The soldiers rallied with better food
and more favourable weather.
The English generals displayed more activity, but did not inspire more
confidence in the troops. Sorties and combats continued. The Russian
forces in the Crimea were also refreshed and recruited, although the
efforts to accomplish these things drained the resources of the empire.
On the 20th of the month it was known that Prince Gortschakoff succeeded
Prince Menschikoff in command of the Russian Crimean forces. The latter
prince--the cause of so many troubles, a blind zealot, whose influence
over the Emperor Nicholas was most unhappy--was wounded and disabled.
The Russian admiral, Istomine, a very brave man, was killed in the
Mamelon Fort. Burial truces, combats, and sorties closed the month. In
one of these the pious and heroic Captain Vicars fell.
During April the allies made powerful efforts again to bombard the
place, The troops continued to suffer through March and the first week
of April, although their situation was meliorated from day to day;
the spirits of the men were recruited, and an ambition to signalize
themselves by some decisive feat of arms was evident among them.
During this period, the Black Sea fleet operated in watching the enemy's
coasts in that sea, and in harassing him in his harbours in the Sea of
Azoff.
On the 8th of April Sebastopol was once more bombarded. The English
shells were, in a vast proportion, harmless from their bad manufacture.
Pages:
4416
4417
4418
4419
4420
4421
4422
4423
4424
4425
4426
4427
4428
4429
4430
4431
4432
4433
4434
4435
4436
4437
4438
4439
4440