Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 3.djvu/172

 MG i;attle of tiif, alma. cii A r. iiiovi'd uj) fVoiu tlic liver were coming as yet to ' their aid. Naturally he would be shamed to think that many thousands of the once famous Russian infantry had been yielding up the Great liedoubt to a body which might almost be called a mere {lush of skirmishers. Besides, it was known by this time in some of the Russian battalions, that of the ])ieces which had armed the redoubt, two were wanting, and to recover these there arose a burning desire. Unless the stain was to be last- ing, it seemed clear that the red-coats still cling- ing to the dismantled redoubt must be driven at once down the hill. Movement Propcllcd, it would sccm, l)y this warlike senti- litz coiuiiM). ment, the great column formed of the Ouglitz battalions, and posted on the higli ground above the redoubt, began to descend towards our people; and for a few moments it came on, hot with zeal or anger, the men of the front ranks discharging vain, ])assionate shots whilst tlicy marched, and young soldiers in the centre of the column shoot- ing wildly into the air above them. Soon, how- ever, this body was halted.* But it was in the great Vladimir column that the Russian accounts, and I imagine that it was a movement spontaneously undertaken by the colonel, but soon afterwards stopped by orders from some one of higher authority. The movement was observed liy Englisli otlicers so placed as to com- mand a view of this ]iart of the fuld, but it has been only by comparing their testimony with my knowledge of the position occupied by eacli llussian corps, that I have been aide to infer the identity of the battalions they saw with thoic of the Oug- litz regiiuent.
 * No mention of tliis suddenly arrested advance is niudc in