Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 5.djvu/185

 THE BATTLE OF BALACLAVA. 1G3 siasm. 'It was truly magnificent' — so spoke a CHAP French, general officer who had witnessed the fight — 'it was truly magnificent; and to me who ' could see the enormous numbers opposed to ' you, the whole valley being filled with Russian ' cavalry, the victory of the Heavy Brigade was ' the most glorious thing I ever saw.' * The moment the Russian column was seen to be broken, our dragoons were greeted from afar by a cheer from the 93d Highlanders; and before the Brigade had completed its rally, Sir Colin Campbell galloped up. When he had come close to the Greys, he uncovered and spoke to the regiment. ' Greys ! gallant Greys ! ' he said, ac- cording to one of the versions, 'I am sixty-one 1 years old, and if I were young again I should ' be proud to be in your ranks.' Afterwards, accosting Lord Lucan, he declared to him that the oldest officer could not have done better. The French sent to Lord Lucan their tribute of enthusiastic admiration; and an aide-de-camp came down from Lord Raglan with two gracious syllables for Scarlett conveyed in the message, ' Well done ! ' Supposing that General Ryjoff was properly obeyed, it would seem that he became chargeable with several grave errors, and in particular, — 1st, For massing his squadrons in such a way comments • n 1 • -i n t upon the as to be virtually ngnting without any force de- fight. French General — I cannot at this moment give his name — ad- dressed the above words.
 * Colonel (now General) Beatson was the officer to whom the