Meanwhile the Light Division had re-formed their lines, and now returned to the charge, in the footsteps of the dauntless Guards. In vain broad sheets of fire poured through the ranks--no man flinched. The flag which the Fusiliers had planted on the redoubt was still there, and pointed out the path they were to tread. Their royal leader proved himself worthy of his charge, and encouraged by his example the valour of his men. The Russians quailed before the tremendous onset; and when the Highlanders, who had reserved their fire, came dashing up to the front, and, after discharging a tremendous volley, charged at the bayonet’s point, the rout was complete. Thu enemy fled terror-stricken, and the Guards and Highlanders together leaped into the redoubt, the gunners precipitately hastening after their flying comrades. At the summit of the hill a brief stand was made, and it seemed as if the contest were about to be renewed; but the Highlanders, levelling their bayonets, advanced at a rapid pace, and the enemy, dashing down their accoutrements and arms, fled, like frightened sheep, down the declivity. Meantime the French had driven back the Russian left wing upon the main body, and now brought to bear, with deadly effect, their guns upon the retreating foe; and the second and third divisions of our army arrived upon the scene. The victory was complete: a great army, in a position of immense strength, had been ignominiously defeated, in less than three hours, by the sheer valour of English and French soldiers. True, we had paid dearly for our victory; but the annals of the British army do not record a nobler achievement. We were unable to pursue the fugitives--our cavalry was too weak in numbers to be detached from the main body of the army: had we been stronger in that branch of the service, the victory of the Alma might have been equivalent to the conquest of the Crimea. We afterwards ascertained that Sebastopol was emptied of its garrison to strengthen the army, and had we been in a position to follow the retreating forces, we might have inflicted a blow on Russian strength from which it would not in all probability have soon recovered; as it was, the Allies remained masters of the field, and the defeated Menschikoff fled towards Baktchi-Serai, leaving behind him, according to his own admission, 1,762 dead, and 2,720 wounded. Russian assertions are not the most trustworthy, especially when the circumstances are unfavourable to themselves, and the probability is that the loss was really much greater. The English had 353 killed, and 1,612 wounded, many of whom afterwards died of their injuries. Our allies lost 256 killed, and 1,087 wounded.