Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 9.djvu/122

 92 LOUIS NAPOLEON PEREMPTORY. chap. Undeterred by the series of rebuffs and defeats to v ! which we saw him exposed, the French Emperor ventured once more to try the flat 'letter of the ' law' against his resolute general. On the 5th of June, lie allowed himself to assail Pelissier rhe French with tliis message, sent by telegraph: — Tor the prohibition. ' happiness of France, and for the glory of our ' arms, you are at the head of the finest army ' that perhaps has ever existed. An immortal ' reputation is assured to you, but you must do ' great things. Indeed the conduct of the siege ' is more a business within the sphere of the ' commander of the Engineers than of the Coni- ' mander-in-Chief. Now, the general of Engineers ' has addressed to you these observations : " If ' " you choose to continue the siege without in- ' " vesting the place, you will only obtain after 1 " bloody and desperate struggles, which will cost • " you the sacrifice of your best soldiers, that ' " which would come to you of its own accord • " after the investment." In accord with the 'English Government, which is writing in the ' same sense to Lord Raglan, 1 give you the posi- ' tive order to abstain from throwing your strength ' into the business of the siege before having in- ' vested the place.* So concert measures with ' Lord Eaglan and Omar Pasha for taking the ' offensive and operating whether by the Tcher- ' naya or against SimpheropoL't • ' Je vous donne l'ordre positif do no point voub acharne! ' au sn'ge avant d'avoir investi la place.' — Rousset, vol. ii. p. 232 + Ibid.