Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 3.djvu/461

 APPENDIX. 435 ' troops coulil not he tired, and tlmt there must Le some ' other reason.' (The trutli was, as afterwards known, that St Arnaud was here stricken down by liis mortal malady.) ' Sir Edmund again saw Lord Eaglan the following day, ' and found him in low spirits. On asking him the cause ' that he had ascertained that the Russians had thrown up ' bad the works on the Alma, they could not afford the loss ' that would be entailed. On this, Sir Edmund went on ' board a small steamer, ran close in, reconnoitred the ' works, found them to be as represented, but that they ' were without guns. He reported this, but the French ' General replied that he had already given his officers ' order to reach the south side ; that during this march, as ' is well known, they fell in with the rear-guard of Ment ' schikoff 's army abandoning Sebastopol ; and it is now ' place, believing it to be untenable.' Hatchford, February 11. I last night showed this memorandum to Sir Edmund Lyons, saying that I had no business to make notes of what ho had said without his knowledge. He returned it after reading it, confirming its correctness. (Signed) GEORGE LOCH. {Private. ) Clumber, January 10, 1863. My dear ^Ir Locn, — I am much obliged to you for allowing me to read your interesting memorandum of a conversation with Lord Lyons.
 * he said he had been again urging on the French General
 * to advance across the Belbec, but that he had replied.
 * strong earthworks on the banks of the river ; and though
 * he did not doubt that the Allies could force them as they
 * orders to commence the march round the harbour, in
 * known that the Russians had not left 2000 men in the