A good-sized library might be filled with the literature on the Crimean War. Most of the more valuable books, such as Hamley's, Kinglake's, Clarke's, and Sir William Russell's "Letters to the _Times_," are in every library, so that it is quite unnecessary to deal in any detail with the events of this campaign. At the Alma the French took the right, their right flank resting on the sea. We advanced, covered by the Rifle Brigade, with the Cavalry Division on our outer or left flank. The Second Division, on our right, kept touch with the French, and had in support the Third Division, under Sir Richard England. On our left the Light Division, under Sir George Brown, led, supported by the division under the Duke of Cambridge, who in this, his first engagement, showed the hereditary courage of our Royal Family. In the course of the advance through the vineyards at the foot of the hill, and before the final advance took place, the troops suffered much from the artillery fire of the Russians, and were thrown into some confusion. Few amongst the senior officers had seen any service since the Peninsular War, and the number of regimental officers who had heard the whistle of a bullet was infinitesimal; yet the behaviour of all was excellent, and after three and a half hours of hard fighting the Russians were in full retreat, leaving a couple of guns in our hands. Unfortunately, we were in no condition to follow up our advantage. The Russians were able to retire unmolested into Sevastopol, and we were compelled to embark on a siege of indefinite length, with totally inadequate means. It was necessary to secure a harbour as a base of operations, and the allied armies carried out a flank march within striking distance of the Russians. No advantage was taken of this movement, and by the commencement of October our troops were in possession of the little land-locked harbour of Balaclava, and the labours of the long-drawn-out siege commenced. CASUALTIES AT THE BATTLE OF THE ALMA.