THE SURRENDER OF BOMARSUND

Article from the ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS September 30th 1854 (Sketch and article by Mr E.T.Dalby)

Down went stones, iron chimneys, sand-bags, &c., and the Russians made a poor reply; the shot falling lamentably short, and the aim being negligent, as if they had lost all heart. About the middle of the day the man at the top mast, on the look-out, roared with all his might to the Admiral: 'They are showing a flag of truce, Sir!' Every telescope was bent upon the fort (the long fort—our biggest enemy); and there, sure enough, was a white cloth, fastened to a pole, and waved in the most energetic manner from one of the shattered embrasures. 'Cease firing. Signal flag of truce!' bawled the Admiral. Ours, you know, is the flag-ship; so every other ship keeps a look out towards the Bulldog, for signals. A large white tablecloth was fastened to the signal halyards, and run up to the foremast, where it fluttered against the clear blue sky. Every ship answered it except the Edinburgh, which did not observe it at first, and fired the last shot at the forts from the ships. However, the Admiral seized a speaking-trumpet, and soon set them right. A boat was lowered, and Capt. Hall (of the Bulldog) jumped into it with three or four of his men, and pulled straight for the shore. Some moments of suspense succeeded, as our Captain, with the little white flag in his hand, approached the Russian shore. The land batteries not having seen the flag of truce from the forts which was held out to the ships, continued to fire, when the flag was suddenly withdrawn from the embrasure, and we feared some treachery; but in a few minutes it was planted on the top of the roof, where the batteries could see it and another held out to the ships. Captain Hall landed, and jumped on shore flag in hand. I saw him hold the flag above his head, and wave it; but no one came out to him. We were now in a dreadful state of excitement; officers and men were crowding to the best points of the ships to command a view. There stood Captain Hall alone on the shore. All was silent as death. Presently we saw him walk deliberately up to the fort, followed by his little boat's crew, and disappear behind the western angle. Sir Charles Napier now ordered a boat out, and our three Admirals — Napier, Chads, and Plumridge — went off, landed, and also disappeared where Captain Hall did. At this moment my attention was attracted to an unusual movement among the low brushwood upon the hill to the westward of the forts, when suddenly I perceived hundreds of French soldiers rushing down the rocks. I suppose at least two or three thousand blue coats, and of course twice the number of red legs were chasing each other at one time down in the direction of the forts. The first runners soon reached the gates, and there drew up in one dense column about twelve deep. This settled the question at once. Resistance on the part of the Russians, with three thousand of the enemy at their gates, and as many more within call, would have been sheer madness. Inside the fort, the Governor, an old man with white hair and moustache, laid his hand upon his heart, and said to the English and French officers: 'Gentlemen, I surrender myself into your hands, together with the soldiers of this fortress. I believe I have done my best to hold the place for my country and Emperor; but, finding further resistance on our part useless, I place myself at your disposal, as the representatives of the Allied Powers - England and France.' Such was the surrender of Bomarsund.