Moreover, the fleets of Admiral Lyons and Bruat were to make a powerful diversion by attacking the Quarantine, the roadstead, and sea fronts of the fortress. But the state of the sea, owing to a strong wind from the N.E., was such that neither the line-of-battle ships nor frigates could leave their anchorage. The English and French mortar-boats were, however, enabled to open fire. They fired in a remarkable manner, and did us good service.
Precisely at noon M'Mahon, La Motterouge's, and Dulac's divisions, electrified by their leaders, threw themselves against the Malakhoff, the Curtain, and the Little Redan of Careening Bay. After surmounting unheard-of obstacles, and after a terrible hand-to-hand struggle, M'Mahon's division succeeded in making good a footing in the front part of the Malakhoff. The enemy kept up a hail of projectiles of every description upon our brave troops. The Redan of Careening Bay, exposed to a cross fire and to the fire of the steamers, was obliged to be evacuated after having been occupied; but La Motterouge's division held its ground on a portion of the Curtain, and M'Mahon's division gained ground in the Malakhoff, where General Bosquet poured in reserves, which I hastened up.
The other attacks were subordinate to that of the Malakhoff, the key of the defences of the whole place.
From the Brancion Redoubt, where I had placed myself, I saw that the Malakhoff was in our hands, and I gave the signal agreed upon with General Simpson.
The English at once advanced bravely against the salient of the Great Redan; they succeeded in lodging themselves there, and struggled for a long time to keep it; but, overwhelmed by the Russian reserves, which never ceased advancing, and by a violent fire of artillery, they were forced to fall back into their parallels.
At the same signal General de Salles attacked the Central Bastion. Levaillant's division had commenced establishing itself there, as also on the right lunette, when, after a sweeping fire of grape, such strong Russian reinforcements came up, that our troops, decimated by the fire, and their officers hors de combat, were compelled to return to the places d'armes they had started from.
Convinced that the capture of the Malakhoff must decide the success, I prevented a renewal of the other attacks, which, by occupying the enemy on all the points of his vast enceinte, had already fulfilled their chief object, and I concentrated all my attention on the possession of the Malakhoff, now completely in the power of General M'Mahon. A critical moment was, however, at hand.
General Bosquet had just been struck by a large fragment of a shell, and I was obliged to give his command to General Dulac. A powder magazine in the Curtain near the Malakhoff blew up, and made me fear the most serious consequences.
The Russians, hoping to profit by this accident, advanced in dense masses, and in three columns attacked the centre, left, and right of the Malakhoff. But arrangements had already been made within the work. General M'Mahon had daring troops, who feared nothing, to oppose them, and after some desperate attempts the Russians were compelled to beat a retreat. From that moment they relinquished any offensive attack. The Malakhoff was ours, and could not be taken from us. It was half-past four. Measures were immediately taken to put us in a condition to repulse the enemy, should he attempt to attack us in the night. But our uncertainty was soon put an end to. At nightfall flames burst out on all sides, mines exploded, powder magazines blew up. The spectacle of Sebastopol in flames, witnessed by the whole army, was one of the most imposing and terrible sights ever presented in the history of wars. The enemy was evacuating the place. The retreat was effected during the night by means of the bridge established between the two sides of the roadstead, and under cover of the successive explosions, which prevented me from approaching to harass it. On the morning of the 9th the whole south side of the town was abandoned and in our hands.
I need not point out to your Excellency the importance of such a success; nor need I speak of that brave army whose warlike virtues and devotion are so well appreciated by our Emperor, and I shall have, though the number is great, to point out to you those who distinguished themselves among so many valorous soldiers. I cannot do so yet, but I shall fulfil that duty in an early despatch.