BIOGEAPHICAL SKETCH. xxxi 



send a second expedition to Kertch, to exceed the former (which had just been obliged to return 

 to jjort ingloriously) by 5000 men. " The first expedition," he writes, " sailed, with all the 

 circumstances and facts connected with it in the mouths of every soul in Balaclava. It arrived 

 within 10 miles of its destination, and then returned — the reasons for this course becoming 

 well known to the enemy through the London press." 



The opinion he formed of the effect of the expedition was that, though the landing at Kertch 

 might be attended with the most brilliant results, it would eventually become necessary to 

 abandon the position, and that any vessels entering the Sea of AzofF, on the strength of the 

 Straits being held in permanence by us, would have to run the gauntlet of the enemy's batteries 

 when returning ; but in point of fact our position at Yenikale was never disturbed. The second 

 expedition, which sailed towards the end of May, was completely successful in its object, and, at 

 the same time, the allies in front of Sebastopol displayed great vigour in their attack on the 

 place, and signalized the fa-st week in June by the assault and capture of the Quarries and of 

 the Mamelon. Arthur Hay saw the latter aflfair, and, writing the 8th of June, he gives the 

 following graphic description of that brilliant feat of arms : — " The French took the Mamelon 

 yesterday at about six o'clock in the evening, and also the two works over the Careening 

 Creek, called the Mamelons Blancs. The English, at the same time, advanced from the 

 advanced trenches of the Right Attack, carried and held a work the enemy were making in 

 front of the Redan, called the Quarries. At 3 p.m. on the 6th the English and the French 

 batteries to their right opened fire on the enemy. Towards night the Mamelon was very 

 much knocked about ; the Redan a good deal injured ; but the Malakoff remained much as 

 usual ; its extreme distance to the rear, and its elevation, saves it. About 4 o'clock on the 

 7 th we opened all the guns again, besides the new batteries on the left and the advanced 

 batteries on the right. The enemy's fire was never heavy or good — nothing to the 9th of 

 April. At about 6 o'clock the signal was given from the Victoria Redoubt to attack — three 

 rockets. The French troops were under order in their advanced trenches ; and their supports 

 massed in the ravines. There were 65,000 under arms, and 15,000 were immediately under 

 fire. I do not think the enemy had the slightest notice of our plans, for they never shelled 

 the ravines where the troops were forming. On the signal the French rushed out, cleared the 

 Russian trench without difficulty, and, in a straggling skirmishing manner, ascended the hill 

 on which the work stands. A few Russians showed on the parapets, but the French soon 

 cleared the ditch, and got in at the embrasures. The enemy were then driven out from the 

 work. The French pushed on through the other side, and got right up to the abattis in front of 

 the MalakoflF. In this they became entangled ; a few got through on to the edge of the counter- 

 scarp ; the enemy stood up on their parapets and fired down. The scene at this point was veiy 



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