furnace, the Russians shrank and cowered as the corn-ears shrink and bend before the blast of the simoom. With that unyielding obstinacy which in a better cause would have deserved the name of heroism, they stiU indeed persisted in remaining at their guns, but the guns themselves at every moment were tumbled from their carriages — the artillerymen maimed or killed outright in serving them — and, from the very first, their batteries replied to ours but feebly, and by fits and starts. With scarcely any check, the cannonade was continued with unmitigated fury throughout the day, and at night a very torrent of shells from every mortar and heavy gun along the vast front of the Allied position carried death and destruction into the heart of the enemy's defences. At five that evening, one of the frigates in the harbour was set on fire, by what means is still a matter of uncertainty. She burned with a steady and brilliant light, whose radiance extended to an immense distance, and as the devastating element did its work, thousands of the besieging armies on the surrounding hills beheld Avith fierce delight the town, whose fate was thus forecast as it were in a fiery mirror, illumined by the flames.
During the 6th and 7th, the bombardment was as hotly maintained as during the first twenty-four hours; at three in the afternoon, a Russian two-decker caught fire, and by midnight was burnt down to the water's edge; and about the same time a heavy explosion took place in the town.
And now the last day had dawned upon Sebastopol, and, alas! upon how many gallant sons of France and England, who, " burning with high hope," at its commencement, should "moulder cold and low" before its close.
The plan agreed upon by the Allied generals was briefly as follows: — The general assault was to take place at noon. This hour was fixed upon both as offering a more favourable chance of taking the enemy, accustomed to our attacking either in the morning or the evening, by surprise, and as obviating the possibility of an attack on the lines of the Tchernaya before dark, in the contingency of the Russian army in the field making such a last desperate effort to relieve the place. The Malakoff", which was now admitted on all hands to be the one key of the whole position, was the great object to be gained, but several other attacks were to be made on the principal points of the enceinte, to distract the attention of the enemy and prevent him from concentrating his reserves, as well as to alarm him respecting the town, whence the bridge securing his retreat was thrown over to the north side.
The fortifications of tlie Karabelnaia were to be assailed by the French at three points: on the left M'Mahon's division was to storm the Malakoif and its redoubt; on the right Dulac's division the Little Redan of Careening Bay; and in the centre La Motterouge's division was to march against the curtain which unites these two works. These three divisions were to be supported by General Mellinet's division of the Guard, the whole force on this side being under the supreme command of General Bosquet.
The English were to attack the Great Redan at its salient, and portions of the Light and Second Divisions were selected for the honour of the assault by General Simpson, from their having so long defended the batteries and approaches against this work, and from the intimate knowledge they possessed of the ground.
Finally, on the left, General de Salles with the First Corps, reinforced by a Sardinian brigade, was to penetrate by the Central Bastion into the interior of the town, and then turn the FlagstaiF Bastion, to make a lodgment there.
As the possession of the Malakoff by either party would sooner or later render aU the other works untenable to the other, it was arranged that neither the attack on the Redan nor that on the Central Bastion should be commenced until General Pelissier should give a signal that the French were masters of the first of these works.
The most admirable foresight and method characterised the preliminary arrangements of the French.
The trenches were widened at convenient spots, so as to be capable of containing without confusion the whole of the attacking divisions and reserves, and, as it was important to conceal the movement of these large bodies of troops from the enemy, the ridges of all the lines of communication leading to the advanced places d^armes had been heightened, wherever there was danger of being seen.