Up to 2 o'clock a.m., the moon, which shone with peculiar brilliancy, had illumined with its soft clear rays the whole panorama of the siege, throwing into strong relief the frowning outlines of batteries and trenches, and rendering distinctly visible the small space of neutral ground, which at that time separated the opposing works. No sooner, however, had the moon sunk below the horizon, than the French, calculating on the darkness to insure a surprise, silently and stealthily formed their columns of attack in front of their advanced trench, which was distant about 300 yards from the new redoubt. Cautiously as this movement was executed, it did not nevertheless escape the lynx-eyed vigilance of the Russian outposts, who reported it at once to one of their superiors.
THE EAST.
As the French neared the redoubt, still cherishing the belief that they were unperceived, they received a heavy fire of musketry from some Eussian battalions posted in advance of the work. Undismayed by this warm reception, they pushed on with alacrity, driving the enemy before them, and in another moment the Zouaves had scaled the redoubt, and were involved in a hand-to-hand encounter with its defenders. For a space the latter wavered, and victory hung in the balance; but, reinforced by their reserves, and supported by a terrible fire from some of the batteries and from the steamers in the port, they again rallied and drove the French over the parapet. Twice was the attack renewed by the impetuous assailants, but each time with the same fortune; till, after an hour of the most desperate efforts, they abandoned any fui-ther attempt, and finally retreated to their trenches.
The loss on both sides in this sharp action was very severe, and both sides claimed the victory; the French on the score of having effected their object by the demolition of the redoubt, which they were enabled to accomplish during their temporary possession of it; and the Eussians on the plea that theii' adversaries were unable to maintain the advantage they had gained.
General Monet, who rendered himself conspicuous in this afifair by his coolness and courage, was severely wounded: but the advantage gained by our gallant allies was of a somewhat questionable character, as no attempt was subsequently made by them to follow it up.*
Whilst these events were taking place on shore, a French and an English steamer, the Fulton, Caj^tain Lebris, and the Leopard, Captain Giffard, inaugurated by a very dashing exploit the commencement of that naval camijaign in the South whose brilliant and important results have so amjily vindicated the ancient fame of the British navy. "Captain Giffard," says Admiral Lyons, " in conjunction with His Imi^erial Majesty's Steamer Fidton, captured and destroyed ten 50 cwt. 6-inch guns, and burnt seven large boats, two ranges of barrack buildings, also a quantity of military stores and provisions near the Boghaz of the Kouban Lake on the 22nd instant, and I beg leave to call their Lordship's particular attention to the fact, that this gallant service was performed during weather which must have rendered its accomplishment exceedingly difficult, and that Vice-Admiral Bruat and I consider that it reflects the highest credit on Captain Giffard, Captain Lebris of the Fidton, and on the officers and men of both nations emj^loyed on this occasion."
* Mr. N. A. Woods, in his recently-published narrative of the past campaign, transfers by a singular error the scene of this French attack from the Selinghinsk Redoubt to "the eminence afterwards so well known as the Mamelon," which was not in fact occupied by the Russians until the night of the 10th March.
In pointing out this inaccuracy, it is far from our intention to detract from the merits of a work whose copious information, graphic descriptions, and great impartiality, render it one of the most valuable contributions to the history of the war.
Q Ijj X
It may here be remarked, and it is an observation which happily will require to be repeated on more than one similar occasion, that this successful operation, involving serious loss of men as well as of material to the enemy, was unattended on our side by a single casualty.