Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 3.djvu/177

BATTLE OF TIIK ALMA. 151 were ready wiougli to begin shooting into the chap. column ; and those who first caught siglit of ' the liussian helmets were going to deliver their fire, when suddenly they were checked by a voice which implored every man to stay his hand. When troops are about to be overpowered, con- confusing fusing rumours flit round them, ihe voice wliicn amongst our ° . . soldiery. had stayed the fire of our men was a voice crying unauthenuo out, 'The column is French !— the column is ^[^.^to^ ' French! Don't fire, men ! For God's sake don't ^^'"^"• ' fire ! ' At this moment Colonel Chester was sitting in his saddle close to the redoubt, and when he saw the soldiery beginning to catch the belief that the approaching column was French, he eagerly strove to undeceive them. Enforcing his words by gesture, he was impatiently moving his uplifted sword, as though he would say to those who might see without l)eing able to hear, ' No ! no ! nonsense ! the column is not French — ' it is an enemy's column. Fire into it ! fire into ' it ! ' Whilst thus striving to correct the mistake he was struck first by one shot, and then almost instantly by another. Upon receiving the first shot, he seemed to put his hand to the wound, but when the second shot struck him he dropped from his horse and fell dead. Repeated again and again, the prohibition against opening fire travelled fast along the line ; and presently it was further impressed, for a bugler of the 19th, under orders from a mounted officer, began to sound the ' cease firing,'