DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16616#0011
Vol. XXIX.]
INTRODUCTION.
[July to December, 1855.
had been used as rifle-pits by the Russians. The enemy made
six desperate attempts to retake them during the night.
On the 18th of June, the anniversary of the Battle of
Waterloo, an unsuccessful attack was made upon Sebastopol.
French and English alike fought bravely, but a mistake early
in the day on the part of General Mayran, and the failure
of the English to take the Redan, led no doubt to a decisive
repulse. A short armistice followed, for the purpose of re-
moving the wounded and burying the dead, when the Russian
officers spoke of the folly of the attack, and asked whether we
thought seriously we should ever get into Sebastopol.
The gallant defence of Ears deserves especial notice. At
daybreak on the morning of the 29th of September, the Rus-
sians advanced in three columns, supported by twenty-four
guns, and directed their attack on three different parts of the
line of defence. They hoped to surprise the garrison of Ears in
the misty and imperfect light, but were received, when they got
within range, by a crushing fire of artillery from all points.
The Russians, however, answered with loud hurrahs, and
rushed up the hill against the redoubts and breastworks,
which poured forth a destructive fire of musketry, and the left
column of attack was, after a desperate struggle, completely
broken, and fled in disorder down the hill.
General Williams, in his despatch to the Earl of Cla-
rendon, said :—
" During this combat, which lasted nearly seven hours, the Turkish in-
fantry, as well as artillery, fought with the most determined courage; and
when it is recollected that they had worked on their entrenchments, and
guarded them by night, throughout a period extending to nearly four
months, I think your Lordship will admit that they have proved themselves
worthy of the admiration of Europe, and established an undoubted claim to
be placed amongst the most distinguished of its troops.
" With regard to the enemy, as long as there was a chance of success, he
persevered with undaunted courage, and the Russian officers displayed the
greatest gallantry. Their loss was immense ; they left on the field more than
5,000 dead, which it took the Turkish infantry four days to bury. Their
wounded and prisoners in our possession amount to 160, whilst those who
were carried off are said to be upwards of 7,000.
" As the ga-rison was afflicted with cholera, and I was apprehensive of a
great increase of the malady should this melancholy duty of the burial of
the dead be not pushed forward with every possible vigour by our fatigued
and jaded soldiers, I daily visited the scene of strife to encourage them in
their almost endless task ; and I can assure your Lordship that the whole
of the battle-field presented a scene which is more easy to conceive than to
describe, being literally covered with the enemy's dead and dying. The
Turkish dead and wounded were removed on the night of the battle. The
dead numbered 362, the wounded 031. The townspeople, who also fought
with spirit, lost 101 men."
The other English officers besides General Williams, who
were engaged in this brilliant defence, and by their heroic
exertions contributed greatly to its success, were Lieutenant-
Colonel Lake, Major Teesdale, and Captain Thompson.
Notwithstanding the bloody repulse of the Russians, they
clung to the blockade with pertinacious obstinacy, and con-
tinued to invest Ears on all sides in the hope of compelling
the garrison to surrender under the pressure of famine.
The besieged looked in vain for assistance from Erzeroum,
where there was a strong force of Turks in occupation of that
important post; but the Russians threw out bodies of troops
which advanced to the neighbourhood of Erzeroum and kept
the garrison there in check. Velt Pasha made several
attemps to march upon Ears from Trebizond, but he was each
time met by a detachment of the Russian army under
General Sotjsloff, and compelled to retire. In the mean-
time, the devoted garrison in Ears suffered all the horrors of
exhausting famine.
It was not until the brave defenders of Ears had suffered
dreadfully from their spare diet of bread and water, and such
scenes had been witnessed and described by Dr. Sand with (an
eye-witness) as the following :—
" Oct. 21. Swarms of vultures hover round our lines, preying on the
corpses that the hungry dogs, which have forsaken the city, have scratched
out of their graves. These wild dogs gorge themselves with their foul ban-
quet, while within the city every man, woman, and child is searching for
food. The grass is torn up in all the open spaces, and the roots eaten by
the soldiers and people. Crowds of women besiege the public offices for
bread, which is dealt out to them with a very sparing hand.
" Oct. 28. The wretched remains of our cavalry are inspected ; and as the
horses can scarcely stand, much less support the weight of their riders, their
throats are cut."
Not until then, when their sufferings had passed the limits
of human endurance, did these gallant fellows think of sur-
rendering, and when subdued, their courage and endurance
so touched General Motjravieff, that the 2nd Article of
Capitulation ran thus : —
" Art. 2. The garrison of Kars surrendering prisoners of war, with the
Commander-in-Chief of the Turkish army and all the military authorities,
will leave the place with the honours of war, and deposit their arms, flags, &o.,
in a spot agreed upon previously, whence they will proceed to the destination
indicated to them by the Russian Commander-in-Chief. As a testimonial of
the valorous resistance made by the garrison of Kars, the officers of all ranks
are to keep their swords."
General Williams and the other brave English officers
were carried as prisoners to St. Petersburgh, where they were
treated with chivalrous courtesy by the enemy.
NOTES.
1 Preface.—Difficulties had arisen with America on the
Foreign Enlistment Bill. Much bunkum had been talked by
Brother Jonathan. At the end of 1855 all was happily
arranged.
2 Lord Grosvenor's Revenge.—The Bill was brought in
to prevent the sale of beer on Sundays. It gave rise to large
meetings in Hyde Park and elsewhere, followed by riots. The
Bill was subsequently repealed.
3 Tickets of Leave—Has realised Mr. Punch''s antici-
pations.
6 The Club and the Roadside Inn.—These admirable
7 productions will bear repetition in 186S, when Mr. Somes
again threatens " to rob a poor man of his beer."
9 Wagner's Hero—Was Mr. Sims Reeves, whose pro-
fessional health was at one time very precarious.
Taste.—The " Ratcatcher's Daughter" at this time was 10
a very popular song.
How to Restore Confidence in Private Banks.—The 10
bankruptcy of Strahan, Paul and Bates caused great
surprise, and this feeling was exaggerated to one of astonish-
ment and alarm when it began to be whispered that not only
had the funds of the house almost totally disappeared, but
that the partners had been guilty of criminal offences, and
that they would probably be brought to the bar of a court of
justice. It was estimated that the liabilities of the house
would amount to more than half a million, that the losses
would fall very heavily upon private individuals, upon ladies
of ancient family whom old prejudices had inspired with un-
limited confidence, and upon numerous religious and charitable
societies. It was soon found that the social misery would not
INTRODUCTION.
[July to December, 1855.
had been used as rifle-pits by the Russians. The enemy made
six desperate attempts to retake them during the night.
On the 18th of June, the anniversary of the Battle of
Waterloo, an unsuccessful attack was made upon Sebastopol.
French and English alike fought bravely, but a mistake early
in the day on the part of General Mayran, and the failure
of the English to take the Redan, led no doubt to a decisive
repulse. A short armistice followed, for the purpose of re-
moving the wounded and burying the dead, when the Russian
officers spoke of the folly of the attack, and asked whether we
thought seriously we should ever get into Sebastopol.
The gallant defence of Ears deserves especial notice. At
daybreak on the morning of the 29th of September, the Rus-
sians advanced in three columns, supported by twenty-four
guns, and directed their attack on three different parts of the
line of defence. They hoped to surprise the garrison of Ears in
the misty and imperfect light, but were received, when they got
within range, by a crushing fire of artillery from all points.
The Russians, however, answered with loud hurrahs, and
rushed up the hill against the redoubts and breastworks,
which poured forth a destructive fire of musketry, and the left
column of attack was, after a desperate struggle, completely
broken, and fled in disorder down the hill.
General Williams, in his despatch to the Earl of Cla-
rendon, said :—
" During this combat, which lasted nearly seven hours, the Turkish in-
fantry, as well as artillery, fought with the most determined courage; and
when it is recollected that they had worked on their entrenchments, and
guarded them by night, throughout a period extending to nearly four
months, I think your Lordship will admit that they have proved themselves
worthy of the admiration of Europe, and established an undoubted claim to
be placed amongst the most distinguished of its troops.
" With regard to the enemy, as long as there was a chance of success, he
persevered with undaunted courage, and the Russian officers displayed the
greatest gallantry. Their loss was immense ; they left on the field more than
5,000 dead, which it took the Turkish infantry four days to bury. Their
wounded and prisoners in our possession amount to 160, whilst those who
were carried off are said to be upwards of 7,000.
" As the ga-rison was afflicted with cholera, and I was apprehensive of a
great increase of the malady should this melancholy duty of the burial of
the dead be not pushed forward with every possible vigour by our fatigued
and jaded soldiers, I daily visited the scene of strife to encourage them in
their almost endless task ; and I can assure your Lordship that the whole
of the battle-field presented a scene which is more easy to conceive than to
describe, being literally covered with the enemy's dead and dying. The
Turkish dead and wounded were removed on the night of the battle. The
dead numbered 362, the wounded 031. The townspeople, who also fought
with spirit, lost 101 men."
The other English officers besides General Williams, who
were engaged in this brilliant defence, and by their heroic
exertions contributed greatly to its success, were Lieutenant-
Colonel Lake, Major Teesdale, and Captain Thompson.
Notwithstanding the bloody repulse of the Russians, they
clung to the blockade with pertinacious obstinacy, and con-
tinued to invest Ears on all sides in the hope of compelling
the garrison to surrender under the pressure of famine.
The besieged looked in vain for assistance from Erzeroum,
where there was a strong force of Turks in occupation of that
important post; but the Russians threw out bodies of troops
which advanced to the neighbourhood of Erzeroum and kept
the garrison there in check. Velt Pasha made several
attemps to march upon Ears from Trebizond, but he was each
time met by a detachment of the Russian army under
General Sotjsloff, and compelled to retire. In the mean-
time, the devoted garrison in Ears suffered all the horrors of
exhausting famine.
It was not until the brave defenders of Ears had suffered
dreadfully from their spare diet of bread and water, and such
scenes had been witnessed and described by Dr. Sand with (an
eye-witness) as the following :—
" Oct. 21. Swarms of vultures hover round our lines, preying on the
corpses that the hungry dogs, which have forsaken the city, have scratched
out of their graves. These wild dogs gorge themselves with their foul ban-
quet, while within the city every man, woman, and child is searching for
food. The grass is torn up in all the open spaces, and the roots eaten by
the soldiers and people. Crowds of women besiege the public offices for
bread, which is dealt out to them with a very sparing hand.
" Oct. 28. The wretched remains of our cavalry are inspected ; and as the
horses can scarcely stand, much less support the weight of their riders, their
throats are cut."
Not until then, when their sufferings had passed the limits
of human endurance, did these gallant fellows think of sur-
rendering, and when subdued, their courage and endurance
so touched General Motjravieff, that the 2nd Article of
Capitulation ran thus : —
" Art. 2. The garrison of Kars surrendering prisoners of war, with the
Commander-in-Chief of the Turkish army and all the military authorities,
will leave the place with the honours of war, and deposit their arms, flags, &o.,
in a spot agreed upon previously, whence they will proceed to the destination
indicated to them by the Russian Commander-in-Chief. As a testimonial of
the valorous resistance made by the garrison of Kars, the officers of all ranks
are to keep their swords."
General Williams and the other brave English officers
were carried as prisoners to St. Petersburgh, where they were
treated with chivalrous courtesy by the enemy.
NOTES.
1 Preface.—Difficulties had arisen with America on the
Foreign Enlistment Bill. Much bunkum had been talked by
Brother Jonathan. At the end of 1855 all was happily
arranged.
2 Lord Grosvenor's Revenge.—The Bill was brought in
to prevent the sale of beer on Sundays. It gave rise to large
meetings in Hyde Park and elsewhere, followed by riots. The
Bill was subsequently repealed.
3 Tickets of Leave—Has realised Mr. Punch''s antici-
pations.
6 The Club and the Roadside Inn.—These admirable
7 productions will bear repetition in 186S, when Mr. Somes
again threatens " to rob a poor man of his beer."
9 Wagner's Hero—Was Mr. Sims Reeves, whose pro-
fessional health was at one time very precarious.
Taste.—The " Ratcatcher's Daughter" at this time was 10
a very popular song.
How to Restore Confidence in Private Banks.—The 10
bankruptcy of Strahan, Paul and Bates caused great
surprise, and this feeling was exaggerated to one of astonish-
ment and alarm when it began to be whispered that not only
had the funds of the house almost totally disappeared, but
that the partners had been guilty of criminal offences, and
that they would probably be brought to the bar of a court of
justice. It was estimated that the liabilities of the house
would amount to more than half a million, that the losses
would fall very heavily upon private individuals, upon ladies
of ancient family whom old prejudices had inspired with un-
limited confidence, and upon numerous religious and charitable
societies. It was soon found that the social misery would not