s be of greater proportions than that defending. Then look
at our trenches and the distance which intervenes between them and the
Russian earthworks. Long before we can race across, it seems to me that
the guns, which will be trained to sweep the open, will blow us to
pieces. Still, we'll have a good try if the orders come for an attack.
But I shall be happier about our success if we can sap still closer,
until little more than two hundred yards separate us from the Russians."

Now the fear that the fortress might be taken at the next attempt had
not failed to rouse the Russians. They recognised the necessity of
diverting the attention of the Allies, and, moreover, receiving on
November 4th large reinforcements from Odessa, they determined to march
against the positions held by French and English, and if possible
annihilate them, or at least drive them still farther south towards
Balaclava, and so render the causeway leading from Sebastopol over the
Tchernaya river less open to attack. By means of this causeway they
replenished their garrison, which was daily diminished by the severe
losses it suffered. This time the wily enemy chose a different field
for their operations. At dawn on the 5th a huge force left the fortress
and formed up on the Inkermann heights, beyond the Tchernaya. These
heights, filled with caves, littered by massive boulders, and capped by
grey battlemented walls, formed a background, bounded on the west by the
Careenage ravine leading almost south, and on the north by the great
harbour. Directly in front of the heights, and separated by a wide
stretch of valley, was a horseshoe-shaped crest, behind which lay the
Second Division. On its extreme right was the sandbag battery, without
guns, and composed merely of a bank of earth, while between it and the
Russian position was a conical hill, known as Shell Hill, which was very
soon to be manned by some 100 Russian guns.

Combining with another force, the total numbers reaching nearly 40,000,
the enemy advanced against our position, hoping to capture it, while the
remainder of the field-army threatened the French from the Causeway
heights and made a feint of attacking. The huge garrison within the
fortress, too, were to take a part, for their orders were to fire
steadily at the trenches, and if much confusion was noticed, to make a
sortie and capture them. Thus it will be seen that nothing short of a
complete and overwhelming defeat of the Al