'Here I Am and Here I Stay!'

The French were mindful that their 18th June Malakov assault had been doomed from the start because the defenders were massed ready and waiting for them. This time they took precautions to try to conceal the forming-up forward movement in the trenches, which they had widened in an effort to lessen congestion and allow for passage of light field guns. Soldiers were ordered to keep their heads down and carry their rifles 'at the trail' - horizontally, arms at their sides. Where parapets were low, extra gabions had been placed. Each attacking column moved forward along separate routes.

Nonetheless, Russian forward listening posts reported unusual troop movements before dawn on Saturday 8th September. This sparked a general stand to, with the reserves called forward and guns loaded with case. The allied bombardment stepped up at dawn causing heavy casualties amongst the troops on the ramparts and when it became clear that no attack was coming the defenders were stood down.

At around 8 am the French blew three mines each packed with 500 kilogrammes of explosive which had been dug into the Malakov glacis. The object was to destroy or neutralise the enemy mines which their sappers had been heard digging. The French sappers were keen to be seen to have the upper hand in mine warfare just prior to the assault. Also the rumour whispered around the assaulting troops was that the Russians were ready to blow them up as they attacked.

During the morning in spite of their best efforts the French became jammed up in the front parallels and the Zouaves from the Garde got lost for a time in the maze of communication trenches. This caused sufficient disturbance for the Russians on Mount Inkerman to sense that the traffic was unusually high and they reported it. But the message ' strong columns approaching the Karabelnaya' was inexplicably taken down as 'enemy fleet approaching the Karabelnaya'. Verification was of course requested and a lot of time lost. The movement had also been picked up from the Malakov, but with the dawn scare over, no one expected an attack before dusk at the earliest.

As this article is all about assaulting bastions, I have attempted a diagramatic sketch to show a typical layout and illustrate the most common siege terms.

Sadly, I now have to tell you that the Malakov was not typical!! Constructed on the 'Kurgan' (Russian for tumulus), it had all round defence - encircled by its ditch and with a closed gorge. Access to the rear was over a narrow bridge. The defended plateau was 350 yards deep by 150 yards wide. It was well broken up with traverses 3 to 4 metres high sited fairly close together and at different angles, giving a sort of very spacious maze effect. The defenders' well constructed shelters were located in the lee of these traverses. A crosswise ditch some 200 metres back split the plateau into forward and rear defended areas. There were clear areas or courtyards at the front and back, but the most singular feature was the tower in the salient position. The First Bombardment had seen it swiftly converted into a one storey building. The Russians had built an earth rampart on top, with embrasures, which followed the circular shape of the tower, and the frontal defence retained this shape down to the bottom of the ditch. I'm not convinced that this French survey plan is totally accurate and comprehensive, as it was completed after the fall, but it should help in following the course of the day's events.

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