was so completely dominated by the Malakoff that the capture of this great work also had become an essential part of the plan of attack. J This had always been Burgoyne's opinion, and he now supported it by arguing that the MalakofT was more easy of approach than the other works ; that the possession of it, even if it should not, of itself, cause the surrender of the place, would render the assault of the others far less desperate, while guns placed on it would at once rid us of the fire of the Russian ships. He represented, moreover, that the Allies would thus best attain their real object, which was not so much the capture of the town, as the destruction of the docks, arsenal, and fleet. Since the battle of Inkerman had given us possession of the heights overlooking the harbour and the Careenage ravine, this plan had obviously become more feasible, and Burgoyne had, in November and December, urged officially his reasons for desiring that the English should undertake the business, and that, as their numbers were manifestly unequal to such an extension of duty and work, the French should relieve them of the charge of pushing forward and guarding the British Left Attack, the batteries of which, however, would be held and fought by our men as before. This would set free the Third Division to perform the operations on Mount Inkerman. Immediately after the battle of Inkerman the Allies had begun to strengthen the ground there with works, one made by the French on the end of the Fore Ridge, three by the English (one of them on Shell Hill), to command the approaches, and to overlook the bridge and causeway
192 The French prefer another Mode.
over which Pauloff had advanced ; and we had further 'made in front of these a first parallel, and begun a second, as approaches to the works between the MalakofT and the harbour. When this proposal was finally considered at a conference of chiefs at the beginning of February, the French preferred to leave our Right and Left Attacks to us as before, and themselves to take charge of Mount Inkerman, except that the British artillerymen and sailors already occupying our works there, should so remain. It was so settled : Mount Inkerman and the Victoria Ridge were given into the charge of Bosquet's Corps ; and at the same time the plan of advancing on the Russian works from the Malakoff to the harbour, by approaches from Mount Inkerman, and of pressing the attack, not there especially, but along the whole Russian front, was definitely adopted.
Meanwhile the Allies had not been idle in the trenches, even in the time of their direst trials. The first parallel of the British Right Attack was completed, as well as another in advance of it. A second parallel was carried across the front of the Left Attack, and down the ravine on its right, barring the WoronzofT road there. The French had sapped up to within 1 80 yards of the Flagstaff Bastion, and now, seeing the relations of mutual defence between it and the Central Bastion, deemed it necessary to include the latter also in their front of attack. Yet withal the business of the siege proceeded of necessity very slowly. What transport the Allies could muster was taken up with bringing food, clothing, and shelter. In the trenches the
Want of Fuel in the Camps. 193