Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 3.djvu/120

 rtSSiiilants. 94 BATTLE OF TUB ALMA. CHAP, enterprises of this sort pressed specially upon _._l! General ]3uller, because he conimandod the left brigade. To storm a position thus held in strength by forces of all arms, and to answer at the same time for the safety of the whole of the Allied army against a flank attack, was a task of great mo- ment ; but, on the other hand, Sir George Brown was not without means for preparing a well- Mcaus for Ordered assault — for the enemy was making no well nideied attempt to liold the vineyards in strength ; and assault were ,. ., oi iiii npeii to the ou the Kussiau Side of the river, the bank, al- though steep, and from eight to fifteen feet in height, was yet so broken that a skirmisher seek- ing to bring his eye and his rifle to a level with the summit, would easily find a ledge for his foot. Here, then, was exactly the kind of cover which the assailants needed ; for if this steep bank could be seized and lined for a few minutes by their skirmishers, it would enable their main body to recover its formation after passing through the enclosures and fording the river. But in order to lay hold of the advantage thus offered by the nature of the ground, it was of necessity to take care that the advance of the Light Division should be amply covered by skirmishers. This was not done. The Eifles under Lawrence and Norcott had long before scoured the vineyards ; but they met ; and it was then — then, perhaps, for the first time — that men broached the idea of dispensing with the 'hollow square,' and receiving the enemy's horse in line. At all events it was tlicn, and amongst officers of the Royal Fusiliers, that I my.sel/ first heard the change mooted.