Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 4.djvu/474

 44-1: THE CANXOXADE STILL MAINTAINED. CHAP, that, under the more powerful tire which the XIV -f, . '— French -were now about to direct against it, the .Flagstaff Bastion might be brought to such a con- dition as to warrant an assault; and, the English being ready at any time to storm the Eedan, there was a prospect that, after all, the more summary of the two methods might be successful. In that aspect, the cannonade of the 19th of October would be a repetition of the attack which the xVUies had commenced just two days before, though about to be attempted, this time, with more numerous and more powerful batteries. But the preparations of the French were under the eyes of Colonel de Todleben ; and he assured himself that, so long as they might continue to assail him from a narrow front of fire, he would be able to keep his ascendant, by meeting their increase of armament with an increase yet greater than theirs. And Todleben got the dominion. Two of the French batteries were visited by the calamity of explosions ; a third was silenced by fire at about ten o'clock in the morning ; and at three in the afternoon there was no longer any French battery which continued the strife. The English fii-e was maintained with great energy the whole of the day, and directed, for the most part, against the Eedan. At evening the cannonade ceased. No material injury had been done to the works of defence ; but in killed and wounded this day the Russians lost 516 men.