Much stronger places than Sebastopol have often fallen under far less obstinate and well-combined attacks than that to which it was subjected.

There can be no danger in expressing the conviction that the siege of Sebastopol called forth the most magnificent defence of fortifications that has ever yet occurred." We will now pass to the works of attack.

When the allies decided that the works of Sebastopol could not be carried by a simple cannonade and assault, but must be reduced by a regular siege, the first thing to be considered was to secure the forces covering the siege works from lateral sorties and the efforts of a relieving army.

The field works planned for this purpose were not of any great strength, and many of them "were only undertaken when a narrow escape from some imminent danger had demonstrated their necessity." The French line of defence consisted of eight pentagonal redoubts, connected by an infantry parapet.

The English seemed to attach but little importance to field works for the defence of their position; the terrible slaughter at Inkerman was the natural consequence of this neglect.
In describing the engineering operations of the allies at this siege.
Captain McClelland says:-- "In regard to the detailed execution of the French attacks, little or nothing novel is to be observed.