Chapter XXXIII: The End of the War

Lord Raglan’s Successor--“Take Care of Dowb”--Lord Panmure’s Nepotism--The Crisis of the War--Gortschakoff’s Last Struggle--The Battle of the Tchernaya River--France and the War--A Despondent Court--Divided Counsels among the Allies--The Bridge of Rafts--The Grand Bombardment--French Attack on the Malakoff--British Attack on the Redan--Why the Attack Failed--The “Hero of the Redan”--Pélissier’s Message to Simpson--Appeal to Sir Colin Campbell--Evacuation of the Redan--Fall of Sebastopol--Retreat of the Russians to the North Town--Paralysis of the Victors--The Queen’s Anger--Her Remonstrances with Lord Panmure--A New Commander-in-Chief--Taking Care of “Dowb”--Codrington Chosen--The Wintry Crimean Watch--Diplomatic Humiliation of Palmerston--France Negotiates Secretly Terms of Peace with Austria--Palmerston’s Indignant Remonstrances--The Queen Objects to Prosecute the War Alone--The Surrender of Palmerston--He Abandons the Turks--An Unpopular Peace--The Tories Offer to Support the Peace--The Queen and the Parliament of 1856 669