Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/240

 210 EFFECT rUODUCED BY THE CHAP, body of Turkish troops ; and at Giurgevo, on the ^"^' opposite bank of the river, General SoimonoCf commanded twelve battalions of Eussian infantry, with several squadrons of horse and some guns. Both the Piussian and the Turkish commanders desired that at this time there should be no conflict; and it might be thought that in this respect they would have their way ; for although Ti.ci.aiuoof the forces at Rustchuk and at Giurgevo were near to each other, the broad Danube rolled between them. But the Ottoman soldiery are of so war- like a nature that, when their enemy is at hand, they are oftentimes seized with a raging desire for the figlit ; and the one check which tends to keep down tliis passion is a sense of the inco- lierency which results from the want of good officers. But so ready and so deep is their trust in any of our countrymen who will take the trouble to lead them, that, if Turkish soldiers be camped within reach of the enemy, the coming amongst them of a few English youths supplies the one thing needed, completes the electric circle, and in general brings on a liglit. Now it happened that, besides General Cannon, who was on duty, and in command of a Turkish brigade, seven young Englisli officers had found their way to the camp of Hassan Paslia. Two of these. Cap- tain Bent and Lieutenant Burke, were officers of the Royal Engineers ; Meyncll was a Lieutenant in the 75th Piogimcnt ; Hinde, Arnold, and Ballard (the last of them fresh come from Silistria), were officers of our Indian army ; Colonel Ogilvy was