That night the army was encamped in order of battle, for it was expected the Russians would make a night-attack. They were known to be quite close and in great strength, part of which they had revealed in their attempts to draw the British cavalry into an ambush. The troops piled arms and were warned to be ready to turn out at an instant’s notice. Extra strong vedettes and outposts were posted; but Jack’s regiment was fortunate in not being called upon to supply either. They were encamped just behind the village of Bulganak, Lord Raglan passing the night in a posthouse close to the bridge. From the English lines the camp-fires of the enemy, seeming endless in number, could be plainly seen, and all knew that even if they went through the night without an attack the next day would see them engaged in a big battle, for the Russians barred all further progress towards Sebastopol. The night passed peacefully, however, and before dawn, without sound of trumpet or drum, the French and English got under arms. Little time was taken over breakfast, the last meal many hundreds of the gallant fellows were fated to eat; then the troops began to take up their position for the advance. But it was some time before the army got on the move. When they did, Jack, who with his regiment still marched on the left flank, saw large bodies of Cossacks and other cavalry on the hills and ridges, and the sight of burning villages and homesteads showed the Allies that the Russians were pursuing their old tactics of destroying everything as they retired before their enemy. The advance was across gently undulating country towards a range of steep heights, ending near the sea in great cliffs, some hundreds of feet high. With one or two protracted halts in between, the Allies towards midday had approached to within about a mile and a half of these heights, and there another long halt was made while the English right got into touch with the French left. Jack could see at the base of the cliffs the river, with the knolls, ridges, and gullies beyond it. The opening in the hills through which the road to Sebastopol ran was also visible. A commanding height, which Jack afterwards learnt was the Kourgane Hill, stood out plainly. Several small villages were visible on the Russian side of the river, between the sea and the Kourgane Hill, and cottages and farmhouses were scattered about. The practised eye of the soldier could discern across the river large bodies of cavalry on the move, while enormous masses of gray-coated infantry were amongst the slopes and ravines, the whole position simply bristling with field-batteries and howitzers. In front of the Kourgane Hill a great redoubt, armed with fourteen guns of heavy calibre, had been erected, and this was the ‘key’ of the Russian position. Around this it was fated that the fiercest fighting of the day was to take place.