Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 9.djvu/344

 3 1 4 APPENDIX. that time and daylight should he employed to bring as much artillery to fire upon the enemy's works as possible. Late, how- erer, in the evening of the 17th I heard that General PeJissier had resolved to commence at three. I did not like the change, but it was too late to protest against it, and the necessary orders were given accordingly. The Redan was to be attacked by three divisions, and I gave Brown the command of them, each division furnishing men for one column of attack. I left home shortly after two o'clock in the morning, and met Brown in the trenches at three. The French were to commence the attack by signal, and I was to order our advance when I should think proper. Unfortunately the French officer commanding the right column mistook a rocket that was fired for the signal, and began before his time. The general officer at the head of the next column, knowing the mistake that had occurred, did not push his troops forward, and the French left column, of course, remained stationary until General Pedissier gave the signal agreed upon. When they were all engaged they seemed to make so little way, and to meet with such resistance, that I thought it right to order our advance. They did so at once ; but such a heavy fire, particularly of grape, was brought upon them, that few reached the Redan, and nobody got into it. In short, the operation failed, as well as that of the French ; and we have to deplore the loss of many valuable olficcrs and men. Other attacks went on at the same time, and loss was there in- curred. We have to deplore the death of Major-Genei-al Sir John Campbell, an excellent officer, who has never given me one moment's trouble, and was always satisfied whatever I required him to do ; of Colonel Yea, of the 7th Foot, who had devoted himself to his duty during the whole of the winter ; and of many others, among whom is Lord Normanton's son, Captain Agar, of the 44th. 'You may imagine my disappointment at this failure — it is a ' great misfortune. ' Note 6. — Were thrown bach into the ditches. — 'The number of ' troops they [the enemy] brought to the assault was 35,000, ' without counting their distant reserves. The French advanced ' on the right flank and centre, the English on the left flank. ' The besiegers, provided with ladders, fascines, ami Sapper's ' tools, advanced rapidly to the attack. Despite the heavy fire of ' grape and musketry we -poured into them, their columns advanced, ' reach d our Ditches, and commenced scaling the parapets. ' But the line of the intrepid defenders of Sebastopol never ' swerved. They received the daring assailants with the points ' of their bayonets, and threio 'hem back into the Ditches. The