prise of the indomitable Todleben. Between the Central Bastion and the bastion near the Quarantine Bay the line of defence was a loop-holed wall, strengthened behind with earth, but much battered by the heavy fire directed on it. Seeing its precarious state, Todleben resolved to cover it with a salient earthwork on a ridge in front, where he had already placed rows of rifle pits. Between these pits and the French trenches was a cemetery, lying in a green hollow, having in its midst a small church, surrounded by crosses ,and headstones. Once peaceful as any country churchyard in England, it had now for months been an arena of conflict, where riflemen had crouched in the grass of the graves, or lurked in the shadow of the tombstones. The French trenches were already close to its southern wall, when Todleben, on the night of the 2ist, began his outwork with characteristic vigour. Two thousand four hundred workmen were busy with spade and pickaxe, while 6000 infantry, and many guns bearing on the ground in front, guarded them. But the French also were making a trench that night, therefore both parties had an interest in keeping their batteries quiet. But morning showed that while the French, with their working party of ordinary strength, had made about 150 yards of trench, the Russians had made more than 1000 yards, besides a supplementary work close to the head of Quarantine Bay. And these works were not to play a defensive part merely ; when armed, they would rake the French trenches, and form a new and serious obstacle to the progress of the siege. Therefore Pelissier ordered that
The French attack It, 239
the new works should be attacked that night ; the enemy was equally resolved to defend them ; and it so happened that about 6000 men were devoted to the purpose on each side. All the guns, Russian and French, that could aid the infantry were laid on their objects, ready to open. At nine on the night of the 22d the fight began, and continued without intermission till three in the morning. There was a glimmering moon, and against a low bank of clouds the flashes of the guns marked the hostile lines ; the rattle of small-arms resounded through the night, and at times a cheer, rising out of the gloom, showed where a charge had been led, or some advantage won. Many times had each side gained a temporary success ; but as the French could not remain in the work by day, under the fire of the place, the Russians still held it in the morning, though it had cost them dear. They had lost 2650 men ; the French, 1800.
It so happened that the neighbouring bay of Kamiesch had presented, on this same 22d, an unusually busy scene, for the troops destined for the expedition to Kertch were embarking there. From the ships they heard the conflict raging at no great distance. In the morning they sailed on their enterprise. Unluckily for the Russians, one of their posts, from a tower of observation, saw and signalled that large forces were in movement from the harbour. Gortschakoff imagined that they were about to be landed on the coast for an attack on his forces in the field. He concluded he could spare no troops for another fight in the trenches from
240 And capture It.
his army, which lay between Mackenzie's Farm and the heights of the Belbek. Therefore, only two battalions were to hold the new work. If the French should prove to have had enough of fighting the night before, these would suffice to protect the completion of the work; but if attacked by superior numbers, they must withdraw. The French did come on again that night in great force, drove out the guard, and converted the line of trench into a parallel of their own. This night the losses were about 400 on each side.