| WOJNA KRYMSKA 1854-1855 oczyma kapitana Chodasiewicza. Sewastopol, wizyta generała Eduarda Totlebena, specjalisty od fortyfikacji.About the end of August Totleben arrived at Sevastopol for the purpose of defending the town. On his arrival Menschikoff invited him to examine the existing defences and give his opinion on them. Totleben afterwards told the Prince that he would take the town in three hours with two divisions of infantry and field artillery. This answer is said not to have pleased the old diplomatist.
During the five months I had now spent in the Crimea I had only twice seen Prince Menschikoff while under arms, and both these occasions were attended with accidents of a serious nature. On one occasion he inspected our brigade with the 4th and 5th light batteries, the 6th battalion of sappers, and the 12th battery of horse artillery.
He rode up to us with a frown on his brow, which was not encouraging to the soldier. We marched past in files of companies at a quick march, and then in columns, after which the battery of horse artillery was ordered to advance at a gallop, then halt, and unlimber! but as the ground was on the incline, the horses could not stop the guns; two drivers fell and were crushed under the wheels.
There was a large assemblage of spectators on the ground, as so large a body of troops had never before been seen near Sevastopol, and at the sight of the corpses of these two unfortunate men cries of pity were heard from all sides of the crowd, which appeared greatly to affect Menschikoff. Thus ended our first inspection.
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General Eduard Iwanowicz Totleban |
Another time we were led by the Prince to the mouth of the river Belbek, where he placed us in a position to oppose a descent of the Allies, which proves that the descent was fully expected, and in this place. The horse of one of his aides-de-camp stumbled and fell, and as the aide-de-camp had a drawn sword in his hand, he fell upon it, and died of the wound in about four hours.
A Voice from Within the Walls of Sebastopol, a Narrative of the Campaign in the Crimea, and the Events of the Siege , London John Murray June 1856
These events do not appear very significant compared with those grand events that were to follow ; but the Russian soldier is very superstitious, and on seeing these two accidents all exclaimed, "This man will never do to command us, for he has nothing but ill-luck.” It was evident that the soldiers did not like Menschikoff, as was shown after the battle of Alma. He never interfered in anything, but left every arrangement to the men under his command, who were consequently able to fill their pockets with impunity.
In the mean time the General of Division frequently inspected us, and drilled the men in marching without ever taking the trouble to ascertain whether the men knew how to load or fire their pieces, or anything about skirmishing, which are absolutely necessary for every man to know, in order to be of use in war-time. But the Russian generals, or at least a large portion of them, seem to think that if their men can march well, with their toes pointed and their bodies inflexible, the main object is gained. But it has been of late repeatedly proved by experience that this is not enough.
Ciąg dalszy nastąpi.
To be continued.
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