Page:Decisive Battles Since Waterloo.djvu/184

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DECISIVE BATTLES SINCE WATERLOO.

they came to the front and not only discharged volleys of musketry at the struggling mass below, but pelted them with stones, grapeshot, and other missiles that were near at hand. A supporting column came up from the trenches, and under their fire the Russians were temporarily cleared from the front of the Redan, while the few English that survived from the assault were enabled to make good their retreat to the trenches.

When the English abandoned the assault the fire slackened from the Redan, and the Russians who had been engaged at that fortress were drawn off to the Malakoff to assist in beating back the French; but with all the force they brought to bear they were unable to retake that stronghold. Clouds of smoke surrounded the Malakoff, but now and then when they lifted the French flag could be seen waving defiantly above the inner parapet. The battle was furious all around it, and though the Russians made assault after assault, all their efforts were in vain. The supporting columns poured steadily over from the approaches and joined their fellows who were making a bold front against the Russians, although the latter were receiving fresh reinforcements almost continuously. Hour after hour the fight went on, but the issue was unchanged. When the sun went down the tricolor still floated above the Malakoff, and the fall of Sebastopol was assured.

In the capture of the Malakoff the French lost 1,646 killed, of whom 5 were generals, 24 superior, and 116 inferior officers, 4,500 wounded, and 1,400 missing. In the attack on the Redan the English lost 385 killed, 29 being commissioned and 42 non-commissioned officers, 1,886 wounded and 176 missing.

During the night between the 8th and 9th the Russians abandoned the Redan, which the capture of the Malakoff rendered untenable, and the occupation of the forts by the allies made it impossible for the Russians to remain in Sebastopol. During the night and early morning the Russians crossed over to the north side of the harbor, leaving the city in flames. All through the night there