The Three Commanders Part 33

As soon as he came abreast of the wreck, Jack sent three of his boats on sh.o.r.e to bring off the crew; Murray volunteered to take command of them.

As he neared the beach, he saw the Cossacks still hovering in the distance, out of the reach of the guns, but threatening to pounce down again, probably still in the hopes of making some prisoners. The _Tornado_ accordingly stood in as close as she could venture, to cover the boats, which soon reached the beach. The transport's crew stood ready to receive them; scarcely, however, had they begun to embark, than the Cossacks once more came galloping up. Murray immediately ordered those still remaining on sh.o.r.e to face about; while, just as the Cossacks reached the high ground above the beach, a couple of sh.e.l.ls thrown from the _Tornado's_ guns burst amid their ranks; when, once more wheeling about, they galloped off at a rapid rate, leaving the rest of the crew to embark without molestation.

Having carried them on board, Murray returned for the purpose of destroying the transport, that her stores might not fall into the hands of the enemy. He had for this purpose to pull round insh.o.r.e. It was not without some difficulty that he, Higson, and Needham made their way on board. Such combustible materials as could be found were soon collected, and lighted in the hold of the transport; the boat then at once pulled away for the _Tornado_. She had got to some little distance from the s.h.i.+p, when the Cossacks were again seen coming down towards the sh.o.r.e, this time accompanied by a couple of field-pieces, which quickly opened fire. The first shot, however, fell short, and the party were soon safe on board the _Tornado_.

As the _Tornado_ steamed off, the Cossacks were seen again coming forward, in the hopes possibly of still being able to plunder the wreck.

Just then, however, the flames burst furiously forth from every part of the wreck, and in another minute a loud roar was heard, and a portion of her deck rose high in the air, while her sides, rent and shattered, flew out in every direction; and as the smoke from the explosion cleared away, a few burnt timbers of the wreck alone remained, while the Cossacks, disappointed of their booty, were seen galloping off in the distance.

The scanty remnant of another s.h.i.+pwrecked crew having been saved by the _Tornado_, she steamed back to Balaclava. During that fearful storm no less than forty vessels, with upwards of four hundred men, had been lost; one Turkish line-of-battle s.h.i.+p, and several transports, had gone down with all hands. The French lost one of their finest line-of-battle s.h.i.+ps and a corvette, with nearly twenty smaller craft. The most severe loss was that of the _Prince_, with a crew of a hundred and fifty men; she had arrived two days before with troops, who had providentially landed--but the army was doomed to suffer terribly from the loss of her cargo, consisting of warm clothing, ammunition, medicine, and supplies of all kinds.

A few s.h.i.+ps being left to watch Sebastopol, the remainder of the fleet and all the transports were sent back to the Bosphorus; and soon afterwards, Admiral Dundas having struck his flag, Sir Edmund Lyons became commander-in-chief.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

STATE OF AFFAIRS IN THE BEGINNING OF 1855--MURRAY IN COMMAND OF THE GIAOUR--Sh.e.l.lING SEBASTOPOL BY NIGHT--TOM FINDS MATTER FOR SERIOUS THOUGHT--THE TORNADO CHASES A RUSSIAN STEAMER--ATTACK ON A FORT--ANOTHER STEAMER SIGHTED--FRIEND OR FOE?--PROVES TO BE THE GIAOUR--THE FLASH APPEARS--THE FORT STORMED.

The fearful Christmas of 1854 was over, and of the troops, which in gallant array had left England, more than one-half had died or been disabled by the shot of the enemy or the still more deadly pestilence.

Sufferings, such as an English army had never before been called upon to endure, had been borne with fort.i.tude. The siege, notwithstanding, had been carried on, and now reinforcements, and clothing, and stores, and provisions were arriving in the camp of the allies. Affairs looked brighter than they had done for many a day; the fleet, notwithstanding the battering some of the s.h.i.+ps had received at the opening of the bombardment, was in as efficient a state as ever. It had rendered good service at Eupatoria in a.s.sisting the Turks to defend the place against a powerful force of Russians, which had been driven back with great loss. The naval brigade had been doing good service on sh.o.r.e, not only in the batteries, but by laying down a railway from Balaclava to the Chersonese, by which the transport of heavy guns, ammunition, and stores was greatly facilitated.

The _Tornado_ had not been idle, though, in consequence of the straining her engines had received during the storm, she had been compelled to remain some time at Constantinople, to have them set to rights. Once more she was steaming across the waters of the Black Sea, with another vessel of similar size in company.

"The _Giaour_ will beat us if we can't get up more steam," observed Jack to his first lieutenant, who was walking the deck with him.

"We have on our full power, and are doing our utmost," answered Higson; "the _Giaour's_ engines are new, and we must make up our minds, I suspect, to let Commander Murray get ahead of us."

"I am always happy to follow wherever he leads," said Jack; "if there is work to be done, he'll find out the way to do it."

The _Giaour_ was coming up slowly on the _Tornado's_ quarter, gaining foot after foot but never losing an inch, so that at length she was abreast of her; both vessels were steering for Sebastopol. The land was soon afterwards made, and, as they approached, the admiral's flag was seen flying at the masthead of the _Royal Albert_, a magnificent three-decker of a hundred and thirty guns, to which Sir Edmund Lyons had s.h.i.+fted it from the _Agamemnon_. She, and several other English and French line-of-battle s.h.i.+ps, lay across the entrance of the harbour, effectually preventing any of the enemy's s.h.i.+ps from getting out.

"The admiral is speaking to us and the _Giaour_" said Tom, who was acting as signal-mids.h.i.+pman.

"Let's see what he is saying," said Jack, looking at the signal-book; "it's 'Keep under weigh' and 'Commanders to repair on board the admiral's s.h.i.+p.' We are to be sent somewhere together, I hope."

The two steamers closed rapidly with the fleet, beyond which could be seen the frowning batteries on the other side of the harbour of Sebastopol; while on the right appeared thin curls of smoke, marking the course of the sh.e.l.ls thrown from the lines of the allies into the city and those sent by the batteries in return: while the thunder of the artillery was heard with fearful distinctness. On reaching the flags.h.i.+p, Jack and Murray went on board, when they received directions to take a part in the work which had been going on nightly. Some time before, the boats of the fleet had set up signals on sh.o.r.e within reach of the French camp, and men were sent down soon after dark to light them. By their means every night an English and French steamer had stood in and sh.e.l.led the town, greatly to the astonishment of the Russians, who were utterly unprepared for such a mode of attack. They of course fired in return; but as they could scarcely see their foes, the s.h.i.+ps were but seldom struck; while not only did they commit a good deal of harm, but thus hara.s.sed the garrison by night as well as by day.

Jack was to take the lead that night, in company with a French s.h.i.+p.

All hands were well pleased at the work cut out for them, and eagerly looked forward to the hours of darkness when they might begin sh.e.l.ling the enemy, little troubled by the thoughts of the shot which might be sent on board them from the Russian guns in return. Tom and Archie were especially in high glee at the thoughts of what they were to do.

"Who knows but one of our sh.e.l.ls may burst in one of the enemy's chief magazines, or knock down some of their defences, and allow the allies to take the place?" said Tom.

"We shall not be much the wiser if we do do it," observed Archie; "and, depend upon it, they will insist that it was their own guns did the work."

Soon after dark the _Tornado_ and her French consort steamed in towards the harbour, steering by the lights which had been placed on sh.o.r.e. The screws made but little noise, and perfect silence was maintained on board, so that the enemy could not discover their whereabouts till they opened fire. The lights were so placed as to enable them to know with terrible accuracy the position of the forts into which they were to fire. As they glided onwards through the darkness for some minutes together, not a sound was heard in the direction of the beleaguered city, which to all appearance lay in profound slumber. Then came from the far distance the reports of a few dropping shot, showing that the riflemen of both parties were awake. They again ceased, and the same silence as before reigned over the scene.

The _Tornado's_ heavy guns were loaded, and elevated to throw their shot into the city, and their crews stood ready to fire at the word of command. Jack waited till his s.h.i.+p had reached the point he was directed to gain. "Fire!" he shouted. The next instant the loud roar of his guns echoed through the harbour, arousing many a weary sleeper in the Russian fortifications. The French s.h.i.+p immediately fired her guns in rapid succession, and then both vessels steamed round away from the spot they had previously occupied, towards which numberless Russian guns immediately directed their fire, though not a shot touched either of them. The _Tornado's_ guns were reloaded, and, standing back, she rapidly discharged them, the French s.h.i.+p following her example. Again the shot from the forts came rus.h.i.+ng through the air, falling around the s.h.i.+ps, but without striking them. In this way they continued circling round, now firing from one point, now from another, and each time after firing taking different directions.

At length every gun which could be brought to bear on the harbour began to play upon them, but, by keeping ever on the move, for a considerable time not a shot took effect. At length, as Tom and Archie were standing close together, a shot from one of the heights whistled by close to their heads, and struck the bulwarks behind them.

"I say, Tom, if that shot had been a few inches on one side, where should you and I have been by this time?" said Archie.

"Not a pleasant subject for contemplation," answered Tom; "however, a miss is as good as a mile."

"I have been thinking seriously of the matter," observed Archie; "not that I am afraid, but I am very sure that we ought to be prepared to go out of the world, seeing that at any moment either of us may lose our lives."

"It doesn't do to think of that sort of thing," said Tom, not liking Archie's tone.

"Now there you're wrong. I believe that it is much wiser to think about it than to be taken unprepared," replied Archie. "My Cousin Alick thinks very seriously, and no one can say that he is not as brave an officer as any man in the fleet. I tell you honestly that I have been saying my prayers, and asking G.o.d to help me to take Him at His word, and to trust to His plan of salvation--that is what I want you to do, Tom, also. I should be very miserable if I saw you killed and could not feel sure that you had gone to heaven. I should be unhappy in either case; but it would be ten times worse if I thought that I should not meet you again."

"Do you really, Archie, think that I am so wicked that if I was to be killed I should not go to heaven?" said Tom.

"I only know what the Bible says about it, and I believe that," answered Archie firmly. "Just obey G.o.d, and you'll be all right, and it won't make you a bit less brave than you are now."

"I will," said Tom; "still I hope that neither you nor I will be hit to-night, though the shot are falling pretty thickly about us."

The moment after he had spoken, a loud cry was heard from one of the crew of the nearest gun, and the sound of a person falling heavily.

They sprang to the spot, and found a seaman stretched on the deck. They tried to lift him up, but, inexperienced though they were, they both felt convinced that he was dead. Others, coming up, confirmed their opinion; the shot had struck his chest, and killed him in a moment.

Notwithstanding the heavy fire to which his s.h.i.+p was exposed, Jack continued at his post, firing away till the hour arrived at which he was directed to leave the harbour; and he and his French consort steamed away to rejoin the fleet. Tom was unusually serious during the following day.

"I say, Rogers, what's the matter with you?" asked Billy Blueblazes.

"He didn't quite like the fun we had last night," observed d.i.c.ky Duff.

"I'll tell you what, youngster," said Tom, "you wouldn't have thought it any fun if either of you had one of those Russian round-shot walking into you, as poor Norris had."

On which Tom spoke to them as Archie had been speaking to him, much to the latter's satisfaction, for it showed him that his words had not been thrown away. Tom, indeed, afterwards came to him, and begged that he would get out his Bible, and more fully explain what he had been talking about on the previous night. Archie gladly did so. It was the beginning of many Bible readings they had together. Others joined them, and they then to their surprise found that several of the men had long been in the practice of meeting together to pray and study G.o.d's Word.

They heard also that such was done on board many of the s.h.i.+ps in the fleet, and that the men who thus occupied themselves were looked upon as the best and steadiest of their respective crews.

The next night Murray was directed to stand in and engage the forts, also accompanied by a French s.h.i.+p. Thus, night after night, the fleet hara.s.sed the unfortunate garrison, while the guns of the besieging army played on them in the daytime, giving them no rest during the four-and-twenty hours.

A short time after this a considerable squadron, composed of English, French, and Turkish s.h.i.+ps, with some thousand troops on board, proceeded to the eastward, for the purpose of attacking Kertch, at the entrance of the Sea of Azov. Well might the garrison of Sebastopol have felt alarm when they saw the fleet sailing past the mouth of their harbour, for on the sh.o.r.es of that inland sea were placed the chief granaries from which they drew their supplies of provisions.

The _Tornado_ and _Giaour_, with numerous other steam-vessels, accompanied the fleet. Pa.s.sing along the rocky and picturesque southern sh.o.r.e of the Crimea, the expedition soon came off Cape Saint Paul, in a small bay near which the troops were landed without a casualty; the steam-vessels scattering a body of Cossacks, the only hostile force that appeared to dispute the disembarkation. The line-of-battle s.h.i.+ps continued their course along the coast, which at every available spot was strongly fortified. The s.h.i.+ps were standing in to attack the batteries when a thundering roar was heard, the concussion from which shook even the vessels at sea. Another and another followed.

"The Russians are performing our work for us, and saving Her Majesty a considerable expenditure of gunpowder," observed Higson to his commander. "I am afraid if they play that trick, of which they seem so fond, they will leave us nothing to do."

"Never fear, we shall be too quick for them," answered Jack; "and, from what I hear, there are numerous magazines all round the coast."

"The inhabitants of Kertch must be glad to save their town from a bombardment, for really it is a much handsomer place than I expected to find in this part of the world, and those lofty stone houses give it a very imposing appearance," observed Higson.

"At all events, we shall not have injured them," observed Jack; "we are especially directed to do as little harm as possible to private property, and to let the Russians understand that we are not warring with them, but with the Emperor and his Government."

The fleet having thus gained a bloodless victory, the line-of-battle s.h.i.+ps came to an anchor; the larger number of the steamers proceeded into the Sea of Azov, while the remainder were sent along the coast to look out for any vessels which might have been concealed in any of the inlets or deep bays with which it is everywhere indented. The _Tornado_ was ordered on this service, greatly to the disappointment of her crew, who expected to have more stirring work within the Straits.

She had just lost sight of the fleet, when standing in as close as she could venture, Jos Green, who was forward, observed a light cloud of smoke ascending above a rocky point, the summit of which was feathered with a grove of lofty trees. It was a question, however, whether the smoke proceeded from a fire on sh.o.r.e or from the funnel of a steamer.

Green inclined to the latter opinion. It had moved some distance since he first sighted it, he declared, so that it must come from a steamer on her way out to sea. The _Tornado_ stood on, keeping as close insh.o.r.e as possible, so that her presence might not be discovered till the other vessel had got well clear of the point; after that, Jack hoped to get up to her before she could run in anywhere else for shelter.