Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/299

 FOR THE INVASION. 2G9 General and themselves. There were none near chap XVI the chief who would not feel bitter jDain if they __! 1_ imagined that words or acts of tlieirs had thrown upon his face a shadow of displeasuie. There were no men near him who would not fly with alacrity to execute his slightest wish. The ascendancy of the English General over his own people could not but reach into the French camp. Upon the whole, Lord Raglan had so great an authority in the camp of the Allies, and amongst public men in England, that if he had taken upon himself to resist the pressure of the Secretary of State, he would not have been left witliout support. On the other hand, if he should determine to follow the will of the Home Government, he would carry the French Marshal with him. So, in effect, the power of deciding for or against the expedition had passed from Paris and from London, and was all concen- trated in the English General. Of the general officers in the English camp Lord nag- there was one whom Lord Eaglan had always liberations been anxious to have near at hand : this was Sir George Brown. He was a Scotsman, sixty-four years old, and had served, with a great repute for his daring forwardness, in some of the most bloody scenes of the Peninsular War. He was of an eager fiery nature, and devoted to the call- ing of a soldier. After the peace of 1815 he began to hold office in the general staff of the army at the Horse Guards, and in time he be- came Adjutant-General. He- now commanded the