The much-talked-of expedition to Kertch* had a very practical object. The eastern point of the lozenge which the outline of the Crimea forms runs in a long, narrow isthmus towards the Circassian coast of the Black Sea, from which it is separated by the narrow straits of Kertch, and these give access, from the waters of the Euxine, to those of the inland Sea of Azof. Into this sea the River Don empties itself, and thus the resources of large districts on its banks, and of Circassia, can be swept into the isthmus ; and the superiority of this route, compared with that along the wretched roads of Southern Russia, and through the barren country by Perekop to Simpheropol, had made it the great line of supply to GortschakofPs army. The Sea of Azof was thronged with craft, occupied in transporting stores to great depots on the shores of the isthmus. Taganrog, on the shore of the Sea of Azof, near the mouth of the Don, was a considerable town, and in former days had even, from its pleasant situation, been thought of for the capital of
* See inner map on Map 3.
Expedition to Kertch. 241
Russia. The whole region was at this time specially full of business and activity.
The ships reached the straits of Kertch on the early morning of the 24th. They bore, in all, French, Turks, and English, 15,000 infantry, and five field batteries. There were about 9000 Russians in the isthmus, of which 3000 were cavalry. There were batteries guarding the straits, armed with sixty-two heavy guns, and some forty others, unmounted, of large calibre. And there had been plenty of time to prepare for an attack, since the fiasco of three weeks earlier had warned the enemy. It might have been expected that, with such means at his disposal, General Wrangel, who commanded in the isthmus, would have made at least some show of resistance. But seeing how exposed his forces were, in their straitened position, to be cut off by a landing in their rear, he made haste to withdraw them, at the same time destroying his coast batteries, while, of fourteen war-vessels, ten were burnt by their crews. The Allied Squadrons therefore passed into the straits without molestation. The landing of the troops was effected the same night, in a bay a few miles from the town of Kertch, which they entered early next morning, while a flotilla of vessels of light draught passed into the Sea of Azof. There they captured or destroyed all the great number of vessels engaged in transporting supplies for GortschakofPs army, as well as vast quantities of corn, flour, and stores. At one point they came on the wrecks of the remaining four steamers of the Russian Naval Squadron, destroyed by
242 Its Complete Success.
order of its commander. A complete clearance of everything that could aid the Forces in the Crimea was made throughout the shores of the Sea of Azof. At Taganrog, the depot of the immense supplies brought down the River Don, where some semblance of opposition was made by the garrison, the destruction of the stores on the beach was accomplished under cover of a fire from the boats of the flotilla. The fort of Arabat was bombarded and taken. Meanwhile the large men-of-war of the Allied Squadrons, outside the straits, made for Soujouk-kale and Anapa, strong places on the Circassian coast, which at their approach were abandoned by their garrisons. These operations were concluded by the second wee* in June, and the result was thus summed up by Pelissier, in a letter to the War Minister: "We have struck deep into the Russian resources ; their chief line of supply is cut, I did well to concur in this expedition, so fertile in results. Confidence is general, and I view with calm assurance the approach of the final act." In fact, the expedition had fulfilled, in no slight degree, the Emperor's policy of investment.