Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 3.djvu/392

 36 G PLAN OF ATTACKING THE NORTH SIDE. CHAP, were planued with a consummate skill; but .. what even he found means to achieve in ten days could not but fall very short of what was needed. However, he threw up works on each flank of the fort in order to strengthen and extend the line of defence, taking care that all the approaches (some of which had before been quite out of harm's way from the fort) should now be liable to be swept by fire. Besides this, he erected two bat- teries on the crests towards the north-west, with the design of keeping off the enemy's ships ; and two, if not three, out of the nine guns which ultimately armed these batteries were so placed as to command that part of the coast which lay towards the mouth of the Belbec. The earthwork prepared for the reception of those two guns was the apparition described to Lord liaglan in the morning by Colonel Trochu, and threatening, as we have already seen, to scare the Allies from their purpose. It does not appear that Todleben foresaw the effect which these two guns would have upon the counsels of the Allies. His general object was to take care that no ships should come within range without incurring fire ; and he did not, it would seem, entertain any notion that, by refusing to the Allies the absolutely peaceful possession of the mouth of the Belbec, he might drive them to abandon their plan of campaign. He connected both of these north-western batteries with the Star Fort by means of trenches, which were to be lined by men using their musketry