Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 3.djvu/77

 BATTLH OF THE ALMA. 51 inattention to danger. The storm of missiles gener- chap. ally fell most thickly when Lord Eaglan happened ' to be riding near the great road ; for the encniiy, having got the range at that point, always lab- oured to make the bursting of his shells coincide with the moment ^^hen our Headquarters were passing. Tiii.s soon came to be understood, and thencefortli, Avhen the Headquarter group were tioiniz to cross the Causeway, they rode at it briskly, as at a leap, and spanned it with one or two strides, thus leaving the prepared storm of shells to burst a little behind them. This effort of the ItLissian artillery against Lord IJaglan and the group surrounding him lasted a long time, and was carried on upon a scale better propor- tioned to the destruction of a whole division than to the mere object of warning off a score of horse- men. If the fire thus expended had been brought to bear on Pennefather's brigade, it might have maimed the English line in a vital part of the (ield. XL The time was now come when the Allies could TheAiiies eouM now measure their front with the enemy s position, mpasure It will be remembered that the plan* proposed witiitiiatof '■ '^ '■ the enemy: the night before by Marshal St Arnaud rested upon the assumption that the whole of the enemy's forces except two or three battalions would be confronted by the French army, and that, therefore, the only opportunity for important
 * See the fac-siniile.