Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 5.djvu/310

 288 THE BATTLE OF BALACLAVA. CHAP, no English could dream of pursuing, battalions ' of infantry were thrown into hollow squares, as though awaiting from moment to moment a charge of victorious cavalry. Thus much some brave men were able to do towards wringing an actual victory from even the wildest of blunders. The need Thus much ; but considering that this singular fresh troops overthrow of the many by the few was occurring, clench the after all, a mile deep in the enemy's realms, and victory. , that, even although partly rolled up, the forces ot Jabrokritsky on the north, and of Liprandi on the south, yet lined on both sides the lower slopes of the valley, it was evident, of course, that the ascendant of little more than two hundred horse- men now driving whole thousands before them would only prove momentary and vain, unless it should be upheld by fresh troops coming down in support, or else by an attack on the Causeway Heights of the kind which Lord Eaglan had ordered. Were the red squadrons coming to clench the victory, and by victory to rescue their comrades ? We must turn to the commander of our cavalry, and to the regiments of the Heavy Brigade, with which he was present in person. Amongst all those struggles between the judg- ment and the feelings by which man is liable to be tortured, hardly any can be more distressing than that which rends the heart of a chivalrously- minded commander who is bringing himself to