Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 3.djvu/43

 BATTLE OF THE ALMA. 17 twelve heavy j^uiis;* and Prince Meutscliikoff cilAP was so unsparing of efforts to defend this part of ' the ground, that he gathered, on the slopes of the hill, a force of no less than sixteen battalions of regular infantry ,-|- besides the two battalions of sailors, I and in addition to the twelve guns last mentioned, four batteries of field -artillery.§ The right of the forces on the Kourgane Hill rested on a slope to the east of the Lesser Ee- doubt, II whilst their left touched those other de- fences wh.ich barred, as we saw, the great road. Twelve of the battalions of regular infantiy were posted on the flanks of the Great Redoubt ; whilst the other four battalions, drawn up in one massive column, were held as a reserve for the right wing on the higher slope of the hiil. One of the field- Todleben. + The four battalions of the Kaxan, or Prince Jlichael's corps, the four battalions of the Vladimir corps, the four bat- talions of the Sousdal corps, and the four battalions of the Uglitz corps. — Anitchhoff, C'hodasiewicz, Todlehen. J Chodasiewicz. AnitehkofT calls this force a half battalion only; and Todleben speaks of it as one battalion; but C'ho- dasiewicz saw the two battalions in march with their four guns, and I accept his statement, for he was an admirably accurate observer. Before the action began these seamen were thrown forward as skirniishers, and endeavoured to operate in the vine- yards which belt the right bank of the river, but were after- wards withdrawn to the Kourgane Hill. § Two of the 14th Artillery Brigade, and two of the Don Cossack Batteries. The five batteries altogether numbered 44 guns. — Todleben. II From the Lesser Kedoubt there were only fired five guns at the time when the Highlanders advanced ; but it is believed thit the three additional guns requisite to complete the battery were in the work at the beginning of the action. VOI^ in. B
 * No. 1 12-gun battery of position, IGtli Artillery Brigade. —