Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-04-29

was in precarious condition seeing that
Prince Menschikoff in massing his troops
prior to the Alma fight had left it very
poorly garrisoned.
General Todleben, then lieutenant
colonel of engineers, was in charge of the
fortifcatioLs, and when the news came of
the reverse the Russians had sustained
at Alma, he at once suspended the more
elaborate work then in progress and bent
all his energies on the task of covering
the forts with field work in order to
sweep the ravines with musketry and
shot. The northern side of Sebastopol
most needed Todelben's attention, as the
allies were advancing from that ~Iarter,
but il was also Of the first importance
that the south side be guarded against
attack.
Vice-Admiral Korniloff was in general
command at Sebastopol, and had under
him fourteen line of battle ships and
seven frigates lying in the Roads. These
vessels were manned with a large naval
force. which, in case of necessity. could
be landed to cooperate with the garri-
| son.
The retreating Russian army under
Menschikoff had now reached the left
bank of the Belbeck, close to the city,
but the ground presented physical OBJ
stacles rendering the position untenable,
so the Prince thought of occupying the
east of the post road between the Bel
beck and the Tchernaya, but here he
failed again for the same cause. 1t was
| therefore finally decided to move to the
south of the city and to this end the
army crossed the Inkermann Causeway,
while the Tarouteno regiment was de-
tached to increase the garrison in the
north fort.
Assembling his officers, Admiral Korn-
iloff told them that the victorious allies
would probably advance on the north
east and force the Russian fleet to retire.
He suggested. the desperate alternative
of sailing from Sebastopol harbor to at
tack the allied fleet at Cape Lookout,
and if the attack proved unsuccessful,
they were to grapple with the enemy and
blow up their own vessels alongside
those of the former. The allied armies
would then, bereft of their naval sup
port, easily perish before the Russian
troops on land and the Russian fleet be
eXtinguished in blaze of glory, deliver
ing the country.
} But his officers did not take to Korni-
, lofts plan and when the Admiral solicit
ed the aid of Menschikoff, the latter re-
piled with an order to sink seven ships
at the entrance to the Roads to bar any
, hostile feet. Korniloff sadly complied
with this order, issuing instructions ac-
cordingy. The five oldest line of battle
, ship, and the two oldest frigates were
, those selected for the work of premature
destruction and ten others were moored
on the south side of the Roads to cover
the north side with their guns when the
enemy should appear in that direction.
/ All the other vessels except the steamers
/ were placed in the South Bay then to be
/ sunk should the fortune of war decree
that the city and harbor must be yielded
] to the enemy.
Late in the afternoon of the 21st OF
: September the orders were carried out.
{ The sad procession of the doomed vessels
{ moved to the passage of the channel at
= the mouth of the Roads between the
, Alexander and Constantine batteries and
e the other craft took up position along
the shore. The array of ships at the en-
e trance to the channel impressed the
= enemy with the notion that the Russians
= were about to give battle, and in view OF
/ a possible attack Korniloff deferred tho
landing of the artillery from the ships
: about to be sunk, but at p. m.,. the
e signal to carry out the order to sink the
S vessels was given by the raising of thu
s national colors above the city. All nigh
y work was necessary to effect the re
+ moval of the material from the ship
f and wonderful activity was displayed
e so that by daybreak on September 3
n five ships slowly disappeared under tn
C waves.
s A pathetic occurrence marked the de
a struction of the Tri-Sviatiteia, a line
of-battle ship, which refused to sink al
d though the water poured through tn
e breaches purposely made in her timbers
e At last the .'Gromonossetzn was directed
It to fire into her; the gallant sailors obcyeC
% and watched the operation with full
l. hearts. When the water finally close
1t over the grand old ship, the rugged tar
ie actually wept.
&c Meanwhile 1Odleben had cnergeticall
le pushed the Notifications on the sout
l. side of Sebastopol, covering it with fielt
" works near the Bastion du Mat. Thi
IF battery was armed with seventeen guns
IN All that the brave defenders accom-
lie plished was done. at the cost of tn
lie greatest self-sacrifce and most unceas
j. ing toll. There was no time to construc
IF anything but the earthworks, and the cor
vcts from the jails were pressed int
N service.
n The allies had arrived on September
IS 81, and the besieged garrison were i
% hourly dread of an attack. knowing tn
Is weak defenses would succumb in an
If determined assault. They were, besides
I now deprived Of the presence of Mensch
a koif's army, which vacated the positio
south Of the city and proceeded eastwat
q to Baktchiserai The allies, folown
n IN the wake OF the Russians, crossed III
le point where the latter turned 10 the east
g. thus mcnacing the southern side. The
X also threw up batteries there, forcing th
"a Russian war vessels to leave. The positio
OF the besieged was not rcissuring ON,
Is with their comparatively small garriso
be and weak dclcn-es beyond which at
rs distance u some three miles las 81
"a trenched an invading army Of go. O0