The Irish standard., 1900-03-31

British and French forces. Although
war was declared so early in the year i
was not until Sept. 2 that the allies
fleets, carrying two well-provisionet
armies set sail for Crimea. Being me
by the Turkish squadron off Cap,
Tar]Shan on Sept. II, the conlbines
forces sailed to a point fifteen mile.
north of Eupatoria, where a landing
was to be effected Reaching Eupa
toria bay on the morning OF Sept IL
the ships anchored and after delay O
several days, during which the surren
der of the town was effected, the troop:
were. ordered ashore On Monday
Sept 18, the two armies were ready tc
march. The British forces included
10000 infantry and thirty-six guns. The
French forces, while not so strong as
the English, were better equipped. At
tacEed to the French forces were 1000
Turks. At daybrcak, on Sept. 10, the
march for Sebastopol began. AS the
allied forces approached the River Al
ma, troops were seen advancing from
the towns. British soldiers were sent
forward and the enemy retired across
the river, where the Russian army was
to make Its first stand A day of des-
perate fighting followed, and then the
Russians retired to Sebastopol and the
allied armies, fesitating in their pur-
suit, brought upon themselves the elev-
en- months of suffering which followed.
The Russian forces engaged in this bat
tie amounted to 10000 men,. Their loss
was 5000. The allies lost o1o killed
and 2,S4o wounded. On Sept. % the
allied armies recommended the march
to Sebastopol, with cholera and not the
Russians as their greatest enemy.
The town OF Sebastopel, pcoplcd and
garrsoned to the number OF $4,000, lay
upon the peninsula which formed the
gate i'll the larbor, where Russians
Black sea fleet was stationed. Sebasto-
pol had first been garrisoned by En-
press Catherine after her conquest of
Crimea in 1888. 1t was an Englislman
who at that time directed the building
Of the Notifications. 1t was this forti-
fcation which the English army of 1855
found impregnable.
Refusing to storm the town directly,
as the British generals urged, the
French instituted flank movement, by
which they reached the heights beyond
the town, 1t was on Sept 26 when this
famous detour from Belbek to Balak-
lava was accomplished and the camps
overlooking the town established. Sc
bastopol was poorly prepared for with
standing siege, yet so keen to the pos
sibilities OF the situation were Admiral
kornlloff and Colonel Won Todleben,
commanders Of the town, that their
condition soon changed from that OF
bcsieged to besiegcrs. Russian and
Cossack troops closed in from all sides
on the allied armies, who found diff
Guilty in rebuifing the enemy from with
out and menacing that within. Inside
OF two months the garrison OF Sebasto-
pol was increased from $4,000 poorly
disciplined sailors to 10000 OF Russia,s
bravcst troops.
Through the long winter which iol-
lowed, the French and British forces
were decimatcd by starvation and cfol-
era, and by spring but pitiful handful
Of their former splendid array was left
to hold the camps. With April came
re-enforcements and renewal OF the
struggle, which was but half done. Day
after day sallies were made against the
towns, outlying intrenchmcnts and
hourly the bcsiegers' trenches crept
closer and closer toward the town. On
Sept. 8, 1855, nearly year after the
landing, tho final struggle came. NAL
akhoff tower, the greatest OF the lorti-
fications, lying to the south OF the town,
was taken by the French. That same
day the great Redan was captured by
the English and the lesser Redan by
the French. The enemy retired at
nightial to the north forts, leaving the
south forts in flames. During this
closing day OF years siege men strug-
eled bitterly hand to hand piling their
bodies one upon another in great
mounds.
The French losses included 1,646
killed, 1850 wounded and 1,4oo missing.
The English reached 3s5 killed, 1886
wounded and 17o missing. In April of
1856 the entire works were RACED to the
ground. Sebastopol was restored to
the Russians in July.
Lucknow, at the time of the Sepoy
mutiny, was one of the largest and most
modern cities OF India and at the same
time the least fitted for defense in case
of war. 1t had practically no fortihca-
tons. 1t was made up OF tall buildings
open to the enemy's fire and had many
bridges leading across the river into the
open country beyond. Directly in front
of the two largest bridges of the town
an easy target on the top Of a hill.
stood the British residency, which was
to shelter 1900 brave men and women
through mitch suffering. Like every
other town in India, Lucknow at the
outbreak OF the mutiny was alive with