Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 9.djvu/340

This page needs to be proofread.

310 APPENDIX blank at the French War Office, coupled with the actual result, my surmise, put out under cover of a ' perhaps,' may derive some support. Note 8. — His sovereign's imperious mandate. — Rousset, who had access to the papers in the French War Office, states that the Emperor's telegram was inexplicably delayed in transmission from the 3d to the Sth of June. This, of course, was an error, because we know that Pelissier imparted the telegram to Lord Raglan on the 6th ; but the statement, though erroneous in its conclusion, seems to show that down to the Sth no answer had come from Pelissier to the telegram of the 3d of June. Note 9. — Proved able to set him aside. — The resistance of a general to the authority of the State is, of course, a grave matter, and cannot be justified on light grounds ; but, as Pelissier re- tained his command, one, I think, may observe what passed, without being forced into the question of casuistry which presents itself when a general's disobedience breaks up his relations with the State. Note 10. — Protest against every such measure. — c Je suis heur- ' eux qu'elle ait reussi; mais neanmoins je nc puis m'empecher de

  • oonsiderer commc fatal tout ce qui tend aujourd'hui a disseminer

' vos forces.' — Emperor to Pelissier, 30th May 1855. The under- scoring of the word ' fatal ' was an act of the Emperor. NOTES TO CHAPTER V. Note 1. — Havoc and ruin. — 'Mais le comble du dommage ' auquel cet ouvrage etait expose lui venaient des batteries ' Anglaises qui savaient compenser la mesure un pen lente de ' leur feu par la precision remarquable de leur tir. — Todleben, vol. ii. p. 310. Note 2. — Accepted the Prince's bold story. — The French say dis- tinctly that after capturing the Work they spiked its guns (Rous- set, vol. ii. p. 235) ; and Todleben also admits this, as also that the embrasures were destroyed, saying that he himself ordered the guns to be wnspiked and the embrasures to be repaired, vol. ii. p. 330. I suppose Prince Ouroussoff would hardly maintain that the destruction of the embrasures and the spiking of the guns could have been coolly effected at the time of his ' bayonet ' charge.