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The Allies Strike Out

© John Barham

The latest manifestation of Todleben's successful aggressive defence initiative was on the western side of town between Quarantine Bay and the Central Bastion. Mindful that only a shell-battered wall formed the main defence line at this point, Todleben had already pushed out rifle pit defences onto the ridge which rose a hundred yards or so to the front. From the ridge a grassy bank ran down to a cemetery, so far a no-man's land which both sides had sought to dominate with snipers operating among the gravestones and from the vicinity of the chapel in its centre. The French front line was close to its southern wall, and the night of 21st May saw both sides digging in front of their lines. When dawn broke on the 22nd however it was found that the Russians had pushed their position out by some 1000 yards and had created an extra position close to the coast. Fully manned they would be able to bring down enough fire on the forward French positions to drive their siegeworks back at least 400 yards.

On hearing this news, Pélissier decreed that the new positions would be attacked and taken that night. After a day of bombardment as each side strove to remove the other's capability to drive infantry out of seized trenches, the French attacks were launched shortly after 9 pm.

Each side had deployed around 6000 men. On the French left, General Beuret led a force of around three and a half battalions - two from the 2nd Regiment of the Foreign Legion, one of the 98th Line and three companies from 11th Foot Chasseurs. They achieved their objective, the new earthwork near the coast, not without difficulty against the Prince of Warsaw's Regiment, which though newly arrived and outnumbered, fought like lions and only the committal of the 98th Line finally forced them to withdraw after ninety minutes struggle. At this, Colonel Guérin and his sappers were able to perform their usual speciality of revamping the works to face the Russians.

The Cemetery force was led by General de la Motterouge, comprising in the first line two battalions of 28th Line and several elite companies from 1st Regt Foreign Legion. In the second line were two battalions of Voltigeurs from the Imperial Guard and a battalion of 28th Line. In reserve were another two battalions of Voltigeurs and the 80th Line Regt. The Russians under General Khroulev had the Podolsky Regiment on their left, and two battalions of Zhitomirsky on their right. Their battle was an even more close fought affair and developed into the usual cut and thrust, attack followed by counter attack, temporary success giving way to temporary check, as the battle ebbed and flowed all night long. De la Motterouge was forced to commit all his reserves - in response the Russians brought in battalions from the Minsky and the Uglitzky Regiments. Much of the fighting was hand-to hand. A highlight of the action was a knife fight between the Uglitzky and a battalion of Voltigeurs who were singled out and in this episode seen off by the Russians. It was a bloodstained welcoming baptism for the new arrivals.

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