The French and English forces were now on the south side of Sebastopol, in communication with their fleet at Balaklava, and were flushed with victory, while the forces opposed to them were probably inferior in number.  Why did not the allies at once begin the assault of the city?  It was thought to be prudent to wait for the arrival of their siege guns.  While these heavy guns were being brought from the ships, Todleben—­the ablest engineer then living—­was strengthening the defences on the south side.  Every day’s delay added to the difficulties of attack.  Three weeks of precious time were thus lost, and when on the 17th of October the allies began the bombardment of Sebastopol, which was to precede the attack, their artillery was overpowered by that of the defenders.  The fleets in vain thundered against the solid sea-front of the fortress.  After a terrible bombardment of eight days the defences of the city were unbroken.

Mentchikof, meanwhile, had received large reinforcements, and prepared to attack the allies from the east.  His point of attack was Balaklava, the defence of which had been intrusted to Sir Colin Campbell.  The battle was undecisive, but made memorable by the sacrifice of the “Light Brigade,”—­about six hundred cavalry troops under the command of the Earl of Cardigan.  This arose from a misunderstanding on the part of the Earl of Lucan, commander of the cavalry division, of an order from Lord Raglan to attack the enemy.  Lord Cardigan was then directed by Lucan to rescue certain guns which the enemy had captured.  He obeyed, in the face of batteries in front and on both flanks.  The slaughter was terrible,—­in fact, the brigade was nearly annihilated.  The news of this disaster made a deep impression on the English nation, and caused grave apprehensions as to the capacity of the cavalry commanders, neither of whom had seen much military service, although both were over fifty years of age and men of ability and bravery.  The “Heavy Brigade” of cavalry, commanded by General Scarlett, who also was more than fifty years old and had never seen service in the field, almost redeemed the error by which that commanded by Lord Cardigan was so nearly destroyed.  With six hundred men he charged up a long slope, and plunged fearlessly into a body of three thousand Russian cavalry, separated it into segments, disorganized it, and drove it back,—­one of the most brilliant cavalry operations in modern times.

The battle of Balaklava, on the 25th of October, was followed, November 5, by the battle of Inkerman, when the English were unexpectedly assaulted, under cover of a deep mist, by an overwhelming body of Russians.  The Britons bravely stood their ground against the massive columns which Mentchikof had sent to crush them, and repelled the enemy with immense slaughter; but this battle made the capture of Sebastopol, as planned by the allies, impossible.  The forces of the Russians were double in number to those of