On this day the 2nd Battalion led the advance on Balaklava. The approach was by a narrow gorge, with high bare hills on each side. Colonel Lawrence detached his majors, Norcott to the right, Bradford[228] to the left, while he himself with two companies kept the centre. Thus they approached Balaklava, throwing out skirmishers. No opposition was offered till they had advanced some distance, when some musketry fire was opened; but this was only from a few men on the heights who were soon driven in; and the advance continued. A staff officer then reported to Lord Raglan that the road was clear, and he rode forward and was just entering the gorge, when Lawrence observed to him that he still saw some of the enemy on the hills, and asked permission to send a company in advance. This was granted, and Fyers’ company was taken by Norcott towards the town. On their approaching it and the Battalion appearing on the heights, a few harmless shots were fired from the old Genoese fort; and soon after on their advancing nearer a white flag was hoisted. Fyers, who mistrusted the sincerity of the Governor, directed his subaltern to halt with one subdivision, whilst he, with the other, advanced by a narrow road engineered between the high ground and the sea. On Fyers’ men entering the fort, the Governor left it by another side; and meeting Egerton and Ross surrendered, handing his sword to the former. Then Fyers taking his company into the town, a baker, evidently in great terror, came out of his house and, notwithstanding the early hour of the morning, produced a roast turkey which he offered him, and a great number of loaves. These Fyers desired him to break in two, and to give half to each man. So that all the men of his company had a good meal. The Battalion subsequently occupied Balaklava, posting sentries for the protection of the inhabitants; and at night bivouacked among beautiful vineyards two miles outside the town.[229] Some spoil was found in the fort; Lawrence became the possessor of a fur coat, by gift from one of the Riflemen, and Ross obtained a remount in place of his horse killed at the Alma. On the next day this Battalion was moved about a mile nearer to Sebastopol, and encamped for some days.