Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 8.djvu/137

 THE ENEMY'S GREAT NIGHT ATTACK. 105 or wounded, and on the English a loss of 70, but chap. . IV. then also of Ms own troops he sacrificed no less. than 1300. General Niel has officially stated that the in- juries this strong effort wrought on the works of the besiegers were, after all, insignificant ; * and has thence gone on to submit that an enterprise which effected so little at so heavy a cost is a wholesome example of the error there always must be in attempting any great sortie under cover of darkness. On the other hand, General Todleben has commented on the very same enterprise in a victorious, satisfied tone, and maintained that the capital object of putting a check on the French approaches at the point they had reached was one of truly great moment which the sortie completely achieved ; but then, I see, he goes on to eke out his defence of the measure by referring to its moral effect, and insisting that it not only cheered opportunely the hearts of the Kussians, but also wrought such discourage- ment on the minds of the French as long sufficed to deter them from closing with his darling Lunette.! It may be that, to check the 'approaches/ though for only a very brief interval, was to gain some great, lasting advantage;! but in the absence of even a statement on which to found t Todleben, vol. ii. pp. 78, 79. t As, e.g., to gain time until the arrival of expected rein- forcements.
 * ' Insignifiants.' — Niel, p. 179.