in command, I proceeded to Soukhoum to make arrangements for transport.  I had hardly arrived there when a message from Tchamchira arrived, urgently demanding assistance, as the Russians were advancing in great force.  I hurried back with all the vessels I could collect to Tchamchira, three ironclad corvettes and two wooden paddle-wheel transports.  Fortunately the Russian attack had not commenced, and the arrival of my squadron probably led to its postponement until too late.  To remove 4,000 men, bag and baggage, with several batteries of field-pieces and a large amount of ammunition, was no easy task with the small amount of transport at my command.  I made, however, what I considered to be the best disposition possible under the circumstances.

The corvettes and the paddle transports were moored in as close to the shore as possible, my intention being to cram them with men and stores first, leaving my flagship free to the last to manoeuvre off the Russian camp and shell it, should the slightest opposition be offered to the embarkation.  The work commenced at daylight, and was actively carried on throughout the day and following night, the last batch of men coming off at dawn.  The men were taken away from under the very teeth, as it were, of the Russians.  The ships in shore were well within rifle range, and the boats passing to and fro were exposed the whole time to a fire from hidden foes.  The enemy had been evidently overawed by my preparations, and doubtless thought it would be better for them to allow the invading force to retire unopposed.  To avoid the chance of grounding, in case I should have to use the frigate fire to cover the embarkation, a volunteer crew had proceeded off the Russian camp during the night, and laid down a line of buoys, to show the limit of distance to which the shore might be approached with safety.  These buoys, glistening in the sunlight, doubtless suggested to the Russians that something dreadful was in store for them if they attempted to fire a gun, and so they contented themselves with watching from the trees, amongst the branches of which we saw a number of them perched like so many birds of prey.  The whole credit of the embarkation is due to the efficient manner in which the naval officers under my command carried out the instructions given them, and the great docility of the Turkish soldiers.  Soon after sunset the general and staff left the shore, and their example was followed by every military officer of any rank; so that the whole work devolved upon those I had placed in command of the beach and the boats.

The men marched down quietly by themselves and everything went on like clockwork.  I must confess that I passed a most anxious night, as I knew not but what at any moment the enemy might make a rush into the entrenchments the Turks were abandoning, in order to claim a victory.  My own ship was getting lumbered up, and I knew that before long it would be impossible to work more than one or two of the guns in case of need.  That the Russians, however, could not know this, was my comfort; but I must own that it was a great relief to me when the last detachment left the shore.  The poor fellows had been holding the outposts all night.  They came in at the double, and little time was lost over their embarkation.