On the 27th the 1st Battalion was under arms at half-past six; but having to wait to allow the whole of the supplies and all the _impedimenta_ of the army to pass over the Traktir bridge, did not themselves move until ten o’clock. They then followed, and advanced almost to Balaklava when they came up with the rest of the army; and passing it ascended the hill to the right and approached Sebastopol. They traversed the valley, and the quarries afterwards occupied by the 3rd Division, and advanced to the high ground overlooking the south harbour, becoming thus the most advanced battalion in front of the place. This was a great satisfaction to the Battalion, which had been so long protecting the rear; and the Riflemen greeted their change of position with hearty cheers. Here they bivouacked, throwing out one company as an outlying picquet. Shot and shell were thrown from the town, some reaching so near the bivouack that some rifles piled by the men were knocked down by the bursting of a shell. On September 28 a Russian column having issued from the place, the Riflemen with the 4th Division advanced to meet it. The enemy however immediately retired, with the evident intention of drawing Cathcart in pursuit under the fire of the guns of the place; but finding the Riflemen declined the fight he returned to his camp. This was situated on a flattened limestone ridge extending in the direction of the city, a ravine separating it from the Inkerman heights and another from the ridge on which was placed the battery of the English right attack. On the 28th, in consequence of the gunners of the place having got the exact range of the position which the Battalion occupied, it was moved about 100 yards to the rear into a situation rather more sheltered. On the 29th the 2nd Battalion, leaving their bivouack near Balaklava, advanced on Sebastopol, and took up ground on the left of the position towards Kamiesh. And on October 1 moved its position to the right of the Woronzow road, and shortly after to near the Windmill, having a wing on each flank of the Light Division. From the time the 1st Battalion left the position of the Alma till its arrival before Sebastopol it had lost by cholera, Lieutenant-Colonel Beckwith, Sergeant-Major Tucker, 1 colour-sergeant, 1 corporal and 7 privates.[230] Its strength on October 1 was-- Field officer Captains Subalterns Staff Sergeants 1 5 11 5 43 Buglers Rank and file 19 691 On October 2 the Battalion being still exposed to the Russian fire, and many shells falling into the position, again moved to the rear and east of the stone quarries, and took up the position which it occupied during the remainder of the siege. On the next day the 2nd Battalion was kept on the alert all day by shot and shell thrown by the enemy into its position.