to attack the counter-approaches on the night of
the 22d, 19
.19
Prejjaration on both sides for the night encounter,
. .
IV.
.19
Strength of the troops about to be engaged,
. . .
Attack and capture of the Bay-head counter-approach, 20
. .
.....
V.
The Cimeti6re counter-approach, 20
AuxiUary cannonade.of t.he C.entra.l Bas.tion., . .. 20
Attack aud first capture of the Cimetiere counter-approach, 21
Its recapture, ...... 21
Third capture of the Cimetiere counter-approach, 21
.
Fourtli capture of the Work, 21
.....
Fifth attack on the Work ' , 22
And its recapture by the French, 23
VI.
Course afterwards taken by the French, 23
VII.
Signals from the Volokoft'tower, 24
—
CONTENTS. Vll
Chapter IT. continued.
..........
Their effect on Prince GortchakofF's determination, 24
. .
His decision, 25
Night of the 23d the Cimeti^re counter-approach carried by
; .....
the French, ........ 25
And transformed into a siege-work, 25
Losses on each side. 25
VIII.
Groundonwhich the sacrifices madeby P^lissier were justified, 26
CHAPTER
III.
P^LISSIEll FIRMLY PURSUING HIS CHOSEN PLANS OF ATTACK IN
DEFIANCE OF LOUIS NAPOLEON.
Impending strife between Louis Napoleon and P^lissier, 27
. .
The Emperor,... 27
Pelissier, 27
Marshal Vaillant, ...... 27
P(51issier's determination.to re.new.the a.ttac.k upo.n Ke.rtuh,.. 28
General Niel at the Conference, 28
....
His written protest, ....... 28
21st May. Pdlissier to Minister of War, 29
2*d May. Same to same, .......3209
Louis Napoleon to Pelissier, . ,... .. .. .. .
Louis Napoleon again to Peliss.ier, ...... 31
IMlissier to the Minister of War, ...... 32
Louis Napoleon to Pelissier, 32
Pdlissier to the Minister of War., ...... 32
.33
Position and lamentations of General Niel,
. . .
Niel's entire loss of power., ..... 34
Antagonism between Louis Napoleon and Pelissier, 35
. .
Pdlissier's five resolves, ...........3355
Louis Napoleo.n opp.osed.to ea.ch o.f the.m, .. .. ...
P(51issicr's resistance, 36
His method, ....... 36
Occupation bytheAlliesoffresh groundtowards theTchernaya, 36
Pelissier having his way, 37
Allusion to the Directory of 179G-97 and the great ljuonaj>arte, 38
,
Vlll CONTENTS.
CHAPTEE
IV.
THE RENEWED EXPEDITION TO KEBTCH, WITH ITS SEQUEL IN THE
SEA OF AZOF, AND ON THE CIRCASSIAN COAST.
.....
Relevance of some previous statements to the subject of tliis
....
second Expedition, 39
Composition of the armada, 40
Its course, . 41
The strength o.f Bar.on W.rang.el, ... 41
The predicament in which he was placed, 41
His resolve, 41
....
The power to which he succumbed, 41
Baron Wrangel's retreat, 43
Unopposed landing of the troops, 43
.
Sir George Brown's measures o.n sh.ore,.. . 44
Baron Wrangel's destruction of his Coast batteries, 44
Retreat of Russian troops, 44
Destruction of food by Baron Wrangel, 45
.
The squadron of Kertch, 45
M'Gillop's exploits. 46
The fate of the squadron 47
The allied navies, 47
.
Their oj^erations, 47
,
Channel into the Azof found and buoyed, 47
Miranda reaching the entrance of the Sea of Azof, 48
Advance of the land forces through Kertch, 48
.
To Yeni Kal(5, 48
The General and the Admirals meeting, 48
.
Disorders that followed the invasion. 48
.....
The limited authority of Sir George Brown, 49
.
Kertch, 50
Its prayer to Sir George, 50
His rejection of their entreaties. 50
Disorders on the march. 51
And in Yeni Kal^, 51
.
Cessation of al.l mis.cond.uct .of th.e Eng.lish.troops. 51
Measures taken by Sir George for the maintenance of dis
cipline, 51
Their result, 51
. . . . . .
The Tartars in Kertch destroying and plundering, 52
—
CONTENTS. IX
Chapter IV. contimied.
The measures taken by Browu and by the people of Kertch, 52
Failure of the measures taken, 54
....
Continued disorders in Kertch, 54
The committers of outrage,. 55
....
Further continuance of the disordei's in Kertch, 56
Lord Raglan's indignation, 56
His approval on 31st May of Brown's measures, 56
His completed criti.cism.avert.ed, .... 56
Sir George not blamable for omitting to repress the disorder
of the French,
Because virtually unable to do so,
.... .
Comment on Sir George's course of action with respect to the
disorders in Kertch, 57
Friendly disposition of some of the Tartars,
Sufferings entailed on the sick and wounded Russians by the
pillaging of the hospitals, 59
Letter on their behalf from Baron Wrangel, 59
....
First results of the Kertch expedition. 60
The main object gained, 61
II.
The Allied Admirals.ent.ering.the.Sea o.f Azo.f, .. 61
Captain Lyons of the Mirandathen taking the command of the
united flotilla, 62
Nature of the operations undertaken in the Sea of Azof, 62
.
Fate of the four surviving war-ships of the Kertch squadron, 62
Unchallenged mastery of the Allies in the hitlierto 'closed' sea 63
Access thus obtained to the interior provinces of Russia, 63
As, e.g., to the country of the Don Cossacks, 63
The seat of industry that Lyons disturbed, 64
His task not one leading to battle, 64
.
His task against vessels found at sea, 65
And those that had fled towards laud, 65
26th May. Op.erat.ion o.ffth.e Spi.t of.Berd.iansk, 65
The wrecks of the four war-steamers that had escaped from
Kertch, 65
27th May. Offthe town of Berdiansk, 66
.
28th JIay. Lyons engaging the port of Arabat. 66
....
Plan of summoning the authorities. 66
The rejections they elicited, 66
—
.
CONTENTS.
Chapter IV. continued.
......
These compared with the acts of the authorities ijrofessing
defiance, 67
Operations at.Genit.chi,.29th.May., . . 67
1st to 3d June. Operations at Taganrog and the mouths of
the Don, 69
Thegoodseamanshipmanifested bytheFrench andtheEngUsh 74
5th June. Operations at Marionpol, 75
Operations at Gheisk, 6th June, 75
.....
9th June. Operations on the shore of Kiten Bay, 76
Losses of the Russians, 76
....
Of the Allies, 76
....
Causes of their immunity, 76
The object of the Allies, 77
.....
This in great measure baffled, 77
Greatness of the havoc, 77
Many of the destroyed vessels Greek, 78
Thebearing of tliis circumstance on the Czar's senseof dignity 78
The moral stress put on Russia by taking the Sea of Azof, 78
Did the Czar's incapacity to defend his subjects tend at all to
shake their old loyalty ? . . . . 78
III.
Attack on Soudjak-Kale and Anapa recommended, 80
....
Troops despatched for the purpose, 80
Fall of Soudjak-Kale, 81
Desire to attack Anapa, . 81
This forbidden by Louis Napoleon, 81
P^issier's determined resistance to the prohibition, 82
Lord Raglan's censure on the French Emperor, 82
Fall of Anapa, 83
....
The enemy'sforcedaband.onm.ent .of th.ewho.leC.ircassian coast. 83
Troops left to guard the Straits, 83
The rest brought back, 83
........
IV.
A contrast, 83
....
General results of the Kertch expedition. 84
These not attained by surprise, 84
Nor (in the main) by defaults of Russian commanders. 85
The phenomenon (so far) left unexplained. 86