Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 5.djvu/183

 THE BATTLE OF BALACLAVA. 1G1 strength in such a state of coherence as to be chap. able to make the victory signal by extensive ' destruction or capture ui prisoners ; and being happily under good control, they were checked and brought to a halt before coming under the fire which awaited them from the slopes of the Fedioukine Hills. The troop of horse-artillery which accompanied Fire of the Light Brigade had by this time some pieces in battery which discharged a few shots at the retreating horsemen, as did also the battery of Position No. 4, under the orders of Lieutenant Roberts of the Eoyal Marine Artillery ; and under the special directions of Sir Colin Campbell, a like tire was directed against them from two of Barker's guns. It seems that in this singular combat our Results of Heavy Dragoons had 78 killed or wounded and betwfeu the Russians a much larger number ; * but it is sian cav- not by counting the mere losses on either side Scarlett's that this cavalry fight can be judged. On the one hand, our troopers had so great an advantage from their longer, more commanding reach, and, on the other, the Eussians were so well protected by their shakoes and their heavy grey coats, that Russians sustained in this fight. I can say, however, that (according to General de Todleben) the whole loss which the Russians sustained in the battle was 550, and that, according to Liprandi, their loss in infantry was comparatively small, their loss in cavalry, heavy. I may add, that their loss in cavalry, whatever it was, must have resulted almost entirely from their fight with our Heavy Dragoons. VOL. V. L
 * I have no sufficient means of giving the losses which the