174
JOURNAL OF THE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.
Left Attack.
in No. 8 battery, and the half merlon of No. 5 gun,No. 8 battery, was increased by three feet. In No. 9100 sandbags were filled. The passage to the powder-magazine in the centre of the second parallel is largeenough for powder boxes. The men worked verywell; those employed in filling sandbags were taskedat 25 bags each man. Two men of the 50th Regi-ment covering party were killed, one in the caves,and the other in the advance post, by round shot.
Right Attack.
extended parallel to the right of the mortar battery,No. 8.
There were no artillery men detailed for the fieldguns near those extended, to check the fire of theRussian riflemen.
I wish to mention that Corporal Landrey, 1stCompany, Royal Sappers and Miners, showed himselfparticularly zealous and intelligent.
lass.
April 24, Night.
8 P.M. to 4 A.M.
Working Party.
Line . . . . £Sailors . . .Sappers . . .
Officers on data £
1855.
April 24, Night.
8 P.M. to 4 A.M.
Working Party.
Line ....Sappers . . .
Officers on duty
280 men.
36 „
'Lt. Ki.piiinstone, 11.K.Lieut. Drake, R.E.Lieut. Anderson, 9Ctli. Regt.
No. 10 battery, 100 men employed each relief,completing thickening of parapet, especially in frontof magazine, and making communication from epaul-ment to second parallel. Rifle-pits f in advance ofsecond parallel, 100 men employed till 2 a.m. inthickening parapets with sandbags. The cover is muchimproved, but they will require a good night’s workmore.
No. 9 battery, 50 men worked till 2 a.m. improvingcover at right of battery and thickening parapet fromfront.
32-pounder 1-gun battery, No. 14, new epaulmentfinished 8 feet high, making now a solid traversenearly 30 feet thick. Parapet in front of gun muchthickened, and battery altogether rendered much moresecure. The miners worked hard all night, blasting,to lower the platform, which is nearly done, and theplatform will be laid in the course of the day, 100men employed both reliefs. No. 8 battery, 50 menemployed till 2 a.m. lowering soles of embrasures of2, 4, 5, 7, and 8 guns ; covering in passage to rightmagazine, and thickening epaulment at right whereshot penetrated. Work completed.
Advanced post, 50 men at work till 2 a.m. im-proving communication to caves and fixing gabions.Cover is much improved for the first half of the com-munication. 50 men employed till 2 a.m. in firstparallel repairing embrasures, parapets, &c.
Sixty sailors employed making trench of commu-nication from left of fourth batteiy to left of secondparallel.
21-gun battery, a working party of 80 men with2 brigades of Sappers employed repairing generallyembrasures and magazines. The line of fire of two ofthe former was altered, so as to fire upon the leftinstead of right face of Redan.
Sandbag (or No. 13) battery, a traverse betweenthe two centre guns was commenced, and carried to aheight of 4 feet 6 inches ; the traverse in front ofmagazino nearly completed ; working party consistedof 40 men and half brigade of Sappers.
A new gun platform was laid down into No. 12mortar battery, by half brigade of Sappers.
Right advance, the parapet of new trench alongthe rifle-pits a was raised and thickened, and properloop-holes erected along the whole of its length ; thedrains in the communication to the pit were com-pleted. Working party, 30 men and half brigadeSappers.
Left advance, the cover of advanced trench wasincreased and parapet thickened ; it is very good nowalong the whole of its extent ; the extreme lodgmenton the left was strengthened, and parapet continuedon to a circular form, so as to afford flank cover.
I advanced to the right from the rifle-pit e, placingten gabions on the intended line of boyau and six asa return. Very good cover has been obtained, quitesufficient to enable men to work in it during the day-time.
The Russian fire both of shells and volleys ofmusketry considerably retarded the progress of thework,'and obliged me twice to cease working along