486
JOURNAL OF THE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.
Left Attack.
Carrying out gabions, and repairing embrasures inNo. 11 battery, six men ; working in communicationbetween Nos. 11 and 12 batteries, widening trench andimproving cover, 24 men ; improving trench in rearof magazine of battery No. 13, 30 men ; clearing outdrain and improving cover in No. 1 boyau from2d to 3d parallel, 10 men ; throwing broken stone ontop of epaulment, on right of No. 17 battery, 10 men ;clearing trench a on extreme right of stone, andthickening parapet, 30 men ; carrying out gabionsand breadbags, and building new traverse in doublesap on right of fifth parallel, 20 men ; carrying outgabions, lengthening traverse at head of double sap j j 2from fourth to fifth parallel, and thickening the parapetof rifle-pit on the left of sap, 20 men ; assisting NavalBrigade in the communication to No. 16 battery, im-proving cover, and widening trench, 50 men.
Very little firing occurred on this attack during thenight.
Wounded, 3 rank and file.
Day very fine. Wind W. Thermometer in shade83°.
Right Attack.
Working Party.
Line .... 400 men.
Sappers ... 21 ,,
, . ( I.ieut. Brink, K.E.
Officers on duly ( Lieut . Anderson, R.E.
The Sappers were employed in general superin-tendence, and repairing embrasures, No. 17 battery.
The working party, for the first time to my know-ledge, was also got to work hy eight o’clock; but Istill am of opinion that it would be most advisable ifthe officers in charge of working parties had strictorders never to leave them, and also if they weredesired to encourage their men working as much aspossible. No. 18 battery, heightening and thickeningparapet and epaulment of new mortar portion on right,two Sappers, 40 men ; No. 21 battery, making epaul-ment, deepening magazine, and clearing out embra-sures for fixing gabions, two Sappers, 60 men; No. 17battery, revetting new and old embrasures, five Sap-pers, 20 men ; new approach t towards Redan, deep-ening and widening trench and forming cover, tworeliefs, 1st relief 8 to 12, four Sappers, 50 men, 2drelief, 12 to 3, four Sappers, 50 men ; new trench ileading from fifth parallel down small ravine towardsscreen wall, where the Russians always post apicquet; 47 gabions placed; this party was firstemployed in carrying down gabions from the park,and afterwards from the Quarries ; it was also orderedby the general not to break ground till the moon gotdown, two o’clock; the trench would be exposed, fromits position, to little fire ; five Sappers and 100 men ;fifth parallel, deepening trench, and forming coverbetween small ravine and white pit q, three Sappers,70 men.
The casualties were not numerous during the night.About three killed and 17 wounded.
At about 9 p.m. there was apparently a slight sortiefrom the Malakoff on the French , but it was quicklyrepulsed.
The French bugles gave the alarm by sounding“ garde-a-vous ” (attention) even before I heardmusketry. This system must discomfit the enemy, asit always shows that the French are prepared forthem.
The fire during the night was much as'usual.
I noticed this morning that the floating bridge isnearly completed, and I must not omit to mention thatlast evening the French sent across asking our batteries
1855.
August 25, Night.
7 P.M. to 2 A.M.
Working Party.
Line .... 200 men.
Sappers ... 10 „
Officer on duty Capt. Nicholson, R.E.
1855.
August 25, Night.
8 P.M. to 2 A.M.