The battles of the world : $b or, cyclopedia of battles, sieges, and important military eventsBorthwick, J. Douglas (John Douglas)
History
The battles of the world : $b or, cyclopedia of battles, sieges, and important military events
Borthwick, J. Douglas (John Douglas)
Battles; Military history
And now came the turning-point of the battle, ... Lord Raglan
dashed over the bridge, followed by his staff. From the road over
it, under the Russian guns, he saw the state of action. The British
line, which he had ordered to advance, was struggling through the
river and up to the heights in masses, firm indeed, but mowed
down by the murderous fire of the batteries, and by grape, round
shot, shell, canister, case shot, and musketry, from some of the
guns of the central battery, and from an immense and compact mass
of Russian infantry. Then commenced one of the most bloody and
determined struggles in the annals of war. The Second Division,
led by Sir De Lacy Evans in the most dashing manner, crossed the
stream on the right. The 7th Fusiliers, led by Colonel Yea, were
swept down by fifties. The 55th, 30th, and 95th, led by Brigadier
Pennefather, who was in the thickest of the fight, cheering on
his men, again and again were checked indeed, but never drew back
in their onward progress, which was marked by a fierce roll of
Minié musketry; and Brigadier Adams, with the 41st, 47th, and
49th, bravely charged up the hill, and aided them in the battle.
Sir George Brown, conspicuous on a grey horse, rode in front of
his Light Division, urging them with voice and gesture. Gallant
fellows! they were worthy of such a gallant chief. The 7th,
diminished by one-half, fell back to re-form their columns lost for
the time: the 23rd, with eight officers dead and four wounded,
were still rushing to the front, aided by the 15th, 33d, 77th,
and 88th. Down went Sir George in a cloud of dust in front of the
battery. He was soon up, and shouted, “23d, I’m all right! Be sure
I’ll remember this day,” and led them on again; but in the shock
produced by the fall of their chief, the gallant regiment suffered
terribly, while paralysed for a moment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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