ATTACK ON EDINBURGH.
In attacking Edinburgh the besiegers at once discovered they had a much
more difficult task than they had anticipated. The Russian onslaught had
been carefully planned. Landing just before dawn, the 1st Corps,
consisting of about twenty thousand men, marched direct to Glasgow by
way of South Queensferry and Kirkliston, and through Linlithgow, sacking
and burning all three towns in the advance.
The 3rd Army Corps succeeded, after some very sharp skirmishing, in
occupying the Pentland Hills, in order to protect the flanks of the
first force, while a strong detachment was left behind to guard the base
at Leith. The 2nd Corps meanwhile marched direct upon Edinburgh.
The defenders, consisting of Militia, Infantry, Artillery, the local
Volunteers left behind during the mobilisation, and a large number of
civilians from the neighbouring towns, who had hastily armed on hearing
the alarming news, were quickly massed in three divisions on the
Lammermuir Hills, along the hills near Peebles, and on Tinto Hill, near
Lanark.
The Russian army corps which marched from Leith upon Edinburgh about
seven o'clock on the following morning met with a most desperate
resistance. On Arthur's Seat a strong battery had been established by
the City of Edinburgh Artillery, under Col. J. F. Mackay, and the 1st
Berwickshire, under Col. A. Johnston; and on the higher parts of the
Queen's Drive, overlooking the crooked little village of Duddingston,
guns of the 1st Forfarshire, under Col. Stewart-Sandeman, V.D., flashed
and shed forth torrents of bullets and shell, which played havoc with
the enemy's infantry coming up the Portobello and Musselburgh roads.
Batteries on the Braid and Blackford Hills commanded the southern
portion of the city; while to the west, the battery on Corstorphine Hill
prevented the enemy from pushing along up the high road from Granton.
Between Jock's Lodge and Duddingston Mills the Russians, finding cover,
commenced a sharp attack about nine o'clock; but discovering, after an
hour's hard fighting, that to attempt to carry the defenders' position
was futile, they made a sudden retreat towards Niddry House.
The British commander, observing this, and suspecting their intention to
make a circuit and enter the city by way of Newington, immediately set
his field telegraph to work, and sent news on to the infantry brigade at
Blackford.
This consisted mainly of the Queen's Volunteer Rifle Brigade (Royal
Scots), under Col. T. W. Jones, V.D.; the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th
Volunteer Battalions of the Royal Scots, under Col. W. U. Martin, V.D.,
Col. W. I. Macadam, Col. Sir G. D. Clerk, Col. P. Dods, and Col. G. F.
Melville respectively, with a company of engineers. The intelligence
they received placed them on the alert, and ere long the enemy extended
his flank in an endeavour to enter Newington. The bridges already
prepared for demolition by the defenders were now promptly blown up, and
in the sharp fight that ensued the enemy were repulsed with heavy loss.
Meanwhile the formidable division of the 3rd Russian Army Corps guarding
the base at Leith had attacked the Corstorphine position, finding their
headquarters untenable under its fire, and although losing several guns
and a large number of men, they succeeded, after about an hour's hard
fighting, in storming the hill and sweeping away the small but gallant
band of defenders.
The fight was long. It was a struggle to the death. Over the whole
historic battle-ground from the Tweed to the Forth, fighting spread, and
everywhere the loss of life was terrible.
The long autumn day passed slowly, yet hostilities continued as vigorous
and sanguinary as they had begun. Before the sun sank many a brave
Briton lay dead or dying, but many more Muscovites had been sent to that
bourne whence none return.
As it was, the British line of communications was broken between Temple
and Eddleston, the outposts at the latter place having been surprised
and slaughtered. But although the enemy strove hard to break down the
lines of defence and invest Edinburgh, yet time after time they were
hurled back with fearful loss. Colinton and Liberton were sacked and
burned by the Tsar's forces. On every hand the Russians spread death and
destruction; still the defenders held their own, and when the fighting
ceased after nightfall Edinburgh was still safe. Strong barricades
manned by civilians had been hastily thrown up near the station in Leith
Walk, in London Road opposite the Abbey Church, in Inverleith Row, in
Clerk Street and Montague Street, while all the bridges over the Water
of Leith had been blown up with gun-cotton; quick-firing guns had been
posted on Calton Hill and at the Castle, while in St. Andrew's Square a
battery had been established by the 1st Haddington Volunteer Artillery,
under Major J. J. Kelly, who had arrived in haste from Dunbar, and this
excellent position commanded a wide stretch of country away towards
Granton.
At dead of night, under the calm, bright stars, a strange scene might
have been witnessed. In the deep shadow cast by the wall of an old and
tumble-down barn near the cross-roads at Niddry, about three miles from
Edinburgh, two Russian infantry officers were in earnest conversation.
They stood leaning upon a broken fence, talking in a half-whisper in
French, so that the half-dozen privates might not understand what they
said. The six men were busy unpacking several strange black cases,
handling the contents with infinite care. Apparently three of the boxes
contained a quantity of fine silk, carefully folded, while another
contained a number of square, dark-looking packages, which, when taken
out, were packed in order upon a strong net which was first spread upon
the grass. Ropes were strewn over the ground in various directions, the
silk was unfolded, and presently, when all the contents had been
minutely inspected by the two officers with lanterns, a small tube was
taken from a box that had remained undisturbed, and fastened into an
object shaped like a bellows.
Then, when all preparations were satisfactorily completed, the six men
threw themselves upon the grass to snatch an hour's repose, while the
officers returned to their previous positions, leaning against the
broken fence, and gravely discussing their proposals for the morrow's
gigantic sensation. The elder of the two was explaining to his companion
the nature of the _coup_ which they intended to deliver, and the mode in
which it would be made. So engrossed were they in the contemplation of
the appalling results that would accrue, they did not observe that they
were standing beneath a small square hole in the wall of the barn;
neither did they notice that from this aperture a dark head protruded
for a second and then quick as lightning withdrew. It was only like a
shadow, and disappeared instantly!
Ten minutes later a mysterious figure was creeping cautiously along
under the hedge of the high road to Newington in the direction of the
British lines. Crawling along the grass, and pausing now and then with
his ear to the ground, listening, he advanced by short, silent stages,
exercising the greatest caution, well aware that death would be his fate
should he be discovered. In wading the Braid Burn he almost betrayed
himself to a Russian sentry; but at last, after travelling for over an
hour, risking discovery at any moment, he at length passed the British
outposts beyond Liberton, and ascended the Braid Hills to the
headquarters.
The story he told the General commanding was at first looked upon as
ludicrous. In the dim candlelight in the General's tent he certainly
looked a disreputable derelict, his old and tattered clothes wet
through, his hands cut by stones and bleeding, and his face half covered
with mud. The three officers who were with the General laughed when he
dashed in excitedly, and related the conversation he had overheard; yet
when he subsequently went on to describe in detail what he had
witnessed, and when they remembered that this tramp was an artilleryman
who had long ago been conspicuous by his bravery at El Teb, and an
ingenious inventor, their expression of amusement gave way to one of
alarm.
The General, who had been writing, thoughtfully tapped the little camp
table before him with his pen. "So they intend to destroy us and wreck
the city by that means, now that their legitimate tactics have failed! I
can scarcely credit that such is their intention; yet if they should be
successful--if"--
"But they will not be successful, sir. If you will send some one to
assist me, and allow me to act as I think fit, I will frustrate their
dastardly design, and the city shall be saved."
"You are at liberty to act as you please. You know their plans, and I
have perfect confidence in you, Mackenzie," replied the officer. "Do
not, however, mention a word of the enemy's intention to any one. It
would terrify the men; and although I do not doubt their bravery, yet
the knowledge of such a horrible fate hanging over them must necessarily
increase their anxiety, and thus prevent them from doing their best. We
are weak, but remember we are all Britons. Now come," he added, "sit
there, upon that box, and explain at once what is your scheme of defence
against this extraordinary attack."
And the fearless man to whom the General had entrusted the defence of
Edinburgh obeyed, and commenced to explain what means he intended to
take--a desperate but well-devised plan, which drew forth words of the
highest commendation from the commanding officer and those with him.
They knew that the fate of Edinburgh hung in the balance, and that if
the city were taken it would be the first step towards their downfall.