Chapter VII: THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (continued)

The Course of Diplomacy--Austria's Position--The Four Points--The
Czar agrees to negotiate--Russell's Mission to Vienna--Prince
Gortschakoff's Declaration--The Third Point broached--Its
Rejection by Russia--Count Buol's final Proposition--The War
debated in Parliament--Lord John Russell resigns--Strength of the
Government--The Sardinian and Turkish Loans--Vote of Censure on
the Aberdeen Cabinet--Finance of the War--General Pélissier--The
Fight for the Cemetery--Success of the French--Occupation
of the Tchernaya--Expedition to Kertch--Description of the
Peninsula--Sir George Brown's Force--The Russians blow up their
Magazines--Occupation of Kertch and Yenikale--Lyons in the Sea
of Azoff--Result of the Expedition--Attack upon Sebastopol
decided--Ordnance of the Allies--The Attack--The French
occupy the Mamelon--The British in the Quarries--Lord Raglan
overruled--New Batteries--Pélissier's Change of Plan--The Fourth
Bombardment--Preparations for the Assault--Mayran's Mistake--Brunet
and D'Autemarre--The Attack on the Redan fails--Abandonment of the
Assault--General Eyre--Losses on both Sides--Death of Lord Raglan 91

CHAPTER VIII.

THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (_continued_).

Changes in the Allied Camp--Advance upon the Malakoff and
Redan--Prince Gortschakoff determines to Attack--The Allied Camp
on the Tchernaya--Gortschakoff's Reinforcements--The Russian
Plan--Read's Precipitation--Check of the Russian Attack--The
French Counter-stroke--Gortschakoff changes his Front--The Battle
is won--Allied Losses--The French sap towards the Malakoff----The
British Bombardment--Combats before the Malakoff--Gortschakoff
secures his Retreat--Council of September 3rd--Plan of Attack--The
Last Bombardment--The Hour of Attack--The Signal--Assault of
the Malakoff--MacMahon and Vinoy--Failures upon the Curtain
and Little Redan--MacMahon is Impregnable--Failure to take the
Redan--Evening--Gortschakoff's Retreat--End of the Siege 113

CHAPTER IX.

THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (_continued_).

Gortschakoff clings to Sebastopol--Destruction of Taman and
Fanagoria--Expedition to Kinburn--Resignation of Sir James
Simpson--Explosion of French Powder Magazine--The Fleets in the
Baltic--The Hango Massacre--Attack on Sveaborg--What the Baltic
Fleet did--Russia on the Pacific Coast--Petropaulovski blown up--The
Russian Position in Asia--The Turks left to their Fate--Foreigners
in Kars--Defeat of Selim Pasha--Battle of Kuruk-Dereh--Colonel
Williams sent to Kars--Mouravieff arrives--His Expeditions
towards Erzeroum--The Blockade begins--The Assault of September
29th--Kmety's success--The Tachmasb Redoubt--Attack on the English
Lines--Victory of the Turks--Omar's Relief fails--Sufferings of the
Garrison--Williams capitulates--Terms of the Surrender 128