Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 8.djvu/395

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

APPENDIX. 363 Russians, if duly cautioned against the dangers, might of course take care to avoid it. Note 2. — Lost their way in the darkness. — Niel states that a party of the attacking force lost its way ; and uses language which seems to show that the Zouaves on the flanks did not do so, thus showing apparently that the centre column must have been the part of the force from which the lost troops had separ- ated themselves. — P. 155. Note 3. — Had been victoriously achieved. — Having been authentically, though erroneously, informed of these good tid- ings by direction of General Canrobert, Lord Raglan imparted them to the Secretary of State in a despatch of the 24th Feb- ruary 1855, which has been published. — Sayer's Collection, pp. 100-1. After having been undeceived himself, Lord Raglan undeceived his Government. — Private Letters to Lord Panmure, 24th and 27th February 1855, and Despatch to Secretary of State, March 31, 1855. Before sending off his despatch of the 24th February, Lord Raglan saw General Canrobert, and was by him assured that up to that time he had received no further report. Note 4. — Without a simultaneous advance on the Malakoff front. — Even in the absence of that extraneous information which we owe to recent disclosures it would hardly be possible to imagine that this proposal was made seriously. The pro- posal was so extravagant that its rejection, or rather its non- acceptance, seems not to have been thought worth recording. Note 5. — Not again to attempt to drive the enemy from their new works. — Considering that the French had been so lately accepting the guidance of Burgoyne in the most momentous of questions, an English reader will observe with surprise the tone thus adopted towards him in council by French Generals. There was apparently a feeling on the part of the French (see the words of Bizot quoted elsewhere) that Burgoyne had persuaded them into dangerous ventures, and it would seem that they there- fore felt angrily towards him ; but 1 imagine that their per- emptory manner of treating his counsels on the 6th of March might be traced in great measure to his loss of official status. They knew that he had been recalled ; and being great respec- ters of official, as distinguished from personal authority, may have thought that they owed less deference than before to one who, in literal strictness, was now only a skilled amateur. Note 6. — For which he was yearning. — General Canrobert is