Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 3.djvu/446

 420 AITENDIX. same corp?, it seems to follow as a necessary consequence that at this time the four battalions had been divided into two columns. A concurrence of circumstances leads me to infer that this was the case, and that one of the columns, as I luive stateil, was towards the right aud the other towards the left of the redonlit. At first sight it may seen odd that Kvetzinski, the divisional general, should not know what was being done with two of his battalions posted at only a small distance from the column AA'ith which he rode ; but the truth is that Gortschakoff, having for the time the supreme command in this part of the held, and being (as is evident from his ov/n account) in a high state of excitement, roilo up to the Vladimir battalions, which he found near the (Ivussian) left of the earthwork, and, so to speak, snatched them without saying a word to the general commanding the Division. After all, the movement Avhich he made in advance was onl}' a slight one; and for that reason, perhaps, it was hardly looked upon as severing the troops taking part in it from those which remained with Kvetzinski. NOTE YT. The ArPAKiTioN of TnE'UxKxowx ][oun'tkd Officer.' This occurred so frequently in the battles of the Crimea, that an ex])lanation of the cause would be dbsirable, but I must own myself to be without a fixed opinion on the subject. The apparition might be that of an aide-de-cjimp bringing a real order from some general who proves afterwards willing to be silent on the sidijert ; or, again, it might be some officer of so anxious a temperament, and at the same time so immen.sely presumptuous, that ho