Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 5.djvu/171

 THE BATTLE OF BALACLAVA. 149 point at which it was just brought into contact with the broken extremity of the enemy's de- ployed line ; and a few sabre-cuts were ex- changed ; * but farther than this the Eoyals did not push their advantage ; for the discomfiture of a part of the wing did not visibly involve the great column ; and considering the disordered state of the regiment, Colonel Yorke judged it prudent to rally his men before they were thrown into contact with a huge mass of troops still pre- serving their thickest formation. Accordingly, and at a time when only a few of its pursuing troopers had as yet ridden in amongst the retreat- ing horsemen, the regiment was halted and ordered to re-form. Besides Colonel Yorke, who commanded the regiment, the officers present with the Eoyals at the time of its re-forming were Major Ward- law,f Captain Elmsall, Captain George Campbell, Captain Stocks ; and the following subalterns — namely, Pepys, Charlton, Basset, Glyn, Coney, Gilbert Robertson, Hartopp, and Sandeman. whom one was Sergeant Pattenden. + Major Wardlaw (now Colonel "Wardlaw, the officer now commanding the regiment), though suffering from illness, had found strength enough to enable him to be with the regiment in the earlier part of the day, but afterwards, his sickness in- creasing, he had been forced to go back to camp. Afterwards, whilst sitting or lying down outside his tent door, he saw our Heavy Dragoons with the euemy in their front, and then instantly mounting his charger (which he had caused to be kept saddled with a view to such a contingency), he found means to reach the scene of conflict at the time when the regi- ment was re-forming.
 * Of the Royals I understand two were there wounded, of