Читать книгу The Battles of the World or, cyclopedia of battles, sieges, and important military events онлайн

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Another dreary bivouac on the wet ground prepared the armies for the great contest which awaited them. At day break on the morning of the 20th of September—a day destined to receive an undying fame in our military annals,—the troops resumed their march. As they approached the river Alma, and mounted the heights to the north of that once obscure but now renowned stream, they saw the preparations which the Russians had made to repel the invaders of their territory. The Alma is a small river, rising in the mountains in the east of the peninsula, and falling into the sea about twelve miles to the north of Sebastopol. The southern bank is formed of almost precipitous hills intersected by deep ravines. At the mouth of the river the cliffs are several hundred feet high, and almost perpendicular towards the sea. A large conical hill was the centre of the enemy’s position, and here enormous batteries and entrenchments had been formed, while the crown of the hills was occupied by dense masses of infantry. On the side facing the Allies, a huge redoubt was constructed with two faces, mounting thirteen large guns, and commanding the approaches to the summit and the passage of the river. Each side of the ravines enfilading the hill had powerful batteries, mounting altogether twenty-five guns, and on the cliffs towards the sea an unfinished redoubt was placed, and a large force of infantry and artillery held the position. It was presumed by the Russian commanders that the precipitous character of the hill was a sufficient defence to their left flank. In this expectation they were doomed to bitter disappointment, as the sequel will show. The immediate banks of the river were covered with vineyards and plantations, affording excellent shelter for the Russian riflemen, who were stationed there in strong force. The bridge carrying the main road across the river was destroyed, and the village of Burliuk, at its northern extremity, was in flames, to prevent its being made a point of attack by the Allies.