Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/417

 THE MAIN FIGHT. 373 Colonel Gaiubier and all our officers and men standing gathered on the ground where the siege- guus were parked had been eagerly expecting the summons long before it arrived. Ever since the 2Gth of October, they had been keeping prepared for field-service a pair of their eighteen-pounder guns ; and when the outpost-firing at last deep- ened into the roar of a battle, they at once understood that the foreseen occasion had come. There was even amongst them a theory that without waiting for an order, they might take the sound of the cannon for guidance as well as for warrant ; and they did indeed so far anticipate Lord Eaglan's wish that from an early hour they kept themselves in readiness to move forward their two eighteen-pounder guns at a moment's notice, with the ammunition-waggons and all the equipments required for effective fighting. They had not draught - horses at their command, but they brought out their man-harness, and prepared to drag their great guns by the power of human muscle. Every rope was in its place before Gordon rode up with the order, and he had scarce mayer riglitly enough applied the word 'impossible.' He did not add, ' Ride to the Siege Park. The guns Lord Kaglan ' wants are there. You must give the order to Gambler ; ' and, the original mistake still remaining for the time uncorrected, there resulted an actual, though momentary, hindrance to the execution of Lord Raglan's design. This actual hindrance Lord Raglan naturally connected with the unwelcome answer 'im- ' possible,' and he hastened to overcome by his firmness what seemed like obstruction ; but it must be understood that neither Fitzmayer nor any other officer attempted to interpose diflBcul- tics in the way of bringing up the two guns. ith Period