Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 4.djvu/152

 122 IIKUOIC RESISTANCE OF SEBASTOPOL IV. CHAP. The despair of NacliiinoiT was founded in part ' upon the assumption that Kornihjff, being en- Koniiinfr trusted with the charije of the Xorth Side, would oi.itrsto not only there remain but would continue to keep Uh; North ''. Si'U': gathered around him the whole or great part ot the force which he had assembled for the defence of the Star Fort. And such, indeed, was the course of action which might have been ex- pected to follow from Prince Mentschikoft's determination to go away from the Sebastopol region himself, and leave the command of things there perversely split into three.* The measure was fitted to neutralise one of the greatest of all the advantages which nature had given to the defenders of Sebastopol. Uussiau troops could be ferried across from the Korth Side to the South, or from the South to the North, in half an hour; whilst the assailants, if they should be minded to change the place of attack from the North to the South, or from the S(juth to the North, could only do this at the cost and peril of a difficult two days' march round the head of the roadstead. But by appointing one man to command the North Side and two others the South, with no one in authority over them, and retreating himself to so great a distance from Sebastopol as to be without the means of ex- changing quick communications with the garri- and Moller
 * Viz., Kdiniloif on the Nortli, and on the Soutli, Nachinioll