Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 4.djvu/156

 VI. 126 HITvOIC KESlSTANCr: OF SEBASTOrOL CHAP, spairing mood, lie now issued llic linal orders for sinking his ships. Korniloff was suddenly infovnied, not only that the final order had been issued by Nachimoff, but that, in obedience to it (this was not yet true), one of the ships had been actually sunk, or was sinking. Korniloff instantly called Captain Gendre, one of his flag-officers, and said to him, ' Go to all the ' ships' captains, and tell them that if one single ' under-mark stopper be opened without my orders, ' I will declare the captain of that ship a traitor ' Emperor.' Gendre went on board all the ships ex- cept the Twelve Apostles (where Nachimoff's flag was flying), and delivered Korniloff's message. He added that no signal for the sinking or burning of the ships was to be attended to unless it came from Korniloff's flag-ship. No vessel was sunk. VI. KorniififT The destruction of Nachimoff's shi})S having ben devoting tlius bccn avcrtcd, Korniloff, with Todleben at themselves totiie his side, devoted his whole energy to the all but defence of ■ i n t i theSouih desperate purpose of attempting to defend the South Side. The march of the Allies to the south coast was a surprise upon a garrison which had assumed, since the day of the Alma, that the attack would be delivered against the Severnaya ; and their energies having been directed in the main to that quarter, they had not found time to do much on the South side. There, the principal
 * to the country, and send him in chains to the