Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/75

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DISPOSITION OF FORCES. 31 for the French and the English cuiiinianders to cuai'. avert an overwliehning disaster.^[1]

IV. Measures tending to inflame the seal of the Russian soldiery Having gained the ascendant in numbers, and fashioned her plan of attack, Russia now also sought to evoke that more subtle element of power which derives from the souls of men. So large a body of people, children all of one monarch, one nation, one faith, had been gathered together in arms for a mighty effort within a narrow compass of ground, that feelings of a sort hardly known perhaps to isolated or scattered men, could be generated and raised to fierce heat by the fermenting of the compacted numbers; and simultaneously with the coming of the thousands long followed by thousands which acceded to Piince Mentschikoff's army in the early days

↑ The plan as I state it is the one which — whether with or without the authority — was actually followed. It was sketched — though in somewhat vague terms— by Prince Mentschikoft's general order on the 4th of November. The Prince left the details to be filled in by Moller, Soimonoif, Paululf, Dannen-berg, and Gortschakoff, and all these gave instructions or recommendations in writing. These will be found in the Appendix, Note VI. Dannenberg's recommendations do not enter into my statement of the plan as above given, because they were not acted upon, but an account of his endeavour to alter the arrangements will be found in subsequent pages. With respect to Gortschakoffs instractions, the general order was worded as though it meant to direct against Bosquet's position an actual, unfeigned attack ; but on authority which I regard as indisputable, I have satisfied myself that the orders really given to Gortschakoff were of the kind stated in the text.

[1] The plan as I state it is the one which — whether with or without the authority — was actually followed. It was sketched — though in somewhat vague terms— by Prince Mentschikoft's general order on the 4th of November. The Prince left the details to be filled in by Moller, Soimonoif, Paululf, Dannen-berg, and Gortschakoff, and all these gave instructions or recommendations in writing. These will be found in the Appendix, Note VI. Dannenberg's recommendations do not enter into my statement of the plan as above given, because they were not acted upon, but an account of his endeavour to alter the arrangements will be found in subsequent pages. With respect to Gortschakoffs instractions, the general order was worded as though it meant to direct against Bosquet's position an actual, unfeigned attack ; but on authority which I regard as indisputable, I have satisfied myself that the orders really given to Gortschakoff were of the kind stated in the text.

[1]