Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 4.djvu/148

 lis IIKROIC KKSISTAN'CK OF SKDASTUI'OL C'll A P. VI. KornilofT's despair of lieing able to defend the Noilli Side, The spirit in which lie prepared for the expected tunflict. lucu as to bring up ]iis wliule force to eleven thousand.* Korniloff did not seriously imagine that, with this force, or with any fresh numbers of seamen which he might draw i'rom the ships, he could otfer a successful resistance to a resolute attack directed against the Star Fort by a victorious army with a strength of between lift}' and sixty thousand. Colonel de Todleben did not deceive him, and he did not deceive himself. It is true he had accepted the command with eagerness, and even with a kind of joy. But his joy was the joy of one who looks beyond the grave. He appar- ently put but a measured trust in Prince jNIent- schikoff's promises of help from without ; and it did not occur to him to look to the enemy — to look to the probable effects of a divided command — for the means of encouragement which his own camp failed to supply. ' From the North Side,' Korniloff said to Captain Gendre — ' from the ' North Side there is no retreat. All of us who ' are there will also find our graves. Death does ' not terrify me. Only one thing makes me un- ' easy. If wounded, one cannot defend one's ' self, and to be taken prisoner!' He was anxious that his flag-officers should be spared the fate of perishing with him in what he regarded as a hopeless undertaking ; and although Captain be found an account of the state of the defences at this time on the North Side, and references to General de Todleben 's views as to the possibility of defending the North Side against a resolute attack.
 * See ante, vol. ii. cliap. v. of CaLiuet Edition ; where will