Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/246

 202 THE BATTLK OF INKERMAN. CHAP. VI. 8d Period. Kie Duke's return to the Kitspur. The results of his exjiedition in searcii of reinforee- menta orders of a conimander-iu-cliief; and if anyone erred at this time in not moving forward French troops to share the light with our people, it was to General Canrobert, and not to regimental offi- cers, that the blame would justly attach. At this the Second Period of the action, our people had no right to expect that the commander of a French battalion, without the sanction of his brigadier, or any higher authority, would follow the example of the English reinforcements by suffering himself to be hurried forward at once on the plea of emergency, and become thus absorbed into the fight. But, however unwarrantable the impatient dis- courtesy of our people, it still remained true that no portion of the 1600 * French troops which had now reached Mount Inkerman could yet be in- duced to advance. After the failure of his last entreaty, the Duke of Cambridge said he must return to the front ; and — whether in anger, or whether in mere haste to shorten his road — he asked the Commander of the '7th L^ger' to let the troops make way for him. The officers, with ready and high - bred courtesy, made haste to open the ranks, and His Royal Highness, riding through the battalion, moved forward once more to join his men on the Kitspur. It resulted from the Duke's expedition that, irres})ectively of his own Coldstream, already mov- ing forward to join its brigade with a strength ♦ 1665.