Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 5.djvu/410

 388 COMBAT OF THK 26TH OF OCTOBER. Incursion of Russian cavalry horses. accordingly came back from the chase with a feel- ing of contempt for his adversaries which, how- ever unjust, became rooted nevertheless in his mind; and the day was at hand, when, to the soldiers of our 2d Division, with howling throngs of Eussians before them, this consciousness of a decisive ascendant might be as the faith that lifts mountains. At night, and long after this combat, the Allied troops were roused from their slumbers by a singular cause of alarm, for all at once there was heard what sounded as though there must be a squadron of madmen delivering in the midst of the darkness a headlong cavalry charge. A num- ber of Liprandi's cavalry horses, without any bits to their bridles, but otherwise completely caparis- oned, had broken loose from their pickets, galloped up by the Woronzoff road, rushed through the French line of outposts, and torn their way into the camp. About a hundred of them were taken, and some portion of our shattered cavalry obtained a welcome re-mount.