" The storm of missiles from the Allied batteries continued without intermission during the whole of the 9th, nor did the men who were working the guns slacken in their efforts or show any symptoms of fatigue, in spite of the increased difficulties and the augmented labour imposed on them by the deep and muddy condition of the trenches. Considerable impression was made on several of the Russian works; the Mamelon was for a time silenced entirely, one face of the Redan was reduced almost to the same condition, while the French succeeded in inflicting serious injury on the Bastion du Mat. At night, however, the Russians succeeded once more in repairing the injuries sustained in the day, and the next morning they re-opened fire with considerably increased energy. The morning was hazy, and for some time there was a drizzling rain; tow'ards afternoon the weather cleared, a change which both actors and spectators hailed with delight. During the day the Naval Brigade, who suffered throughout the second bombardment in an excessive ratio compared with their military comrades, lost the services of Lieutenant Twyford, a highly distinguished young officer, who was killed by a shot, which also wounded and for a time disabled another energetic and valuable officer. Captain Lord John Hay. The practice on both sides was excellent, and all accounts agree in stating that, had the Eussian fire been as heavy and sustained as it was steady and accurate, the losses on our side would have been incomparably more than they were. On this night an attempt was made to convey six 32-pounder guns, from the first parallel, into one of the advanced batteries prepared for their reception; but so heavy, tenacious, and impracticable had • the ground become in consequence of the rain, that several hundred men were after repeated efforts unable to move one gun from the point at which it had foundered. The Russians, guided by the noise, opened fire on this party, and at the first shot knocked off the muzzle of another gun; and that and the others were then left in the second parallel till the following night, when the guns were at last got into the battery, and by daylight placed in the embrasures. Four of them which opened on the 12th were silenced by a crushing fire directed on them by the Russians, but on the 18th and 14th the whole of them were again worked with success, purchased, it is to be regretted, by very heavy casualties among the gunners.
" As time wore on the firing on both sides slackened day after day, until that of the Allies, gradually diminishing, finally reached the same limits to which it was confined prior to the 9th of April. It was evident therefore that the assault must still be postponed; the Russian defences, though seriously injured, were still neither breached nor destroyed, and the relaxation of the
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vigour of the attack would afford the besiegers leisure and comparative impunity in repairing the damage they had sustained.