Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/395

THE PLAN OF THE ENTERPRISE. 3G5 true, as we shall see hereafter, that by dint of chap. great efifort and the full command of the sea, ^^^^- the two miglity nations of the west were able in time to convert the remains of their ' movable 'column' into an army fitted for regular opera- tions ; but we shall have to remember that, before the one system could be effectually re- placed by the other, the soldiery underwent cruel sufferings. The 63,000 invaders now preparing to march TheAiiies towards the soutli M'ere the largest, and by far the atllsV^'^ best appointed, force that the Powers of modern 'column.- Europe had ever dared to engage in what (as distinguishing it from regular operations) may rightly be called an adventure. Their plan was to advancs towards the north of Sebastopol, suffering the enemy to close round their rear, and intending to march every day to a new point of contact with the fleet. It was only at the mouths of the rivers that the cliffs between Old Fort and Sebastopol left room for anything like a landing-place ; and (except so far as concerned the mere interchange of signals), the land-forces, whilst marching from the banks of one river to the banks of another, could not expect to be in communication with the fleets. Moreover, the Allied Generals were stiJl in ignor- ance of the numerical strength of the enemy whom they were thus to defy. All they knew M-as that, so far as concerned his numbers of brave, steady, highly-drilled troops, the Czar was reported to be the foremost potentate of the world ; and that the publicity of the Allied counsels had given him a