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“ You must not let yourself he depressed, my dear Mentchikof, whilst you are at the head of the heroes of Sévastopol, having under your orders a body of eighty thousand choice troops, who have just proved once more what they are capable of when they are led as they ought to be, and where they ought to be. With such gallant men it would he disgraceful to think of defeat. ”

“ If hitherto we have not had the success which we had a right to expect, God is still full of mercy, and perhaps the success will yet come. As to abandoning Sévastopol, it would be disgraceful to think of it, so long as there are inside its walls and outside eighty thousand soldiers full of energy ”

“ It would be wrong, too, to forget all those who are meritorious. I suppose Prince Gortchakof will find no obstacle in sending to you what forces he can spare from Nicolalef. Note well that, those forces arrived, there will he no more to send. It would he vexatious to exhaust this last reserve, for it is the only one available to complete the other corps, for God alone knows what awaits us. It is very much to be regretted that your excellent cavalry had no chance of distinguishing itself. ”