Up to 2 o'clock A.M., the moon, which shone with peculiar brilliancy, had illumined with its soft clear rays the whole panorama of the siege, throwing into strong relief the frowning outlines of batteries and trenches, and rendering distinctly visible the small space of neutral ground which at that time separated the opposing works. No sooner however had the moon sunk below the horizon, than the French, calculating on the darkness to insure a surprise, silently and stealthily formed their columns of attack in front of their advanced ti-ench, which was distant about 300 yards from the new redoubt. Cautiously as this movement was executed, it did not nevertheless escape the lynx-eyed vigilance of the Russian outposts, who reported it at once to one of their superiors.
As the French neared the redoubt, still cherishing the belief that they were unperceived, they received a heavy fire of musketry from some Russian battalions posted in advance of the work. Undismayed by this 2 c
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w arm reception, they pushed on with alacrity, driving the enemy before tliem, and in another moment the Zouaves had scaled the redoubt, and were involved in a hand-to-hand encounter with its defenders. For a space the latter wavered, and victory hung in the balance; but, reinforced by their reserves, and supported by a terrible fire from some of the batteries and from the steamers in the port, they again rallied and drove the French over the parapet. Twice was the attack renewed by the impetuous assailants, but each time with the same fortune; till, after an hour of the most desperate efforts, they abandoned any further attempt, and finally retreated to their trenches.
The loss on both sides in this sharp action was very severe, and both sides claimed the victory; the French on the score of having effected their object by the demolition of the redoubt, which they were enabled to accomplish during their temporary possession of it; and the Russians on the plea that their adversaries were unable to maintain the advantage they had gained.
General Monet, who rendered himself conspicuous in this affair by his coolness and courage, was severely "wounded: but the advantage gained by our gallant allies was of a somewhat questionable character, as no attempt was subsequently made by them to follow it up.*
Whilst these events were taking place on shore, a French and an English steamer, the Fulton, Captain Le Bris, and the Leopard, Captain Giffard, inaugurated by a very dashing exploit the commencement of that naval campaign in the South whose brilliant and important results have so amply vindicated the ancient fame of the British navy. "Captain Giffard," says Admiral Lyons, " in conjunction with His Imperial Majesty's Steamer Fulton, captured and destroyed ten 50-cwt. 6 inch guns, and burnt seven large boats, two ranges of barrack buildings, also a quantity of military stores and provisions, near the Boghaz of the Kouban Lake on the 22nd instant, and I beg leave to call their Lordships' particular attention to the fact, that this gallant service was performed during weather which must have rendered its accomplishment exceedingly difficult, and
* Mr. N. A. Woods, in his recently -published narrative of the past campaign, transfers by a singular error the scene of this French attack from the Selinghinsk Eedoubt to " the eminence afterwards so weU known as the Mamelon," which was not in fact occupied by the Russians until the night of the 10th ]Mai-ch.
In pointing out this inaccuracy it is far from our intention to detract from the merits of a work whose copious information, graphic descriptions, and great impartiality, render it one of the most valuable contributions to the history of tbe war.
that Vice-Admiral Bruat and I consider that it reflects the highest credit on Captain Giffard, Captain Le Bris of the Fulton, and on the ofiicers and men of both nations employed on the occasion."
It may here be remarked, and it is an observation which happily will require to be repeated on more than one similar occasion, that this successful operation, involving serious loss of men as well as of material to the enemy, was unattended on our side by a single casualty.