[CHAPTER XVI.]
SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.
Siege of Sebastopol continues—Sardinia joins the Western Alliance—Battle of Eupatoria—Sudden death of Emperor Nicholas—His love and pride for his Army—His last Words—Alexander II. ascends the Throne—His Manifesto to his Subjects—A Sketch of him—Recall of Prince Menschikoff from command in the Crimea—His abilities and failings—His Successors—Gortschakoff’s Military Career.
The conference at Vienna not having arrived at any definite terms of adjustment for Peace, the siege of Sebastopol was continued, although the severity of the weather would not admit of active operations from the besiegers or the besieged; the Allies were busied in drawing their lines closer to the walls, which provoked occasional sorties from the Russians, of small detachments of troops, which were quickly repulsed.
The King of Sardinia notified France and England of his decision to join the Allied Powers, and placed at their disposal 10,000 troops, with transports and munitions of war. On the 17th of February, 1855, 25,000 Russians, with 80 pieces of artillery, under orders from Gen. Osten Sacken, commanded by Gen. Korff, attacked the town of Eupatoria, on the east side. The combat lasted from half-past five o’clock until ten o’clock in the morning; under cover of a heavy fire from their artillery, the Russians made two or three attempts to carry the town by storm, but they were vigorously repulsed, and after a loss of 500 killed and 1300 wounded, retired towards Simpheropol.
The steamers at anchor in the roadstead contributed energetically to the defence of the town, throwing shot and shells into the ranks of the enemy. The Turks had 88 killed and 250 wounded. Selim Pasha, General of the Egyptian Division, and Colonel Rustem Bey, were killed. Eighteen French were killed or wounded on shipboard.
On the 2d of March, 1855, an event transpired which convulsed the public mind throughout Europe and the world, causing the reflection that all are in the immediate power of that Supreme Being who is King of Kings and Emperors, and that he it is who holds the destinies of nations in his hands. Emperor Nicholas of Russia, who had been indisposed for some time from an attack of influenza, but had neglected to take proper care, or to spare himself from his customary fatiguing duties in the inspection of his troops, grew alarmingly ill, and pulmonary apoplexy supervening, mortal aid was unavailing, and at one o’clock on the morning of the 2d he breathed his last. His last words were truly significant of the “ruling passion strong in death,” his love and devotedness to his army—with whose unwavering support, his towering ambition led him to believe, the world might be conquered:—“I thank the glorious loyal Guards who, in 1825, saved Russia; and I also thank the brave army and fleet; I pray God to maintain, however, the courage and spirit by which they have distinguished themselves under me. So long as this spirit remains upheld, Russia’s tranquillity is secured both within and without. Then woe to her enemies! I loved them as my own children, and strove as much as I could to improve their condition. If I was not entirely successful in that respect, it was from no want of will, but because I was unable to devise anything better, or to do more.” Nicholas was born on the 7th of July, 1796, having succeeded his brother Alexander on the 1st Dec., 1825, was sixty years of age at the time of his death, having spent one half of his life on the throne.
ALEXANDER II., EMPEROR OF ALL THE RUSSIAS.