By 10th Company R. S. & M. and Detachments
of the Light Division, under
the superintendence of Lieut. Fred.
Brine, R.E. Commenced and finished
November, 1855.
In the same ravine, more towards its head, was constructed, in January, another bridge, unique and picturesque, under the direction of Lieutenant Brine, by the tenth company and parties of the line. Sergeant Jarvis and corporal Luly had the superintendence of the work. The bridge was to open a readier communication between the first and second brigades of the light division, encamped on opposite heights. It was formed of pork barrels two feet eight inches long and two feet at the swell, easily procured, but greatly inferior to porter barrels inasmuch as they were not iron hooped. No excavation was made, but the barrels were laid along the swampy bottom of the ravine, transversely in the centre and vertically at the ends. The upright barrels, formed, so to speak, the buttresses, fifty-four being on the first brigade side and thirty-six on the second. This arrangement appears to require explanation. For the former there were five barrels placed for a base and seven for the latter, overlaid by another row, which, pushing well into the broken slopes of the valley, took eleven barrels for the first and eighteen for the second. This was the nature of the formation at both sides; but, to make the bottoms firmer, a couple of barrels were introduced at each end and the spaces thus enclosed were made solid with earth. The centre division took 168 barrels, which were laid heads to the stream on their swells, end to end, three in a row, with another layer, of equal number, above them. Strips of iron hoop were nailed on the casks through the length of the bridge, and their steadiness was further assisted by filling in the interstices with earth and small stones. The bridge, intended for foot-passengers and equestrians, was 118 feet long and 8 feet wide, with a cross-braced hand-rail rising more than 3 feet above its level supported by six struts sunk into the ground. Heavy stones of large and irregular sizes were built on the edges of the structure, between which 18 inches of metalling was strewn over the bridge, as ballast to sustain it in position. Small roadways, about 10 feet broad, were made to and from this rustic causeway. If baulks could have been promptly procured, the bridge would have been constructed very differently; but the existence of barrels in great numbers offered the best chance of its speedy formation, which was effected in six days. Its strength was proved by passing over it a 9-pounder field-piece, which was borne without the barrels evincing any signs of weakness, and it resisted with unexpected firmness the dashing torrent that in heavy storms poured down the ravine.
A further reinforcement of 150 non-commissioned officers and men, under the command of Captain Lambert with 29 horses, reached the seat of war on the 28th January, 1856, in the ‘Indiana.’ The bulk of the detachment sailed for Balaklava, leaving 23 drivers who joined the field equipment troop at Scutari. Only 15 of the horses landed, 11 having died or been killed on the voyage and 3 left at Gibraltar. The total force of sappers, which up to this date had landed in the East, was 1,344 of all ranks.
1855-56.
13th September-1st March.
DEMOLITIONS AT SEBASTOPOL.
Testing the authenticity of some Russian plans concerning the docks—Force employed in the demolition—Situation of the docks—Their magnitude and strength—The operations—Difficulties encountered in their execution by storms and frosts—Labours and hardships of the miners—The explosions—Destruction of the docks—Accidents; intrepid exertions of corporal Cray—Poisonous gas in a gallery; prompt efforts to rescue the sufferers—Shelling the docks while the demolitions were proceeding—Sir William Codrington’s dispatch reporting the success of the operations—Also Colonel Lloyd’s report—The White Barracks—Their destruction—Death of Major Ranken; notice of conduct of second corporal Baker.
Meanwhile the mining of the docks proceeded. On the 13th September, one sergeant and nine sappers with some line miners only were employed; but their efforts were mainly directed to prove the authenticity of some Russian plans which had fallen into our hands when the allies first ascended the heights. A few shafts had been excavated in different places behind the revetments when, on the 19th, a subaltern of engineers and forty-two sappers having been detached from the camp, the works spread over a larger area, and were continued till the 24th September, when the service was suspended.