Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/305

FOR THE INVASION. 275 lish General to undertake the invasion, unless chap. it should happen that he had obtained fresh ^^^-^ knowledge of the enemy's strength — fresh know- ledge of such a kind as would enable him to controvert the statements sent out to him by the Home Government, and say distinctly that the Eussian forces in the Crimea were too numerous to be encountered with common prudence by the Allied armies. Now, Lord Eaglan had not suc- ceeded in obtaining any information at all on the subject, and, therefore, the one circumstance which might have relaxed the stringency of the despatch was entirely wanting. In the state of things which actually existed, the Duke of New^- castle's communication was little short of an absolute order from the Secretary of State. The English General determined to obey it. It was thus that Lord Eaglan persuaded him- self into the belief that he would be justified in foregoing his own opinion, and acceding to the will of the Home Government ; but perhaps, though he knew it not, he was under the power of a motive more heating than this bare process of the reason. There were sentences in the de- spatch which seemed as though they were meant for the guidance of one not sufficiently prone to action. The writer seemed to have busied him- self in closing the loops by which a general might seek to escape from the obligation of hav- ing to make the venture. In reality, as we have seen, the despatch had been framed with a view of giving unanimity to a council of generals