Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 8.djvu/87

 khkouleff's attack. 55 leff by this time was operating against the east chap. and north-east of the town with a chosen part. — of his forces no less than some 6000 strong ; but substantially, all his movements of troops brought about only one little effort of a combative sort — the effort we shall now see him make with a couple of light field-batteries, and two of his Azoff battalions. Close outside of the town on its north-eastern side, there lay the burial-ground of the Eussians, and beyond it one of much greater size set apart for the Jewish community. Being surrounded by walls, and containing many tombstones and monuments, both the burial-grounds offered cover to any forces advancing against that part of the ' courtine ' which connected the ' No. 2 ' with the 'No. 3' salient. So, against that same part of the courtine General Khrouleff at last had re- solved to deliver his promised assault. Along with other bodies of infantry the two chosen Azoff battalions were drawn up under the shelter afforded by the Jewish burial-ground; and bringing up his two reserve batteries to within grape-shot range of the parapet, General Khrouleff caused the part of the ramparts marked out for assault to be well plied with round-shot and shell, but also with blasts of mitrail. Then, after a while, the almost abrupt cessation of this artillery-fire portended a coming of infantry ; and at last — in columns of companies — the two bat- talions approached. They attained to within some twenty-five yards of the ditch, but were