STATE OF AFFAIRS IN THE BEGINNING OF 1855--MURRAY IN COMMAND OF THE
GIAOUR--SHELLING SEBASTOPOL BY NIGHT--TOM FINDS MATTER FOR SERIOUS
THOUGHT--THE TORNADO CHASES A RUSSIAN STEAMER--ATTACK ON A FORT--ANOTHER
STEAMER SIGHTED--FRIEND OR FOE?--PROVES TO BE THE GIAOUR--THE FLASH
APPEARS--THE FORT STORMED.
The fearful Christmas of 1854 was over, and of the troops, which in
gallant array had left England, more than one-half had died or been
disabled by the shot of the enemy or the still more deadly pestilence.
Sufferings, such as an English army had never before been called upon to
endure, had been borne with fortitude. The siege, notwithstanding, had
been carried on, and now reinforcements, and clothing, and stores, and
provisions were arriving in the camp of the allies. Affairs looked
brighter than they had done for many a day; the fleet, notwithstanding
the battering some of the ships had received at the opening of the
bombardment, was in as efficient a state as ever. It had rendered good
service at Eupatoria in assisting the Turks to defend the place against
a powerful force of Russians, which had been driven back with great
loss. The naval brigade had been doing good service on shore, not only
in the batteries, but by laying down a railway from Balaclava to the
Chersonese, by which the transport of heavy guns, ammunition, and stores
was greatly facilitated.
The _Tornado_ had not been idle, though, in consequence of the straining
her engines had received during the storm, she had been compelled to
remain some time at Constantinople, to have them set to rights. Once
more she was steaming across the waters of the Black Sea, with another
vessel of similar size in company.
"The _Giaour_ will beat us if we can't get up more steam," observed Jack
to his first lieutenant, who was walking the deck with him.
"We have on our full power, and are doing our utmost," answered Higson;
"the _Giaour's_ engines are new, and we must make up our minds, I
suspect, to let Commander Murray get ahead of us."
"I am always happy to follow wherever he leads," said Jack; "if there is
work to be done, he'll find out the way to do it."
The _Giaour_ was coming up slowly on the _Tornado's_ quarter, gaining
foot after foot but never losing an inch, so that at length she was
abreast of her; both vessels were steering for Sebastopol. The land was
soon afterwards made, and, as they approached, the admiral's flag was
seen flying at the masthead of the _Royal Albert_, a magnificent
three-decker of a hundred and thirty guns, to which Sir Edmund Lyons had
shifted it from the _Agamemnon_. She, and several other English and
French line-of-battle ships, lay across the entrance of the harbour,
effectually preventing any of the enemy's ships from getting out.
"The admiral is speaking to us and the _Giaour_" said Tom, who was
acting as signal-midshipman.
"Let's see what he is saying," said Jack, looking at the signal-book;
"it's `Keep under weigh' and `Commanders to repair on board the
admiral's ship.' We are to be sent somewhere together, I hope."
The two steamers closed rapidly with the fleet, beyond which could be
seen the frowning batteries on the other side of the harbour of
Sebastopol; while on the right appeared thin curls of smoke, marking the
course of the shells thrown from the lines of the allies into the city
and those sent by the batteries in return: while the thunder of the
artillery was heard with fearful distinctness. On reaching the
flagship, Jack and Murray went on board, when they received directions
to take a part in the work which had been going on nightly. Some time
before, the boats of the fleet had set up signals on shore within reach
of the French camp, and men were sent down soon after dark to light
them. By their means every night an English and French steamer had
stood in and shelled the town, greatly to the astonishment of the
Russians, who were utterly unprepared for such a mode of attack. They
of course fired in return; but as they could scarcely see their foes,
the ships were but seldom struck; while not only did they commit a good
deal of harm, but thus harassed the garrison by night as well as by day.
Jack was to take the lead that night, in company with a French ship.
All hands were well pleased at the work cut out for them, and eagerly
looked forward to the hours of darkness when they might begin shelling
the enemy, little troubled by the thoughts of the shot which might be
sent on board them from the Russian guns in return. Tom and Archie were
especially in high glee at the thoughts of what they were to do.
"Who knows but one of our shells may burst in one of the enemy's chief
magazines, or knock down some of their defences, and allow the allies to
take the place?" said Tom.
"We shall not be much the wiser if we do do it," observed Archie; "and,
depend upon it, they will insist that it was their own guns did the
work."
Soon after dark the _Tornado_ and her French consort steamed in towards
the harbour, steering by the lights which had been placed on shore. The
screws made but little noise, and perfect silence was maintained on
board, so that the enemy could not discover their whereabouts till they
opened fire. The lights were so placed as to enable them to know with
terrible accuracy the position of the forts into which they were to
fire. As they glided onwards through the darkness for some minutes
together, not a sound was heard in the direction of the beleaguered
city, which to all appearance lay in profound slumber. Then came from
the far distance the reports of a few dropping shot, showing that the
riflemen of both parties were awake. They again ceased, and the same
silence as before reigned over the scene.
The _Tornado's_ heavy guns were loaded, and elevated to throw their shot
into the city, and their crews stood ready to fire at the word of
command. Jack waited till his ship had reached the point he was
directed to gain. "Fire!" he shouted. The next instant the loud roar
of his guns echoed through the harbour, arousing many a weary sleeper in
the Russian fortifications. The French ship immediately fired her guns
in rapid succession, and then both vessels steamed round away from the
spot they had previously occupied, towards which numberless Russian guns
immediately directed their fire, though not a shot touched either of
them. The _Tornado's_ guns were reloaded, and, standing back, she
rapidly discharged them, the French ship following her example. Again
the shot from the forts came rushing through the air, falling around the
ships, but without striking them. In this way they continued circling
round, now firing from one point, now from another, and each time after
firing taking different directions.
At length every gun which could be brought to bear on the harbour began
to play upon them, but, by keeping ever on the move, for a considerable
time not a shot took effect. At length, as Tom and Archie were standing
close together, a shot from one of the heights whistled by close to
their heads, and struck the bulwarks behind them.
"I say, Tom, if that shot had been a few inches on one side, where
should you and I have been by this time?" said Archie.
"Not a pleasant subject for contemplation," answered Tom; "however, a
miss is as good as a mile."
"I have been thinking seriously of the matter," observed Archie; "not
that I am afraid, but I am very sure that we ought to be prepared to go
out of the world, seeing that at any moment either of us may lose our
lives."
"It doesn't do to think of that sort of thing," said Tom, not liking
Archie's tone.
"Now there you're wrong. I believe that it is much wiser to think about
it than to be taken unprepared," replied Archie. "My Cousin Alick
thinks very seriously, and no one can say that he is not as brave an
officer as any man in the fleet. I tell you honestly that I have been
saying my prayers, and asking God to help me to take Him at His word,
and to trust to His plan of salvation--that is what I want you to do,
Tom, also. I should be very miserable if I saw you killed and could not
feel sure that you had gone to heaven. I should be unhappy in either
case; but it would be ten times worse if I thought that I should not
meet you again."
"Do you really, Archie, think that I am so wicked that if I was to be
killed I should not go to heaven?" said Tom.
"I only know what the Bible says about it, and I believe that," answered
Archie firmly. "Just obey God, and you'll be all right, and it won't
make you a bit less brave than you are now."
"I will," said Tom; "still I hope that neither you nor I will be hit
to-night, though the shot are falling pretty thickly about us."
The moment after he had spoken, a loud cry was heard from one of the
crew of the nearest gun, and the sound of a person falling heavily.
They sprang to the spot, and found a seaman stretched on the deck. They
tried to lift him up, but, inexperienced though they were, they both
felt convinced that he was dead. Others, coming up, confirmed their
opinion; the shot had struck his chest, and killed him in a moment.
Notwithstanding the heavy fire to which his ship was exposed, Jack
continued at his post, firing away till the hour arrived at which he was
directed to leave the harbour; and he and his French consort steamed
away to rejoin the fleet. Tom was unusually serious during the
following day.
"I say, Rogers, what's the matter with you?" asked Billy Blueblazes.
"He didn't quite like the fun we had last night," observed Dicky Duff.
"I'll tell you what, youngster," said Tom, "you wouldn't have thought it
any fun if either of you had one of those Russian round-shot walking
into you, as poor Norris had."
On which Tom spoke to them as Archie had been speaking to him, much to
the latter's satisfaction, for it showed him that his words had not been
thrown away. Tom, indeed, afterwards came to him, and begged that he
would get out his Bible, and more fully explain what he had been talking
about on the previous night. Archie gladly did so. It was the
beginning of many Bible readings they had together. Others joined them,
and they then to their surprise found that several of the men had long
been in the practice of meeting together to pray and study God's Word.
They heard also that such was done on board many of the ships in the
fleet, and that the men who thus occupied themselves were looked upon as
the best and steadiest of their respective crews.
The next night Murray was directed to stand in and engage the forts,
also accompanied by a French ship. Thus, night after night, the fleet
harassed the unfortunate garrison, while the guns of the besieging army
played on them in the daytime, giving them no rest during the
four-and-twenty hours.
A short time after this a considerable squadron, composed of English,
French, and Turkish ships, with some thousand troops on board, proceeded
to the eastward, for the purpose of attacking Kertch, at the entrance of
the Sea of Azov. Well might the garrison of Sebastopol have felt alarm
when they saw the fleet sailing past the mouth of their harbour, for on
the shores of that inland sea were placed the chief granaries from which
they drew their supplies of provisions.
The _Tornado_ and _Giaour_, with numerous other steam-vessels,
accompanied the fleet. Passing along the rocky and picturesque southern
shore of the Crimea, the expedition soon came off Cape Saint Paul, in a
small bay near which the troops were landed without a casualty; the
steam-vessels scattering a body of Cossacks, the only hostile force that
appeared to dispute the disembarkation. The line-of-battle ships
continued their course along the coast, which at every available spot
was strongly fortified. The ships were standing in to attack the
batteries when a thundering roar was heard, the concussion from which
shook even the vessels at sea. Another and another followed.
"The Russians are performing our work for us, and saving Her Majesty a
considerable expenditure of gunpowder," observed Higson to his
commander. "I am afraid if they play that trick, of which they seem so
fond, they will leave us nothing to do."
"Never fear, we shall be too quick for them," answered Jack; "and, from
what I hear, there are numerous magazines all round the coast."
"The inhabitants of Kertch must be glad to save their town from a
bombardment, for really it is a much handsomer place than I expected to
find in this part of the world, and those lofty stone houses give it a
very imposing appearance," observed Higson.
"At all events, we shall not have injured them," observed Jack; "we are
especially directed to do as little harm as possible to private
property, and to let the Russians understand that we are not warring
with them, but with the Emperor and his Government."
The fleet having thus gained a bloodless victory, the line-of-battle
ships came to an anchor; the larger number of the steamers proceeded
into the Sea of Azov, while the remainder were sent along the coast to
look out for any vessels which might have been concealed in any of the
inlets or deep bays with which it is everywhere indented. The _Tornado_
was ordered on this service, greatly to the disappointment of her crew,
who expected to have more stirring work within the Straits.
She had just lost sight of the fleet, when standing in as close as she
could venture, Jos Green, who was forward, observed a light cloud of
smoke ascending above a rocky point, the summit of which was feathered
with a grove of lofty trees. It was a question, however, whether the
smoke proceeded from a fire on shore or from the funnel of a steamer.
Green inclined to the latter opinion. It had moved some distance since
he first sighted it, he declared, so that it must come from a steamer on
her way out to sea. The _Tornado_ stood on, keeping as close inshore as
possible, so that her presence might not be discovered till the other
vessel had got well clear of the point; after that, Jack hoped to get up
to her before she could run in anywhere else for shelter.
A suppressed cheer from those on deck showed that Green was right, and
the _Tornado_ stood away after the stranger. The latter was no laggard,
and it was soon evident that the _Tornado_ must do her best if she was
to come up with her. The chase, though a vessel of some size, showed no
inclination to come to close quarters with her pursuer.
"If we can but keep her in sight, we shall catch her at last," said
Jack; "and if she runs into any harbour, we must follow her, or send the
boats in after her."
"We haven't had anything so exciting for a long time," said Tom; "I hope
that we may have to cut her out with the boats."
"Her crew will blow her up sooner than let us do that," observed Archie;
"the Russians seem to be fonder of that sort of thing than fighting."
The chase, however, kept well ahead, and there seemed a good prospect,
should night come on, of her escaping altogether. Still the _Tornado_
was really going faster than the Russian vessel, though so slight was
the difference of speed, that at first it was scarcely discernible. At
length, however, Jack considered that he had got the Russian vessel
within range of his long guns, and was on the point of issuing the order
to fire, when a shot from her came flying across the intervening space,
but fell some twenty fathoms or so short of its mark.
"And now, let's see what we can do," cried Jack; "starboard the helm--
steady--now, fire!" The _Tornado's_ shot struck the Russian's counter,
apparently committing a considerable amount of damage. This first
specimen of the power of his pursuer's guns seemed to satisfy him that
he had better not engage at close quarters. The dense volumes of smoke
which issued from his funnel proved that he was endeavouring to get more
steam, in the hopes of still keeping ahead. As the _Tornado_ could not
be made to move faster than she was then going, Jack had to content
himself with the prospect of the chase's getting on shore, running short
of coal, or of some accident happening to her machinery. Another shot
was tried, but it fell short, showing that she had again drawn ahead.
Some miles more had been run, when Green brought the chart on deck, and
pointed out a fort situated on the shores of a bay a short distance off.
"The chase has evidently been making for that, and thinks that she will
be secure under its guns," he observed.
"We'll stand on, and attack both ship and fort together," said Jack;
"we'll sink the ship first, and then knock the fort to pieces."
In about ten minutes more the chase rounded a point, when a bay opened
out, on the farther side of which appeared a strong-looking fort,
guarding the mouth of a river which ran into the bay.
"She may escape us after all if she runs up that river," observed
Higson, "unless we can first silence the guns of the fort, and then
follow her."
"We must just do that same then; and if we can't knock the fort to
pieces with our guns, we must land and storm it," said Jack.
His remark was received with universal satisfaction, as no one thought
of the superior number of the garrison likely to oppose them. The chase
was now more eagerly watched than ever, it being fully expected that she
would run up the river to escape them; instead, however, of doing so, as
she drew near the fort she let off her steam, and came to an anchor
close under its guns.
"Now we've got her," cried Jack exultingly.
The _Tornado_ stood on to within half a mile of the fort, when she
opened fire on it, and now on the ship, which fired with some spirit in
return; but as the _Tornado_ kept moving about, their shot invariably
missed her. She had been thus engaged for a quarter of an hour or more,
her guns having told with considerable effect on the Russian vessel,
when a column of smoke was seen ascending at some little distance behind
the fort, apparently from the river.
"That must proceed from another steamer coming down to assist our
friend," observed Higson; "and see, there is another rising just beyond
it--we shall have no lack of enemies to fight."
"We must settle with the first, then, as soon as possible," cried Jack,
in a cheery tone; "we'll then take the others in detail."
The crew cheered as they heard his remark, and worked away at the guns
with redoubled zeal. Several shot had struck the vessel under the fort;
first one of her guns ceased firing, then another and another; still she
kept her colours flying, and in another minute the bows of a steamer
were seen emerging from the mouth of the river. A shot was instantly
fired at her; it struck her bulwarks, and evidently caused some damage.
Instead, however, of running under the guns of the fort, she stood away
up the bay, evidently not wishing to come to close quarters with the
audacious stranger. A few minutes afterwards another vessel appeared,
which, receiving one of the _Tornado's_ shot, followed the example of
the first. After getting nearly two miles away, they brought their
broadsides round, and opened a brisk fire. The _Tornado_, however,
moving rapidly about as before, escaped every one of their shot; while
she fired her guns as they came to bear on her antagonists, and seldom
failed to hull one or other of them. Still, their guns were of heavier
calibre than hers, and their shot frequently went far beyond her, and
she had to stand towards them to make hers tell with effect.
At length a shot came crashing on board just abaft the funnel, wounding
one man severely, and another, Tim Nolan, slightly.
"Arrah, now, it's but a fleabite," he exclaimed, getting a shipmate to
bind a handkerchief round his shoulder; "we've given them more than that
already, and it's better than having the funnel shot away."
Still Jack had no intention of abandoning the attack, and, wishing to
settle the first vessel before he attended to the other two, he directed
his guns at her and at the fort, although the shot from the former
continually hulled him. One, at length, went through the ship's side
between wind and water, and the sea came rushing in like a mill-sluice.
The midshipmen, who up to this time were enjoying the fighting, thought
that things were beginning to look serious.
Dicky Duff, especially, expressed his apprehensions to his chum Billy.
"If another shot comes in like that, we shall certainly go to the
bottom; and I am not quite sure what will happen even now, for the
commander has not told us to knock off firing. I wonder if he knows
what has happened? He is such a plucky fellow, however, that I suppose
he will go on fighting till the ship sinks below our feet."
The youngsters were somewhat relieved by seeing the carpenter and his
crew going below with the means for stopping the shot-hole; while Ben
Snatchblock, with a rope round his waist, allowed himself to be slung
overboard to reach the injury still more rapidly from the outside. He
had just performed his task, when another shot went right through the
forepart of the ship; happily, without hitting anyone, and the damage it
had caused was as quickly repaired as the other had been. Jack had
carried on the unequal contest for half an hour or more, when a third
steamer was seen gliding out of the river, and as she opened her fire,
it was soon discovered that her guns were heavier than those of either
of her consorts. The first shot she fired came crashing through the
_Tornado's_ side.
"I suppose we shall have to run for it now," cried Dicky.
"Not a bit of it," exclaimed Tom, who overheard him; "the commander
wouldn't be turned from his purpose, even if a dozen Russian steamers
came out on us, and we shall soon settle with our old friend--she has
not fired a shot for the last minute." As he was speaking, a thick
smoke rose from the afterpart of their antagonist, followed quickly by
bright flames, which darted upwards through the hatchway. Directly
afterwards a fire burst out in the forepart of the ship, and raged with
a fury which it was clear the crew were incapable of overcoming. Her
boats were lowered, and her people were seen dropping down into them
with a rapidity which showed that they had abandoned all hope of saving
their ship. As they could no longer offer any resistance, Jack humanely
ordered his crew to refrain from firing on them. He directed, however,
all his guns at the fort, for the purpose of silencing them before the
other vessels should come up to take a closer part in the action, which
he fully expected that they would do.
Though the damage he had received was considerable, there was nothing as
yet, he conceived, sufficiently serious to make him haul off. Still he
could not help wishing to see the flag of the fort come down,
comparatively slight as was the damage he had received from its guns.
Having destroyed the vessel he had chased, he might without any
discredit haul off, considering the immense superiority of the force
opposed to him; but Jack Rogers was not a man to haul down his flag, or
get out of a fight, as long as he had a stick standing; and his spirit
animating his officers and crew, the _Tornado_ kept blazing away,
throwing shells into the fort, and firing shot, as he could bring his
guns to bear at the three steamers. They had now, however, drawn
considerably nearer than they had hitherto ventured to approach, and
there seemed considerable likelihood of Dicky Duffs apprehensions being
fulfilled.
Jack now looked at the three vessels, now at the fort. "It might be
done," he said, turning to Higson, "if the fort were stormed, and its
guns turned against the steamers."
"I would undertake it," said Higson; "but with its own garrison and the
crew of the vessel which has just been burnt, it would be a hard job."
"I would ask no one to lead it but myself," said Jack; "I will leave you
to fight the vessel in the meantime; should I be killed, I give you
orders to retire, for with a diminished crew you would have little
prospect of doing more than has already been accomplished."
"I do not advise you to command the expedition," said Higson; "you know
me, and that I am not likely to be stopped by any ordinary hazard."
Jack, without answering, still kept eyeing the shore, looking out for a
place where his boats might land.
"There's a steamer in the offing, sir, standing in for the bay," said
Archie, coming up to him.
"Another enemy," exclaimed Higson; "we shall have enough of them."
"We'll tackle them, notwithstanding," answered Jack; "they show no
inclination, however, to come to close quarters."
Another shot from the enemy struck the _Tornado_.
"The commander is just a little o'er brave," observed Dicky Duff to
Billy Blueblazes; "we've got terrible odds against us."
"He knows what he is about, and he'll manage to lick them all, one after
another, depend on that," said Billy.
"I don't exactly see how he's going to do that," said Dicky. "If we
could but tackle one at a time it would be fairer, and we should have a
better chance of licking them."
"That's just what they don't want to give us," said Billy.
"Another steamer coming in from the southward, sir," said Archie, who
had been looking out.
"Friend or foe?" observed Jack to Higson; "if the latter, we must stand
out and meet her, and leave the three vessels in the bay till we can
come back and settle with them."
Still Jack showed no inclination to quit the neighbourhood of the fort,
into which shell after shell was thrown, till most of its guns had been
silenced. Many an eye, however, was turned towards the approaching
strangers, till at length the first showed English colours. A cheer
rose from those of the crew not engaged at the guns, the only sign they
gave of their desire for assistance. In another minute the number of
the approaching steamer was made out, "She's the _Giaour_" exclaimed
Archie.
If Jack ever felt any inclination to be jealous of Murray it was now, as
he was his superior officer; but the feeling which arose in his breast
was speedily quelled. The _Giaour_ came rapidly on; Murray signalised
to Jack, "Remain where you are, and I will attack the vessels in the
bay." Jack ordered the signal to be made, "They will attempt to escape
up the river."
"Stand on and stop them," was the answer from the _Giaour_.
The _Tornado_ accordingly steamed on towards her three antagonists,
which now began to turn their heads, as Jack had expected they would,
towards the mouth of the river. They were thus unable any longer to
fire at him, while he was still able to reach them with two of his guns,
one firing shot and the other shell. The _Giaour_ now signalised,
"Steamer to the south, English."
"Hurrah!" exclaimed Tom; "we are now on equal terms, and can bag the
whole of them."
The three Russian vessels were still half a mile away from the mouth of
the river when Jack got off it, and by this time the _Giaour_ was near
enough to take a part in the engagement, her shot beginning to tell with
considerable effect on the nearest of the enemy. The Russian vessels
now swept round, apparently with the intention of running across the
bay, firing their broadsides at the _Tornado_, but with little effect;
and she, in return, as they exposed their sterns in flight, kept up a
brisk fire at them with shot and shell. One of them now burst into
flames, and in half a minute blew up, destroying the greater number of
her unhappy crew.
The other two, however, still continued on their course, hoping,
apparently, to get out of the bay ahead of the _Giaour_, not being
aware, it was evident, that another English ship was near at hand to cut
them off. Jack, knowing that they must both be intercepted, made a
signal asking leave of Murray to pick up any of the Russians still
floating on the wreck of the steamer. This request was at once granted;
and, lowering two of his boats, of one of which Tom took the command,
and of the other Ben Snatchblock, he again stood on in pursuit of the
two steamers. They, however, had not got far when they made out a third
vessel coming to attack them, and finding that all hope of escape was
cut off, they both hauled down their colours.
Murray, who was nearest to them, at once sent a couple of boats to take
possession of the two prizes; while Jack stood back to pick up his
boats. Of the whole of the Russian crew they had saved but six men, two
of whom were much burnt, and one died directly after he had been taken
on board the _Tornado_. One of the survivors, a Finn, who, having
served on board English merchantmen, spoke English perfectly, informed
Jack that a considerable quantity of corn and other provisions were
stored in warehouses on the banks of the river, some way from its mouth.
"It is our duty to destroy them," said Jack to Higson.
"I will undertake to do it," was the answer. An expedition was at once
planned, the command of which Jack, with Murray's approval, gave to
Higson; Archie was to accompany him, while Green and Tom were to go in
another boat. The fort, however, still held out, and several of its
guns had again opened fire on the English vessels. Murray determined to
take it by assault as soon as the approaching steamer had come into the
bay. She now made her number; the bunting flying from her masthead
showed her to be the _Flash_.
"She can only lately have arrived in the Black Sea, and is probably on
her way to join the fleet, for she was only building when we left home,"
observed Jack. "I wonder who commands her."
By the time the preparations for attacking the fort had been made the
_Flash_ had come close up to the _Giaour_. A gig from the former was
seen to pull to the latter vessel; Murray now made a signal to Jack to
come on board; he was soon alongside the _Giaour_. Stepping on deck,
who should he see with his hand extended to greet him but Terence Adair;
standing a little way behind him was Gerald Desmond. Archie, who had
accompanied his commander, and Desmond were soon in eager conversation;
while Jack, at Murray's invitation, went below with Adair. There was
only just time for Jack to hear that Terence's former ship, having
received some damage, had been sent home to be repaired, and that he in
the meantime had been appointed to the command of the _Flash_ destined
for the Black Sea.
"I was glad to get her," he observed; "for, judging from our first
year's experience in the Baltic, I suspected that we were not likely to
have much to do in that part of the world; first, because the Russians
showed no inclination to come out and fight us; and, secondly, because
Charley Napier--"
"Never mind the second reason," interrupted Murray; "here you are, and
very glad we are to see you; and now let me hear what you say to our
proposed attack on this fort."
"That I am perfectly ready to go in for it," answered Adair. "How many
boats' crews do you require, or shall I send the whole of my ship's
company?"
"Two boats' crews will be sufficient, and the sooner you send them off
the better," replied Murray.
"In other words, you direct me to trundle on board as fast as I can,"
said Adair. "I should like to lead the expedition myself, and as we
pull in I can take a sufficient survey of the fort for the purpose. As
I have had no share in the glories of the campaign, you will not refuse
me?"
Murray willingly agreed to Adair's request, and two of the _Flash's_
boats being quickly manned, the three steamers stood towards the fort.
As they approached, they were received by a pretty hot fire, which they
returned, while still standing on, with shells from their guns; and,
running close in, they brought their broadsides to bear on the fort,
into which they forthwith poured a shower of shot and shell. The boats
then cast off, and, led by Adair, pulled for a landing-place on one
side, from which a road led up apparently into the interior. The ships
meantime kept up a furious bombardment on the fort; and though one gun
from it was brought to bear on the boats, none of them were hit. Adair,
rapidly pulling for the shore, quickly landed, and without a moment's
loss of time led the way up the hill. Every instant he expected to see
the enemy, but none appeared. Turning to the right, and keeping under
cover of some rocks and trees, he made his way towards the fort. Ben
Snatchblock had been provided with a red flag, which he exhibited at the
last point whence it could be seen from the ships; and it was calculated
that in three minutes more after this the party would reach the rear of
the fort. Directly that time had elapsed, the ships were to cease
firing.
Adair and Higson led, followed closely by Ben, the two midshipmen being
ordered to bring up the rear. Ben having showed his flag, the party
rushed on, and directly afterwards a shower of bullets whistled over the
spot where they had been; but by that time Tom and Archie were a dozen
yards ahead. In less than three minutes they had reached the ditch in
the rear of the fort. Not a Russian helmet was to be seen on that side;
Adair and Higson had to restrain the ardour of their followers, who were
eager to climb over the defences. They waited till the last shot fired
from the ships came crashing into the fort; three or four seconds
passed, and no others came. Adair began to count--"One, two, three,
four, five, six--now, my lads, you may come on!" he exclaimed; and he
and his party, springing forward, began, with the agility of cats, to
climb over the defences.
Not a Russian soldier could be seen except those who were labouring at
the guns, the rest of the garrison having wisely betaken themselves to
their bomb-proof chambers. In consequence of the hot fire kept up by
the ships, they had not expected that the party they had seen landing
were about to attack them, and Terence and his men had actually jumped
down into the fort before the garrison had mustered in sufficient force
to resist them. They were, of course, quickly seen; the bugle sounded,
and the troops rushed out of their bomb-proof chambers. A considerable
body, headed by their commandant, at length drew up across the fort for
the purpose of impeding the progress of their daring assailants.
"On, lads, on!" cried Adair, seeing that their best chance of victory
was to attack the garrison before they had time to form into a compact
body. They had indeed been completely taken by surprise, many having
hurried out without bayonets fixed, others with unloaded muskets, some
only with pikes or swords in their hands. Ben Snatchblock had brought
an English ensign under his arm; keeping his eye on the flagstaff, he
directed his course, with a few companions, towards it. As Adair and
Higson led on the main body, the garrison gave way, some hurrying off to
conceal themselves in the chambers from which they had just before
emerged, while others made for a gate in the rear of the fort leading to
the drawbridge, which was, however, up. Before they could lower it,
Adair, with most of his men, was upon them, when, with a loud voice, he
ordered them not to touch the chains unless they wished to be cut to
pieces.
Meantime Ben and his companions were fighting their way towards the
flagstaff; a few men who were collected were quickly put to flight.
"Now, up goes the British ensign and the fort is ours," cried Ben; and,
suiting the action to the word, the Russian flag being hauled down, that
of England was hoisted in its stead. The commandant, finding that the
fort had really been captured by the English, came forward with a low
bow, and presented the hilt of his sword to Adair, who took it in the
most gracious manner he could assume, observing as he did so, "You have
gallantly defended your fort, and deserve every consideration at our
hands; but at the same time I must warn you that I cannot allow any of
your garrison to escape from the fort. After they have laid down their
arms, I will settle how they are to be treated."
The bugle on this sounded, and the garrison from all directions came out
and piled arms in the centre of the fort. A few minutes afterwards, as
Terence stood on the ramparts, he observed Murray with a couple of boats
pulling to the shore. Adair, thinking it prudent not to lower the
drawbridge, for fear any of the garrison might escape, called to Murray
and his party to make their way over the walls into the fortress.
Murray, having brought on shore some strong tackles, at once set to work
to dismount the guns for the purpose of carrying them off, while the
greater number of muskets, which were of no value, after being broken,
were hurled into the sea below the fort. Murray highly approved of
Adair's proceedings; and the commandant was politely informed that he
and his garrison must be for the present content to remain prisoners
within their own fort. He and his officers shrugged their shoulders,
and observed that it was the fortune of war; while the garrison seemed
very indifferent to the matter, probably very glad to have nothing to
do, and to run no risk of being shot by their enemies.
Murray, however, took the precaution of shutting them all up in the
bomb-proof chambers, to prevent them from running away, while at night a
bright look-out was kept from the ramparts on all sides, and all hands
ordered to be ready to turn out at a moment's notice, lest an attempt
might be made by any Russian force in the neighbourhood to recapture the
fort. The commandant was allowed to occupy his own quarters, to which
he invited the English officers, who found a very welcome repast
prepared for them. A remarkably pleasant evening was spent, and the
commandant, expressing a hope that the war would soon be over, invited
them, as soon as that happy event should occur, to his country-house,
which he told them was only a few miles off up the river. They all
promised gladly to avail themselves of the invitation, should
circumstances allow them to do so.