larm and distress
of the inhabitants and garrison could be witnessed from the lines of the
besiegers. The following extract from the author's "History of the
War against Russia," describes with brevity and accuracy the final
bombardment.

When the sun set, the shells, rockets, and other fiery missives from the
besieging lines, sped like flights of meteors over the enemy's works,
and searched the recesses of the city. Throughout the night of the 5th a
fire of musketry had been directed against the faces of the works to
be assailed; but on that of the 6th, this was more sustained and heavy.
During the 6th, the enemy made a comparatively feeble resistance. On
the early morning of the 7th, the bombardment gave place to a cannonade,
which was as terrible as if opening for the first time., The enemy
opened a galling fire from their Inkerman batteries across the harbour
upon the French right, sweeping the batteries of the latter, slaying
many, and damaging the works. A strong wind blew the smoke from the
town, accompanied by clouds of dust, into the faces of the besiegers,
impeding their aim, and rendering it difficult for them to observe the
effect of their shot.

At half-past three a fine two-decker in the harbour was set on fire, and
continued to burn through the remainder of the day and all night, with
a flame exceeding in intensity and volume that of previous ships. A fire
also broke suddenly forth in the rear of the Great Redan. Late in the
evening another broke out in the town over the Woronzoff Road, and
another at the head of the dockyard. The combined effect of all these
conflagrations was terrible beyond description, associated as they were
with the deafening roar of at least 1000 pieces of cannon, for as many
were constantly engaged, notwithstanding that the number of the enemy's
guns silenced was very great. When daylight died the cannonade was, as
before, succeeded by a bombardment, with all its fierce concomitants.
The Russians showed throughout the night a constant apprehension
of assault, for they threw showers of vertical grape-shot; and
notwithstanding the glare of the flames from the burning ships, and
the fires in the city, they lighted up their works with fire-ball and
carcasses. They repeatedly threw bouquets into the trenches of the
French. Thus, until the morning of the 8th, shells and rockets fell in
fiery deluge upon Sebastopol, and the roll of the musketry against the
faces of the chief defences n