Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 3.djvu/303

 BATTLE OF THE ALMA. 277 Lis officers could hardly say with truth that they cilAP. had any better tactics to show him. It will be remembered that when Lord Eaglan, after crossing the river, gained his first joyful glimpse of the knoll, he ordered up Adams's brigade in all haste. The force obeying this order comprised two battalions, the 41st under Colonel Carpenter, and the 49tli under Major Daltou.* These troops encountered some trouble in passing the river, but were keenly urged forward ; and the moment they gained the sum- mit of the knoll, Lord Eaglan, with his own eye and voice, caused them to be drawn up in line. In order to make way for them on the top, the Headquarter Staff moved aside, and Lord Eaglan so placed the line that it fronted towards the south-east. If the battle at this time had been hanging in doubt, Lord Eaglan, placed as he was with these two battalions in his hand, could hardly have failed to make them the means of governing the result, for their advance would have threatened to roll up the enemy's line from its centre to its extreme right. As it was, the force became that scarlet bow on the knoll which seemed to present to the enemy the alternative of sheer flight or captivity. Lord Eaglan, however, perceived that the cogency with which these battalions would act in hurrying the retreat, depended rather upon of Evans, and crossed the river when he did.
 * The 47tli, as we saw, remained under the personal directio:n