McClellan's Crimean Report VI

Plan des Attaques by Capitaine Charles Alexandre Fay, French staff officer

The general configuration of the harbor of Sebastopol, and the peninsula to the south of it, is too well known to require description. The most striking and, in their bearing upon the siege, the most important features are: First. The complete isolation of the high plateau of the peninsula from the main Crimea by the nearly continuous valleys of Balaklava and the Tchernaya. Second. The lofty and almost inaccessible escarpment which limits the plateau towards the east, south, and to a great extent on the north. Third. The deep and difficult ravines which intersect this very irregular surface.

Some points of the plateau exceed 700' in elevation the average height of the escarpment above the valleys of Balaklava and the Tchernaya may safely be taken at 400'. It need scarcely be stated that this plateau formed for the allies a position of great strength.

Of the many ravines by which it is intersected, it is only those from the Careening to the Quarantine bays, inclusive, that have an immediate bearing on the works of attack and defence. All of these have their origin quite close to the eastern border of the plateau.

The most important is the great central ravine, the main branch of which commences quite near the "Col de Balaklava"-the depression through which the main road from Balaklava to Kamiesch ascends the plateau -then runs a little west of north, forming, where it enters the town, the inner harbor, which separates Sebastopol from the Karabelnaia suburb. During nearly the first half of the siege the French approaches were confined to the west of this ravine, occupying all the space thence to the sea; while the English were on the east, occupying the ground only as far as the Otchakoff ravine; in other words the original French attack was directed against the city proper, while that of the English was against a portion of the Karabelnaia suburb.

It is now time to state that when the allies reached Balaklava the land defences of Sebastopol, on the south side, consisted of a loopholed wall, 4' 8" thick, and from 18' to 20' high, extending from the western point of Artillery bay to the position afterwards occupied by the Central Bastion; thence around the Karabelnaia suburb to the main harbor, the only defence consisted of the Malakoff tower, a semicircular structure, with two stories of loopholes and 5 guns in barbette.

To resume the description of the ground west of the central ravine: the Artillery Bay ravine commences about three-quarters of a mile outside of the city, and at first runs nearly north, being separated from a spur of the central ravine by a ridge about one-eighth of a mile wide; on the highest point of this ridge was situated the Flag-staff Bastion (Bastion du Mat;) the French approaches followed this ridge, and extended across the Artillery Bay ravine, which is here by no means steep or difficult, but becomes much more pronounced upon entering the city, when it for some distance runs off to the west of north.

Just before this ravine enters the city there commences to the west of it, and separated from it by a ridge about one-eighth of a mile wide, another ravine which runs into the Quarantine bay, and which we will call the Central Bastion ravine; the direction of this ravine is nearly northwest; near its head, and on the highest point of the ridge which separates it from the Artillery Bay ravine, is situated the Central Bastion, at an elevation of 217' above the sea.

The loop-holed wall, and the works constructed to replace or strengthen it, follow this ridge for about three-quarters of the distance to the Quarantine batteries, and then turn off to the north; from this angle to the batteries a line of works called the Quarantine redans was erected during the siege.

The French attacks against the Central Bastion followed the ridge on which it was built, and to the westward occupied the irregular ridge between the Central Bastion ravine and the Quarantine Bay ravine, then crossed this last ravine and terminated at the shore of the Black sea, where powerful batteries were erected. The Central Bastion ravine has rather gentle slopes, and is by no means so difficult as those on the eastern side of the great central ravine; in fact, approaches could be carried over it, and did, indeed extend into it.

Passing to the east of the central ravine, Cathcart's hill, which will be found on all the maps, may be taken as a starting point.

On the west and east sides of this hill two difficult ravines commence; the first, called by the English the Valley of Death, unites with the central ravine about one mile from the southern extremity of the inner harbor; the second, by which the Woronzoff road enters the city, joins the central ravine at the very end of the inner harbor. The isolated spur thus formed was occupied by the English lelt attack, the only object of which was to establish batteries to assist the French attack upon the Flag-staff Bastion, and the English right attack upon the Redan, as well as to protect the flanks of those attacks; for the ravines bordering this spur are so deep and difficult as to render it impossible to cross them either by trenches or assaulting columns.

Further to the east is the Otchakoff ravine, running nearly parallel to the Woronzoff ravine, much less difficult and directed upon the Dock Yard bay. On the highest point of the ridge separating the two ravines last named, and at its end nearest the town, were situated the Redan and the Barrack battery; the English right attack followed the ridge. To the eastward of the Otchakoff ravine, and nearly parallel to it, is the Careening Bay ravine, the most difficult of all. On the highest point at the end of the ridge thus formed was placed the Malakoff, at an elevation of 333'; the Little Redan (Batterie Noire) occupied a considerably lower point to the northeast of the Malakoff, while the work known as the Mamelon Vert, or Brancion redoubt, crowned a hill on the same ridge, about three-eighths of a mile to the southeast of the Malakoff, and 40' more elevated; the French attacks against the three works named occupied the summit and higher slopes of the ridge. 

Between the Careening Bay ravine and the main harbor is situated the high and narrow ridge known as Mount Sapoune. Points of this ridge were occupied by the Volhynia and Selenghinsk redoubts, (ouvrages blancs,) which acted upon the flank of the French approaches against the Mamelon, and would have taken in reverse the approaches thence against the Malakoff. The French approaches against the redoubts wound along the summit of the Sapoune ridge. In rear of the Redan and Malakoff, more especially in the latter case, the ground fell rapidly to the level of the Karabelnaia and the bay in rear of the loopholed wall the ground also soon fell rapidly into the Artillery Bay ravine, leaving, however a plateau of some little width immediately behind the defences, which thus screened the greater part of the town and harbor from the view of those in the trenches.    

Christmas Shelling- Update

. . . an update to the post, Christmas Shelling.

The siege of Charleston.

--The Charleston Courier, of Thursday last, has the following:

One of the Yankee gunboats in Stono shelled John's Island for a short time on Tuesday. They succeeded in carrying off the two howitzers left behind by our troops last Friday, and incorrectly reported by passengers as having been recovered. One of the Timbers was left behind.

The enemy are again busy at Gregg. On Wednesday morning the embrasure for the 10-inch Columbiad bearing on Fort Sumter was reopened. It is believed that the old fort will soon be treated to another storm of shells.

Since Tuesday afternoon the enemy, with two barges, have been dragging the channel off Morris's Island, opposite Battery Wagner, with the supposed object of raising the sunken Weehawken. --Miss Plane, the lady reported as injured from a shell on Christmas morning, died on Wednesday from the effects of the injuries received.

-The Daily Dispatch (Richmond, Va.) January 4, 1864.



So, Miss Plane didn't make it.

Another Christmas Siege

Our Wilmington correspondence.

The irregularity of the mails has detained our Wilmington letters so long that they have lost much of their freshness, though they still retain a good deal of interest. We give them as they come to hand:

Wilmington, December 25--8 P. M.

We live in wonderful times. This is the Sabbath day; and yet our, enemies neither keep it holy themselves nor allow us to do so. It is Christmas day--the anniversary of the day when "the heavenly host" made proclamation of "peace on earth" and "good will toward men" and yet these same enemies give us war instead of peace, and a fearful fire of shot and shell instead of good will. We are not even permitted to drink our egg-nog in quiet, nor to fill the bags of the little ones with the gifts of thoughtful Santa Claus, nor to repair to the house of God, except with the accompaniment of 15-inch shells and rattling window panes.

The Federal fleet which had been lying off this port for some days, and which consisted, it was supposed, chiefly of transports, was found to be composed of over fifty ships of war, including two monitors, several armored vessels, and a large proportion of heavily-armed frigates and sloops. This formidable fleet stood in at 11 o'clock yesterday morning, and at twenty minutes to one, it opened a furious fire upon Fort Fisher, the principal work at the mouth of the Cape Fear. An English naval officer who was with Sir Charles Napier in the Baltic, and at Sebastopol, says the fire exceeded anything he had ever seen. It was maintained with unabated vigor until half-past 5, when the fleet drew off. The enemy's shot averaged thirty to the minute, being nine thousand for the five hours he engaged the fort. The space above the fort was filled with white puffs of smoke from bursting shells, many of which were of frightful size. Some of these monster projectiles passed entirely over the fort and fell in the river beyond.--And this, too, notwithstanding the fleet, with the exception of the iron-clads, stood off at long range.

The fort replied slowly and deliberately; but with what effect is not known, though Colonel Lamb, commandant of the work, telegraphs that he is confident the enemy suffered more than he did.--There were twenty-three men wounded on our part; one mortally, three severely and nineteen slightly. Two guns were dismounted, not by the fire of the enemy, but by unskillful management on our part. No other damage worth naming was sustained.

But fearful as the bombardment was yesterday, it was but the prelude to the infernal fire of to-day. The attack was renewed at 10 o'clock, and raged with tremendous violence until six this evening. Such a rain of shot and shell never before fell upon any spot of earth since gunpowder was invented. But the Confederates stood to their work in most gallant style. Many of them had never been under fire before; and yet they received the devouring blast from the fleet like men who knew not what fear was. We have no report of the casualties to-day, communication with the fort by telegraph having been interrupted; but there is reason to fear that they have been heavier than they were yesterday. Unofficial telegrams received during the afternoon, however, before the wires were broken, stated that all was well, and that the garrison had replied to the enemy's fire less frequently than on yesterday.

But the most serious part of the fight, to-day remains to be told. A portion of the fleet, moving up the beach two and a half miles above Fort Fisher, swept the shore with grape and canister for an hour, at the end of which the boats were lowered, and a force, estimated to be three brigades, was landed. This force was immediately engaged by Kirkland's brigade; but, at half-past 5 o'clock, the enemy still maintained his footing on the beach, after two hours fighting. It is not improbable that other troops will be landed to-night, and possibly some artillery.

The enemy is now between Wilmington and Fort Fisher, and has cut off communication by land with the latter. If he is not dislodged soon, Fisher must fall as Fort Morgan did, and with its fall the port of Wilmington will be sealed. Once firmly established on the narrow spit of sand, upon the outer end of which Fisher stands, the closing of the river above will be only a matter of time; and then, away go Fisher, Caswell and all the other works by which the harbor and town are defended.

There has been gross dereliction of duty between here and Richmond; but whether the military or railway authorities are responsible for it, remains to be seen. But more of this hereafter.

General Whiting is in command below. His report of the operations to-day has not been received as I close.--General Bragg is doing all he can with the handful of men present to hold the place.

I omitted to mention that one of the Federal blockaders got aground on Friday night, while chasing the Little Hattie, and was abandoned and blown up. The Little Hattie got in safe.

- The Daily Dispatch (Richmond, Va.) January 4, 1865

Christmas Shelling

THE SIEGE- ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-SECOND DAY.

The Christmas of 1863 will long be remembered by those who passed the day in the City of Charleston. for hours before the eastern sky was streaked with the first grey tints of morning, the cold night air was rent by other sounds than the joyous peals from the belfry and the exploding crackers of exhilirated boys.

At one o'clock, a.m., the enmey opened fire upon the city. Fast and furiously were the shells rained upon the city from five guns- three at Battery Gregg, one at Cummings' Point and one at the Mortar Battery. The shelling was more severe than upon any former occsion, the enemy generally throwing from three to five shells almost simulaneously. Our batteries promptly and vigoursly replied to the fire, but wtihout their usual effect in checking the bombardment, which was steadily maintained by the Yankees during the remainder of the night and all the following morning, until about half-past twelve o'clock. Up to that hour no less than 134 shells had been hurled against the city.- There was no more firing until about five o'clock in the afternoon, when one more shell was fired. On Sunday morning about three o'cock, four shells were thrown in quick succession. There had been no further firing up to a late hour last night.

The damage, we are glad to say bore no proportion to the severity of the bombardment. Several houses were struck, but in most instances the tremendous missles buried thmselves harmlessly in the earth. There were but tweo casualties: Mr. WM. MCKNIGHTON, aged 83, while sitting by his fireside, had his right leg taken off by a shell, another fragment of which crashed the foot of his sister-in-law, MISS PLANE. Up to last evening both sufferers were doing well.

At Fort Sumter all has been quiet since our last report. An old shell exploded on Christmas day, wounded Privates THEODORE ICAULT and JOSEPH LEE, of company K, 1st S.C.A.

Our batteries kept up a steady fire Sunday afternoon on a Yankee working party at the extremity of Cummings' Point. The enemy have closed the embrasure at Gregg, formerly occupied by our 10-inch Columbiad. They have now at Gregg, but one gun (a heavy Parrott) bearing upon Fort Sumter, but they have constructed the embrasure of this piece with a view to giving it a very wide field of fire. On Saturday evening our lookouts noticed that at the signal of a steam whistle a large Yankee flag was run up at their middle battery. In their first attempt to hoist it the "old flag" went up union down, a mshap which evidently caused much confusion amongst the crowd present.

On Friday morning, about daylight, in the midst of the shelling, our citizens were startled by the report of heavy and rapid artillery firing in the direction of Stono. Many conjectures were made and varoious rumors circulated. The facts, however as we have learned them, are as follows: An artillery and infantry force was ordered up thrusday evening to proceed to John's Island for the prupose of reconnoitering the enmey's position at Legarville, and, if possible, to drive away or sink the gunboats genrally lying in Stono near that place, and also, if deemed feasible, to capture the garrison and post at Leagrville.

Accordingly, every preparation for the expedition having been made, the batteries were got in readiness and everything in position by daylight Friday morning. At the hour fixed, our batteries opened with spirit upon the Yankee gunboat Marblehead, lying about three hundred yards from the wharf of the village landing. the Yankee garrison at Lagare's was found to be strongly posted on a little island, with narrow defile leading to the village; Col. PAGE, of the Virginia brigade, resolved to make an attack on the enemy's position with the field artillery and the infantry, and awaited the driving away or sinking of the Marblehead by our siege guns from the wharf. The gunboat received our fire in silence for about twenty minutes, and then opened with full braodsides. Our batteries continued the engagement about an hour, but failed to drive her away.

The Pawnee and a mortar boat , during the action, ran up the Kiawah River, opening a heavy fire on the flank and rear of our lower batteries, and compelled our troops to fall back a short distance. The loss on our side was Private W. H. ANCRUM, of the Palmetto Guard, killed on the field, and five others severly wounded, two of them mortally, and since dead. The last words of the gallant young Ancrum were an exhortation to his comrades to press on and save their pieces, regardless of himself. Eight artillery horses and one ambulance mule were killed. No casaulties occured among the infantry.

In consequence of the loss of our horses, two howitzers were left behind, which were afterwards brought in, at a later hour in the evening. The expedition was well planned, but partly miscarried from unavoidable contingencies. Our troops, however, have been stimulated by the trial, and will yet show what they are able to accomplish whenever they are called upon for action.

-The Charleston Mercury (Charleston, S.C.) Dec 28, 1863

Mortars at Sebastopol

A beautiful water color by William Simpson of of some of the siege lines at Sebastopol, along with the key. The mortars are a 10 inch and a 13 inch.