The British Expedition to the CrimeaRussell, William Howard, Sir
History
The British Expedition to the Crimea
Russell, William Howard, Sir
Crimean War, 1853-1856
88th Regiments did not participate. There was not in the army a more
gallant or better disciplined regiment than the 77th. Colonel Egerton
was not only one of the bravest but one of the most intelligent,
skilled, and thorough soldiers and officers in the whole service. In the
trenches--at Inkerman--throughout the siege, the regiment showed of what
noble material it was composed. The 88th had a fighting reputation,
which they well vindicated at Inkerman, at the Quarries, and in many
encounters with the enemy. It is astonishing, therefore, that the Light
Division should have been in a vital moment deprived of the co-operation
of these splendid soldiers, and should have been, hurled in confused
masses against the enemy's bayonets and artillery, reduced by the
suicidal incapacity of some one or other to four regiments. That there
was no notion of keeping these regiments in reserve is shown by the fact
that they were never advanced in support or used as a reserve when their
comrades were involved in a most perilous and unequal struggle.
The First Division advancing, and passing this portion of the Light
Division, at once became exposed to fire, and received the shot which
passed through the fragments of Codrington's Brigade; but as it was
imperatively necessary that they should not be marched up in rear of
regiments in a state of disorder, the Duke, by the advice of Sir Colin
Campbell, ordered General Bentinck to move a little to his left, but ere
the movement could be effected, portions of the Light Division came in
contact with the centre of the line, and passing through its files to
re-open in the rear, carried disorder into the centre battalion. It may
be observed that this is a casualty to which extended line formations in
support must always be liable, when the attacking lines in advance of
them are obliged to fall back to re-form. Formations in column are of
course less likely to be subjected to this inconvenience, and the broken
troops can pour through the intervals between column and column with
greater facility than they can pass round the flanks of lengthy and
extended lines. The Coldstreams and the Grenadiers never for an instant
lost their beautiful regularity and order, although they now fell fast
under the enemy's fire, and several of the mounted officers lost their
horses. Among these Major Macdonald was included, his horse was killed
by a round shot, and he received a severe fall, but never for a moment
lost his coolness and equanimity.
[Sidenote: A MARCH OVER THE DEAD.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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