Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 5.djvu/367

 THE BATTLE OF BALACLAVA. 345 tators of what followed, were not suffered to inter- chap. pose as assailants. L Being thus let alone by our cavalry, and but slightly molested, if molested at all, by its atten- dant troop of horse-artillery, the Kussian infantry proceeded to storm the work on Canrobert's Hill, and by the strengtn of their overwhelming num- bers they succeeded in carrying it, though not until the brave little Turkish garrison of not more than 500 or 600 men had lost, in killed only, as many as 170. Upon seeing the fate of the redoubt on Can- robert's Hill, the Turks posted in the three next adjoining works abandoned them at once to the Russians. The enemy having speedily entered them, dismantled and afterwards quitted the one called ' Number Four/ but kept the other three in his grasp, together with their seven English guns. As the Russians advanced, our cavalry fell back ; and Lord Lucan had just taken up a posi- tion in the South Valley, where his troops would cover Balaclava, when by an order sent down from Headquarters, all his squadrons were drawn in under the steeps of the Chersonese ; but that last order again was presently followed by another, which directed that eight squadrons of Heavy Dragoons should countermarch towards Kadikoi, and aid the defence of the gorge. Notwithstanding the rapid and almost brilliant success which had hitherto rewarded his enter- prise, Liprandi did not hold to the purpose, if ever he had it, of really attacking Balaclava