Struggle in Russia

After the coalition forces occupied the mamelon fortress and quarry pit, the conditions were finally ripe for an attack on the Nicholas Bastion. It's just that it's not that simple to capture the strong Nicholas Bastion!

First, the coalition forces had to carry ladders and rush through an open area of ​​several hundred meters on the uphill road. During this period, they had to brave the fierce artillery fire from the Russian Nikolay Bastion and Vorontsov Bastion, cross trenches and deer villages, and at the same time suffer Fire attack from the third bastion on the flank.

When they reached the fortress, they had to climb down the trench using a ladder and then climb up from the bottom of the trench to the outer wall of the bastion. At this time, the Russian army was waiting for them from a high position, and the concentrated fire at close range was enough to make most of them unable to climb out of the trench.

Even if they were lucky enough to climb the outer wall of the bastion, they would still have to repel the Russian troops guarding the parapets, withstand the counterattack of a large number of Russian troops hiding behind obstacles in various parts of the fortress, and persist until their own reinforcements arrived.

According to the coalition's plan, the French army will first launch an attack on the Nicholas Bastion. Once they silence the Russian artillery fire, the British infantry will immediately begin to charge towards the Vorontsov Bastion.

At the insistence of the French commander-in-chief Pellissier, the offensive would be limited to the Nikolai Bastion and the Vorontsov Bastion, with the purpose of capturing the entire Inkelmann Mountain and opening the final route to Sevastopol. A portal.

In fact, strictly speaking, attacking the Vorontsov Bastion was a bit unnecessary, although it and the Nikolai Bastion guarded the Shipyard Ravine and the Vorontsov Ravine, preventing the coalition forces from directly attacking Sevastopol.

But as long as the Nikolai Bastion is captured, the French army can transport its cannons to the Nikolai Bastion and start shelling the Vorontsov Bastion. The Russian army will definitely be unable to support it and will have to abandon the bastion. .

But Raglan stubbornly believed that it was very necessary for the British army to find a target to charge, even if it meant very large and completely unnecessary losses. He believed that it was important to make this attack symbolic, that is, the British and French forces worked together on the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo and won together!

Of course, the coalition also estimated that this attack would suffer heavy losses. The French officers and soldiers were told that half of them would be killed before reaching the Nicolai Bastion, so that the French military leaders had to promise a high bounty. Motivate soldiers to participate in the first wave of attacks.

As for the British army, they did not spend any extra money, but all the troops ordered to participate in the charge were called "verloren hoop" (verloren hoop). This word comes from the Dutch and means "lost troops". Imagine how desperate the British soldiers were at this charge.

In a tense and pessimistic atmosphere, the French soldiers sadly began to prepare for the next day's battle. Some tried to sleep for a while, but they couldn't sleep. Others were cleaning their guns or talking to themselves, and some simply hid in secluded corners and prayed.

A sense of foreboding enveloped the entire camp, and many soldiers wrote their names and home addresses on a card and hung it around their necks. If they died in battle, their comrades or enemies could also notify their families.

Some people are nervously writing letters to say goodbye to their relatives and friends, and then handing the letters to the military priests. If they die in battle, the priests will help them send the letters.

However, not all coalition soldiers were ready to face death. There were many deserters among the French and British troops that night, including not only soldiers but also officers, because they did not dare to face the upcoming fierce battle. They chose to surrender to their enemies.

Among them, a corporal from the French Army Staff sent a detailed French offensive plan to the Russian army, allowing the Russian army to have a clear understanding of the French offensive plan. Kornilov learned the detailed location and strength of each French battalion later that day.

The Russians also received warnings from British deserters, including one from the 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment.

However, even without these deserters, the Russian army was still vigilant because of the noisy preparations for war on the British position on the evening of the 17th.

Lieutenant Colonel James Alexander of the 14th British Regiment recalled: "The soldiers were too excited to fall asleep. The whole camp was as happy as a playground, brightly lit, and full of buzzing voices. The Russians It must have been noticed.”

The Russian army had indeed noticed and prepared for battle. The orderly of General Gorev, the commander of the sharp bastion, recalled that all the bastions and defensive positions were ordered to strengthen preparations that night. The voices and footsteps in the trenches The sound and the rumble of cannon wheels never stopped.

At that time, Gorev ordered his soldiers to immediately return to their fighting positions, set up their cannons, polish their bayonets, and get ready on the parapets.

The French army was originally scheduled to start the attack before dawn, starting with a three-hour artillery bombardment at three in the morning, and then the infantry would attack after sunrise. But on the night of the launch of the attack, Pelissier suddenly changed the battle plan. He believed that it was impossible for the Russian army not to notice that they were preparing to attack after sunrise, and would definitely send more reinforcements to the Nicholas Bastion. Will cause big problems for their offense. So he advanced the time for the infantry charge by three hours and launched the charge at three o'clock in the morning.

That's not all the battle plans that were temporarily changed. I don't know why Pellissier suddenly dismissed Bosquet from his post. The reason was that Bosquet questioned the new battle plan's plan to have the infantry charge without shelling the enemy. .

It's just that this reason is lame. The more likely reason is that Pellissier kicked out Bosquet, who was deeply loved by the soldiers and had high prestige, in order to monopolize all the military exploits.

This sudden change caught the French army off guard. For example, General Mairan, who was about to lead the first wave of the 97th Regiment to attack, was very dissatisfied with this. He walked away angrily and said: "There is nothing to do now." The only option is to wait for death!"

But having said that, during that day's offensive, General Mairang made a fatal mistake. He mistakenly regarded the tail flame of a grenade as his own charge signal, allowing the 97th Regiment to advance fifteen minutes. Just charge.

At this time, other French troops were not ready. For example, the 95th Regiment, which was next to the 97th Regiment, was caught off guard by this change. He could only watch helplessly as Mairang and his soldiers launched a suicide charge.

After receiving Mailan's order, the 97th Regiment rushed forward and ran into the Russian army's deadly artillery fire. The French army was immediately beaten to the ground. Even Mailan himself was hit by the artillery fire. His arm Seriously wounded but refused to retreat, he just shouted to the 95th Regiment behind him:

"Forward, 95th Regiment!"