Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 9.djvu/213

GENERAL CAMPBELL'S ATTACK. 183 proved to be a bold 'rush' on the flank of the chap. 1 . VII Great Eedan ; but, as it was, though engaging his L_ people by fractions in forward movements, he could not make their spring simultaneous — could not bring them to be climbing the parapet — climbing over from Life to Death — at one and the same time.* After consulting with Colonel Cole of the 17th Orders w r • n sought arid Regiment, Lord "West sent an officer to Sir George obtained; Brown with directions to ask for orders, and for fresh troops. Brown's answer directed Lord West to re-form the attacking column, and not without further instructions to make any fresh advance. In a pencil-written note, Lord West replied to from y Sir George Sir George, informing him that any attempt to Brown, re-form the column would be hopeless, and earn- estly begging for fresh troops in order to renew the attack. Sir George Brown told the messenger that to this last note from Lord West there was no answer. Thus ended the abortive endeavour to push an attack against the west flank of the Eedan. From the moment when it appeared that — in Theacci- . ., , dents which even one brief summer nmht — the enemy s bat- marred the advance of teries had recovered their broken strength, there the column taneous advance of troops under such conditions, and i-ecom- mends the ' Coupure blindce,' the expedient adverted to by Lord West.
 * Science recognises the difficulty of executing a simul-