Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 3.djvu/113

BATTLE OF THE ALMA. 87 of the sixteen battalions posted on the slopes of chap. the Kourgane Hill, which was near enough to be '. — available for the defence of the Causeway as well as the Great Redoubt. Moreover, the enemy's reserves were so disposed as to be in close and easy communication with this part of the field. The Eussian skirmishers at this time were swarm- ing in the thick oround which belts the river. Confronting these defences, Evans strove to work his way forward ; but although the walls and enclosures on the skirts of the village here and there formed islands of shelter, the rest of the ground which had to be traversed was so bare, that every man of the force passing over it came under the eyes of the Paissian gunners ; and their fire being therefore effective, Pennefather's brigade, though always moving forward a little, could only gain ground by degrees. At times, when the balls were falling thickly, the men sheltered themselves as well as they could behind such little cover as the ground afforded ; and when there came a lull, they sprang forward and made for some shelter a little more in advance. There were some buildings which afforded good cover against grape and musketry ; and some of the men, having gained this shelter by a swift rush across the open ground under very heavy fire, were slow to move out again into a storm of grape, canister, and musket-balls. At a later time, the enemy shattered the walls of these buildings with round shot, and some of our men were crushed or suffocated by the ruins ; but those