The battles of the world

by J. Douglas Borthwick

MAMELON AND QUARRIES.—The capture of the Mamelon and the action of the Quarries, took place in the great siege of Sebastopol. The former was gallantly stormed and taken by our allies the French and the action of the Quarries redoubted to the indomitable pluck of British soldiers. The following is a good account of the action and capture of the fort:

“A third general bombardment opened on the 6th of June. At half-past two o’clock in the afternoon, the fire of 157 English and 300 French guns and mortars simultaneously opened upon the town. The Russian reply was feeble, and inflicted but little damage upon our batteries. A fierce cannonade was maintained by the Allies during that and the following day, and towards evening, on the 7th, a grand combined attack was made by the English on the Quarries, and by the French on the Mamelon. The former of these works, as the name implies, were pits from which stone had formerly been excavated for the buildings in the town, and occupied a position between the head of our advanced sap and the Great Redan, the most formidable work of Russian defence, and which in the general plan of attack had been apportioned to the English. The Mamelon, as it was specifically called—the general term mamelon, a rounded hill, describing its appearance—was the foremost of two similar eminences, at a short distance from each other. The one nearest the town was surmounted by the Malakoff tower and works, and was the most elevated and commanding position of the enemy’s line of defence, the Mamelon, or Mamelon Vert, as the French designated it, had long since lost all claim to the latter name, being excavated into trenches and rifle-pits, from which a most annoying fire was maintained upon the French lines. Our Allies had already made a very gallant though unsuccessful attempt at its capture; and it was under the cover of its guns that the Russian sortie of the 22nd of March was made.

It was then absolutely necessary that an endeavour should be made by the besieging army to carry these formidable works, which presented such obstacles to their advance; and accordingly the evening of the 7th of June was fixed for the assault. At about six o’clock, the French battalions, chosen for the assault, consisting of the Algerine Zouaves, detachments of the 61st, 7th, and 50th regiments of the line, and of the Chasseurs-à-Pied, and Imperial Guard, about 1200 men in all, moved up to the front, closely followed by the reserve or working party, to follow the attacking column, and secure possession of the works. This second column, commanded by General Brunet, comprised a battalion of the Chasseurs-à-Pied, and the 11th, 24th, 69th, and 16th regiments of the line. General Bosquet was entrusted with the entire direction of the assault.

Our attacking force was composed of detachments from the Light and Second Divisions. About 400 men from the 18th, 7th, 47th, 49th, were told off to lead the assault, under the immediate command of Colonel Shirley, of the 90th regiment. The working parties were selected from remaining regiments of the Light Division; the main body remaining under arms in reserve.

Immediately the signal rockets took their flight towards the town, the attacking columns darted forward. The active French troops swarmed up the sides of the Mamelon, and in a few moments were in hand-to-hand contest with the Russian defenders. With an unusual supineness the batteries of the town offered no impediment to the advance. It might be that the fierce bombardment to which for twenty-four hours they had been exposed, had temporarily silenced them. Whatever might be the cause, but little opposition was sustained by, and scarcely any loss inflicted on the attacking columns, who reached the parapet on the crown of the hill at a rapid pace. Here the enemy made a stand, and for a brief space struggled bravely to maintain their position. It was, however, but an ineffectual effort. The French fought with the utmost daring; and the enemy giving way before the impetuous onslaught, retreated down the hill, the French in eager pursuit. In the valley, however, the Russians received large reinforcements from the Malakoff Tower on the opposite eminence, and a fierce fire was opened on the French from the batteries of the Malakoff. Then the tide of battle turned; and the hitherto assailants, out-numbered, were driven up the hill, contesting every foot of ground. Some of the Zouaves, with characteristic daring, evading the attacking force, pressed onwards, and, as on the previous occasion, positively entered the Malakoff, and spiked some of the guns. Our allies, unable to bear the vigorous charge and overwhelming numbers of the enemy, who now pressed upon them, were forced to relinquish the hold they had obtained upon the Mamelon, and retreated over the brow of the hill, reluctantly relinquishing the advantage they had gained. The French, after a brilliant attack, were driven back by the reinforced defenders of the hill, and the Russians were once more masters of the Mamelon.

General Bosquet, however, was not the man to accept a repulse as a final defeat. Reforming the column in the trenches at the foot of the hill, and sending fresh troops to their assistance, he prepared for a second assault. This time the French, eager to retrieve their disaster, rushed forward with emulous bravery, and again the hill side was covered with the advancing columns, pressing onwards to the attack. Trench after trench was carried and in a few moments the assailers again occupied the topmost parapet. The Russians fought desperately; but no courage could withstand the fierce valour of the French. The enemy were hurled down the hills, and our allies, mad with excitement, rushed after them, in a rapid bayonet charge, covering the ground with the killed and wounded, and driving the flying enemy to the refuge of the Malakoff. Meanwhile the working party in their rear had speedily thrown up parapets and breastworks on the Russian side; and although the guns from the town and the shipping in the harbour played vigorously upon the hill, they were enabled to hold their important acquisition.

Farther to the right, the French had also attacked and carried, after considerable resistance, a line of works leading to and defending Careening Bay, and connected with the works of the Mamelon, known as the White Works. A number of guns were taken, and the French were thus in possession of an access to the great harbour, and enabled to throw up works commanding the shipping.

We have thus far related the varying fortunes of the French attack. Let us now turn to the English assault on the Quarries. Simultaneously with the advance of our allies, Colonel Campbell threw his small force into the Russian works, experiencing but trifling opposition; and congratulating himself upon having so easily achieved his object. Advancing beyond the Quarries towards the Redan, there is no doubt the adventurous English might even have entered that great work itself, so great was the confusion among the Russians, caused by the attack on the Mamelon, had they been in sufficient force to warrant such a feat. The enemy, however, soon mustered their strength, and Colonel Campbell was forced, after a stubborn resistance, to yield his position. Three times did the small British force retreat from the Quarries, and as many times they retook them with the bayonets. At length they were enabled to throw up an earthwork, which ensured their possession of this important position. In one of the Russian attacks, an instance of individual prowess occurred, which obtained for the performer of it the rare honour of being named, though a non-commissioned officer, in Lord Raglan’s despatch. The assailing party had wavered a little before the sharp fire from the British muskets, when Lance-Corporal Quin, of the 47th, darted out of the work towards a Russian officer and four men, who had advanced somewhat in front of the main body of the enemy. With the butt-end of his musket he brained one of the soldiers, bayoneted a second and the other two precipitately fled from the doughty corporal. Then collaring the officer, and administering a gentle stimulant with the point of his bayonet to quicken his advance, he dragged him a prisoner into the work, in less time than we have occupied to tell the tale.