Part 21

L’ORIENT, BATTLE OF.--Lord Bridport achieved a memorable victory over the French fleet, June 23rd, 1795. The British squadron actually engaged consisted of 10 ships of the line--the enemy’s, of 12 ships of the line, 11 frigates, and some smaller vessels. After an action of three hours the French got into port, leaving three sail of the line in the possession of the British. The loss of the French was severe.

LOSSES IN GREAT BATTLES.--The _Military Gazette_ of Vienna makes the following comparisons of the forces engaged in the battle of Solferino and in former great battles:--“At that battle there were more than 300,000 soldiers in the field, and the losses must have amounted to at least from 30,000 to 37,000. At the battle of Leipsic, which lasted for three days, the 330,000 allies had against them 260,000 French; the latter lost 30,000 prisoners and 45,000 killed and wounded, and the former 48,000 killed and wounded. After Leipsic, the most sanguinary battle was that of Moscow, on the 7th of September, 1812. The Russians had 130,000 men and 600 pieces of cannon, the French 134,000 men and 587 cannon; the former lost 58,000 and the latter 50,000; the losses were, therefore, 40 per cent. At Bautzen, on the 21st of May, 1813, there were 110,000 Russians and Prussians opposed to 150,000 French; the latter lost 20,000 men and the allies 15,000, and not a single cannon. At Wagram, on the 5th and 6th of July, 1809, we had 137,000 men, and Napoleon 170,000; we lost 20,000 men and the enemy 22,000. At Esling we were 70,000 against 85,000; we had 20,000 killed and wounded, the enemy 13,000 killed; but he left in our hands 33,000 prisoners, and was obliged to send 30,000 to Vienna to have their wounds attended to, so that out of the 160,000 men engaged about one-half were put _hors de combat_. At Austerlitz there were 70,000 French, as many Russians, and 13,000 Austrians; the losses were 21,000 Russians, with 160 pieces of cannon, 5,800 Austrians, and 10,000 French. At Jena there were 142,000 French against 150,000 Prussians. At Waterloo there were 170,000 men, of whom 70,000 were French, who lost 25,000 men and 250 cannon, whilst the Allies lost 31,000 men.”

The following statistics of Mr. Haussener will complete the account of the losses in Great Battles:

“The wars which have been waged from 1815 to 1864, have caused the death of 2,762,000 men, of whom 2,148,000 were Europeans, and 614,000 from other quarters of the globe, which gives an average of 43,800 per annum. The figures do not include the deaths caused by epidemics resulting from war. The most sanguinary hostilities of that period are these:--The Eastern war of 1856, in which 508,600 men fell in the following proportions: 256,000 Russians, 98,900 Turks, 107,000 French, 45,000 English, and 2600 Italians. The Caucusus (1829-60) 330,000 men lost their lives. The revolt in India (1857-59) cost 196,000 lives. The Russo-Turkish war (1820-29) 193,000. The Polish insurrection (1831) 190,000. The whole of the French campaigns in Africa (1830-59) 147,000. The Hungarian insurrection 142,000. The Italian war 129,870, of whom 96,874 died on the field or from their wounds; and 33,000 from various diseases. The total number of lives lost in Europe during the wars from 1793 to 1815 amounted to 5,530,000, which gives for the twenty-three years an average of 240,434 deaths per year.”

LUCKNOW, SIEGE OF.--Memorable in the Great Indian Mutiny. The following account of the gallant defence of a few Europeans at the Gateway, Lucknow, where General Neill fell, September 26th and 27th, 1857, is abridged from the Account of Dr. A. C. Home, contained in “The Mutinies of Oude:”--

“There were present, including Dr. Home, nine sound men, two wounded officers, Captain Beecher and Lieutenant Swanson, and three wounded men: total, fourteen. Private McManus kept outside the doorway, sheltering himself behind a pillar, and killed so many of the assailants that at length he had only to raise his piece to cause all the enemy to leave their loopholes. The bodies of the dead Sepoys round the door were, in fact, a defence. Ryan and McManus actually rushed out and brought in a wounded officer who lay in a dhoolie in the adjoining street, returning in safety, although the ground was torn by musket balls about them. The conduct of Hallowell also was splendid. He always managed to kill an enemy at a most critical moment, and at length shot the leader. Finally the Sepoys pushed a screen on wheels before them, to protect themselves from the Minié rifle, and set the building on fire, when the gallant little band retreated in good order to a shed at a short distance, and defended themselves afresh. Their cowardly assailants took this opportunity to massacre all the wounded in dhoolies near to the house first defended. This small company of heroes kept the foe at bay during the night. At daybreak, however, they heard firing, when Ryan suddenly jumped up and shouted, ‘Oh, boys! Them’s our own chaps!’ In about three minutes Captain Moorsom appeared at the entrance-hole of the shed, and they were brought off in safety.”

The following is an account of Havelock’s relief of Lucknow:

“It was thus the 19th of September before General Havelock was in a position to cross the Ganges for a third time, and to advance with an efficient force to relieve the long-beleaguered garrison at Lucknow. On that day the army of relief crossed the river by a bridge of boats, and encamped on the other side. General Havelock’s force consisted of about 2000 European infantry, the Sikh regiment of Ferozepore, three batteries of field artillery, and a handful of volunteer cavalry. The rebels mustered above 40,000 strong, but their numerical superiority only served to enhance the prowess of their conquerors. The first engagement took place on the 21st of September, at the village of Mungarwar, and resulted in the total defeat of the mutineers. Five field-pieces and guns in position were taken, two of the former being captured by the volunteer cavalry, led on to the charge by General Outram in person. From this point the army pushed on by forced marches, without encountering any organized opposition, until it arrived before the city of Lucknow. Skirting the suburbs of that once stately capital, General Havelock forced his way through every obstacle, and, by the evening of the 25th, had relieved the heroic garrison. The relief was opportune. Two mines had already been driven under the chief works, and, in a few hours more, would have been loaded and sprung. The besieged would thus have been placed at the mercy of those who knew no mercy. The city, however, had still to be subdued. From several advantageous positions the enemy continued to fire upon the fort, and were only finally dislodged after a series of determined assaults. In these operations the loss of the British was very severe. General Neill, the brave and energetic saviour of Benares, and the inexorable avenger of the massacre at Cawnpore, was among the slain. With him fell major Cooper, in command of the artillery, and many other gallant spirits. Even now much remained to be done. Taking courage from their overwhelming numbers, the enemy soon closed again around the army of deliverance, and cut off their communications with Cawnpore. Encumbered with not less than 1000 women and children, and sick and wounded men, it would have been hazardous if not impossible to have attempted a march across a difficult country. Under these circumstances Sir James Outram, who had assumed the chief command, determined on remaining at Lucknow, and awaiting the arrival of re-inforcements. Sir Colin Campbell, the Commander-in-Chief, left Cawnpore with a strong force, on the 9th of November, to relieve Lucknow. He succeeded, by a well-conceived stratagem on the 12th, in bringing away the garrison with the women and children, and marched for Cawnpore. On the third day after leaving Lucknow, General Havelock died from the effects of dysentery, brought on by excessive fatigue and anxiety. In December, Cawnpore was attacked by 25,000 rebels with fifty guns, and Sir Colin Campbell was summoned from the neighbourhood of Lucknow for its defence. He arrived in season to save the place, after a severe action with the enemy. Sir Colin remained at Cawnpore, collecting a large force for the final siege of Lucknow. During the time which was thus occupied, several actions of minor importance took place; but it was not till the 17th of March that Lucknow was recovered, after a short but active siege. After its fall, the kingdom of Oude, of which it was the capital, was speedily restored to obedience and comparative tranquillity.”

LUNEVILLE, PEACE OF.--Between the French Republic and the Emperor of Germany, concluded February 9th, 1801.

LUTZEN, BATTLE OF.--Between the French, commanded by Napoleon, and the combined armies of Russia and Prussia, commanded by General Wittgenstein, May 2nd, 1813. This bloody battle opened the campaign of that year, and though each side claimed the victory, it was manifestly on the side of France. Marshal Duroc was mortally wounded in this battle.

LUTZENGEN OR LUTZEN, BATTLE OF.--Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, fought this battle against the Emperor. In this sanguinary engagement Gustavus was basely killed in the victory, November 6th, 1632. This Gustavus was the most illustrious hero of his times, and the chief support of the German Protestants, and an ally to Charles I of England.

LUXEMBURG.--Considered the strongest fortress in the world, taken by the French in 1543; then by the Spaniards in 1544; again by the French in 1684--restored to Spain in 1697. Again taken by the French, in 1701, and given to the Dutch, and ceded to the Emperor at the peace of 1713. During last century it also sustained a long and memorable siege, June 17th, 1795. The garrison surrendered to the French, and were liberated on parole.

M.

MAESTRICHT.--Taken by the Prince of Parma in 1579; reduced by the Prince of Orange, in 1632. Louis XIV took it in 1675. William, Prince of Orange, invested it in 1676; restored to the Dutch in 1678; besieged by the French, in 1748. In 1793, attacked by the French, who took it the following year; but in 1814, it was delivered up to the allied forces.

MAGENTA, BATTLE OF.--Fought June 4th, 1859, between the French and Austrians. The French gained a splendid victory, the Allies losing 12,000, the Austrians 15,000. The latter rapidly retreated and evacuated Milan. The battle of Magenta was begun by the Austrians, who, although in full retreat towards Pavia, were ordered to change their front, and attack the advanced guard of the Allies, who had crossed the Ticino at Buffalora. Suddenly 25,000 Austrians attacked a battalion of Zouaves, together with two battalions of grenadiers; a close and deadly fire was now exchanged. Then the Austrians charged with the bayonet. At 12 o’clock the French were retiring, having lost General Leclere, a colonel, a lieutenant colonel, and 12 officers, when reinforcements appearing on their left, they rallied and forced the Austrians to withdraw. The bold assault of General McMahon decided the victory; and for his brave conduct and efficient generalship, Napoleon conferred on him the rank of Marshal, with the title of Duke of Magenta. General Guyalai brought into the action 120,000 men; he left 20,000 of them wounded or dead on the battle-field: 7000 were taken prisoners; 5 flags, 4000 knapsacks, 12,000 muskets and 4 guns, fell into the hands of the French. During the battle of Magenta the bridge and the village of Magenta were taken and retaken seven times. It was only at half-past eight at night that the Austrians withdrew. Their retreat was slow and orderly.

MAIDA, BATTLE OF.--Fought between the French, commanded by General Regnier, and the British, under Major General Sir John Stuart. The French were nearly double the number of the British, yet the latter gained a most glorious victory on the “Plains of Maida,” a village of Calabria. The loss of the French was very great, July 4th, 1806. The British commander, from this victory, has historically received the name of the “Hero of the Plains of Maida.”

MAJOR.--This officer holds the rank between a Lieutenant Colonel and a Captain. A Major General is one who commands a division, next above rank to a Brigadier General.

MALAKOFF AND REDAN, ATTACK ON THE.--In the celebrated Crimean war. The following is a good description of the attack:

“General Pelissier divided his attacking force into three columns, numbering altogether about 25,000 men. The first, under General Mayran, was to assault the extreme left of the Russian line; the second, in the centre, led by General Brunet, was to turn the Malakoff on its proper left; while the third, under General d’Autemarre, was to operate upon its right. The Imperial Guard was held in reserve, and two batteries of artillery occupied the Mamelon. The signal for advance was to be three rockets fired from the Lancaster battery, which General Pelissier had chosen as his position of observation. By an unfortunate mistake, General Mayran mistook the flaming fuse of a bomb-shell for the rocket, and eager for the fray, led his division rapidly forward. It was now apparent that the enemy had full notice of our intended attack. Not only the batteries were fully armed, but the steamers were anchored so as to be able to pour their broadsides upon the French columns. Generals Saurin and De Failly, obedient to the commands of their General, dashed forward, followed at an impetuous pace by their troops. Then the Russians opened fire from their batteries and steamers, and a hurricane of shot and shell arrested the career of the brave French; and their leader, General Mayran, paid the penalty of his mistake, falling mortally wounded at their head. General Pelissier had now arrived upon the scene of action, and perceiving the error, at once ordered up reinforcements to the threatened division, which, strengthened by the addition of the voltigeurs of the Guard, some regiments of the line, and a battalion of grenadiers, was enabled to maintain its position under the orders of General De Failly, who succeeded to the command, though prevented by the deadly fire of the enemy from advancing further. The centre column, under General Brunet, had little better success than the other division. In fact, the unlucky mistake of Mayran, in precipitating the attack, had disordered the entire plan of advance, and aroused the Russians, and enabled them to concentrate their strength for defence. General Brunet himself was struck in the chest by a musket-ball; and his division was forced to retire to the trenches with great loss. General D’Autemarre, who commanded the left attack, no sooner saw the preconcerted signal, than he gave the word to advance, and the 5th Foot Chasseurs and the first battalion of the 19th regiment of the line, deploying to the left, along the crest of the ravine which there enters the town, carried the entrenchment which connects it with the Malakoff, and succeeded in entering the fortification. The sappers who accompanied the advance immediately planted ladders, the remainder of the regiments hurried forward, and the eagles of the French army waved aloft, encouraging the repulsed troops of the other divisions to renewed exertions.

While the French were thus straining every nerve against tremendous odds, and with fearful loss, to perform their parts in the achievements of the day, the English were none the less eager to win their laurels before the Great Redan. Sir George Brown, just returned from the Kertch expedition, was intrusted with the direction of the assaulting party, composed of detachments of the Light, Second, and Fourth Divisions. The plan of attack was, that the force should be divided into three columns; the Light Division to storm the right of the Redan at the re-entering angle; the Fourth Division was to attack the left flank of the fortification at a similar position; while the Second was to storm the apex of the Redan, as soon as the other divisions had established themselves in the work. Colonel Yea, of the 7th Fusiliers, led the storming party of the Light Division, composed of the 7th, 23rd, 33rd, and 34th. Colonel Shirley held the 19th, 77th, and 85th in reserve. The troops advanced in good order from the trenches, preceded by a covering party of Rifles, and dashed forward to the attack. They had, however, several hundred yards of broken ground to cross; and the enemy, well prepared for their reception, poured from every embrasure such a storm of shot and shell as effectually broke their ranks. Colonel Yea and the regimental officers gallantly endeavoured to animate their men to the assault, and led them fearlessly forward against the belching fire of the batteries. As the brave old colonel was cheering on his men, a shower of grape swept along, and he rolled in the agonies of death, struck at once in the head and stomach. His brave companions fell around him dead or wounded; and the regiments, unable to face such a sheet of fire, fell back disordered to the trenches, leaving nearly a third of their number on the field.

On the left attack, Sir John Campbell, with the Fourth Division, exhibited extraordinary courage, and led his men forward to the attack with tremendous energy. Here again was the tragedy of the Light Division repeated. The men were mowed down as they left the trenches, and Sir John, like Colonel Yea, fell cheering on his men. The loss was terrific. The Second Division, to whom had been reserved the duty of attacking the apex of the Redan, seeing the failure of the flank assaults, desisted from the attempt, and withdrew to the trenches, though having suffered considerably from the enemy’s fire.

The only success of the day was that achieved by the Third Division under General Eyre, who had been ordered by Lord Raglan to attack the Cemetery Batteries, at the head of the ravine leading to the Dockyard Creek. The brigade consisted of the 9th, 18th, 28th, and 44th regiments. Four volunteers from each regiment, under Major Fielden, of the 44th regiment, were selected to feel the way, and cover the advance. The 18th Royal Irish formed the storming party. They possessed themselves of the Cemetery with but little difficulty; and then four companies of the 18th dashed forward, so eager were they for the fray, and actually entered the town, and established themselves in the Russian houses. They were followed by the 9th, under Colonel Borton. The enemy’s batteries now opened a fierce fire on the daring handful of men; and although they could not drive them from their position, effectually prevented their retreat, from four o’clock in the morning until eight at night. During that time they suffered terribly from thirst, and some of the brave fellows actually crawled from the houses, reached the English lines, and returned with cans of water to their comrades. In this way a letter was convoyed asking for reinforcements; but General Eyre had already retired from the spot, and the two gallant regiments were left unsupported, to bear the brunt of the enemy’s fire until nightfall, when the remnant of them withdrew from their dangerous post, and rejoined the main body.

The failure of the English attack enabled the Russians to draw from the Redan reinforcements to repel the French under General D’Autemarre, who were so nearly redeeming the fortunes of the day at the Malakoff. Unable to contend against the forces now brought against them, the French were compelled to retire from the commanding position they had obtained. General Pelissier sent reinforcements; but it was impossible a single division, exposed to an appalling flank fire and an immensely superior force in front, could long sustain such an unequal contest. They fought bravely; but on that fatal day bravery availed but little, and they, too, added to the numbers of the defeated.

Such was the great disaster of the 18th of June, the anniversary of that day when the two nations, now brothers in defeat, were opposed to each other on the plains of Waterloo. Want of concert between the generals--and to Pelissier the blame is mainly due--resulted in a most disheartening repulse, and the loss of thousands of brave men; the English casualties amounting to no less than 251 killed (including 21 officers); 70 officers and 1130 men wounded; and 22 missing. The French loss must have been greater.”

MALPLAQUET, BATTLE OF.--The Allies under the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene, gained this battle, September 11th, 1709, over the French, commanded by Marshal Villars. The armies of each consisted of nearly 120,000 choice men. It was attended with immense slaughter on both sides, the Allies losing 18,000 men, which terrible loss was but ill-repaid by the capture of Mons, which followed the victory.

MAMELON AND QUARRIES.--The capture of the Mamelon and the action of the Quarries, took place in the great siege of Sebastopol. The former was gallantly stormed and taken by our allies the French and the action of the Quarries redoubted to the indomitable pluck of British soldiers. The following is a good account of the action and capture of the fort:

“A third general bombardment opened on the 6th of June. At half-past two o’clock in the afternoon, the fire of 157 English and 300 French guns and mortars simultaneously opened upon the town. The Russian reply was feeble, and inflicted but little damage upon our batteries. A fierce cannonade was maintained by the Allies during that and the following day, and towards evening, on the 7th, a grand combined attack was made by the English on the Quarries, and by the French on the Mamelon. The former of these works, as the name implies, were pits from which stone had formerly been excavated for the buildings in the town, and occupied a position between the head of our advanced sap and the Great Redan, the most formidable work of Russian defence, and which in the general plan of attack had been apportioned to the English. The Mamelon, as it was specifically called--the general term _mamelon_, a rounded hill, describing its appearance--was the foremost of two similar eminences, at a short distance from each other. The one nearest the town was surmounted by the Malakoff tower and works, and was the most elevated and commanding position of the enemy’s line of defence, the Mamelon, or Mamelon Vert, as the French designated it, had long since lost all claim to the latter name, being excavated into trenches and rifle-pits, from which a most annoying fire was maintained upon the French lines. Our Allies had already made a very gallant though unsuccessful attempt at its capture; and it was under the cover of its guns that the Russian sortie of the 22nd of March was made.

It was then absolutely necessary that an endeavour should be made by the besieging army to carry these formidable works, which presented such obstacles to their advance; and accordingly the evening of the 7th of June was fixed for the assault. At about six o’clock, the French battalions, chosen for the assault, consisting of the Algerine Zouaves, detachments of the 61st, 7th, and 50th regiments of the line, and of the Chasseurs-à-Pied, and Imperial Guard, about 1200 men in all, moved up to the front, closely followed by the reserve or working party, to follow the attacking column, and secure possession of the works. This second column, commanded by General Brunet, comprised a battalion of the Chasseurs-à-Pied, and the 11th, 24th, 69th, and 16th regiments of the line. General Bosquet was entrusted with the entire direction of the assault.