A History of the Coldstream Guards, from 1815 to 1895Ross, J. (John)
History
A History of the Coldstream Guards, from 1815 to 1895
Ross, J. (John)
Great Britain -- History -- Victoria, 1837-1901; Great Britain. Army. Coldstream Guards
The Second Division (Sir De L. Evans) was delayed by the conflagration
raging in Burliuk; but the Light Division (Sir G. Brown), breaking
through the vines and fording the river, gained a footing on the south
bank, disordered by the obstacles they met, by the want of space, and by
the hot fire poured upon them. General Codrington, heading his brigade
and two battalions that joined him—one of Buller’s and one of the Second
Division—led them boldly up the slope under the fire of the battery
behind the epaulment; while the rest of Buller’s brigade covered his
left flank from a threatening movement observed in that direction. On
his right were three of Evans’s battalions; the other two, under Adams,
having crossed the Alma, below the burning village, pushed into the
space to the west of the post-road. The Russians, seriously alarmed at
Codrington’s impetuous onslaught, withdrew their heavy guns from the
epaulment, except two, which they could not get away, and which were
captured. Cheered by this retreat, the British gained the breastwork,
and took possession of it; but they now found themselves face to face
with large masses of the enemy’s infantry and cavalry, supported by
field-guns. The gallant rush in the face of a tremendous fire had come
to an end; it was the moment for supports to arrive; but as they were
not close enough to be available at this critical moment, the attacking
brigade was soon afterwards forced back to the foot of the slope.
Meanwhile, the First Division (Duke of Cambridge) deployed and halted
just beyond effective range, watching with enthusiastic animation and
breathless interest, the movements of their comrades in front of them.
There was more room for them, as they were not overcrowded by the Third
Division (Sir R. England), which took up a position somewhat in rear. On
the right stood the Guards Brigade in their usual order—Grenadiers on
the right, Coldstream on the left, and Scots Fusiliers in the centre;
the Highlanders were formed on the left of the division. While they
waited, spent round shot came bounding through the ranks like cricket
balls. The men, longing to take part in the fray, were in exuberant
spirits; the least trifle amused them, and a little Maltese terrier
called “Toby,” belonging to the Coldstream drummers, drew loud laughter
from the light-hearted soldiery as it gave chase to the Russian round
shot which rolled slowly along the smooth ground.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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