Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 3.djvu/45

BATTLE OF THE ALMA. 19 fronted the English army, consisted of twenty- chap, seven squadrons or sotnias of horse, with twenty- three battalions of infantry, besides the before- mentioned part of the 6th Fiiflcs, and was sup- ported by sixty -eight guns.* But besides this force, Prince Mentschikolf, at the commencement of the action, had posted across the great road leading down to the bridge a force of seven battalions of infantry,-]- with two batteries J of artillery. These troops he called his ' Great JJeserve ; ' and they were, in fact, his last. § Yet he held them so closely in rear of the battalions facing the bridge, that they might be regarded as forces actually operating in support. Plainly this disposition of his troops was governed by a keen anxiety to defend the great road and the Kourgane Hill — for it was so ordered that, to sustain the struggle there, it would cost him but a few moments to bring his last reserves into action ; and, in truth, he committed himself so • TodkUn, p. 178. Viz. :— Causeway batteries, . , . 16 Adjoining batteiy, ... 8 Kourgau^ do., ... 44 68 t The four battalions of the Volhynia corps, and three bat- talions, Nos. 1, 3, 4, of the Minsk cor)5.—Aniichl:off, Cliod- asiewicz, Todlehe.n. J No. 5 light battery of the 17th brigade of Artillery, and the No. 12 troop of Horse- Artillery. — Todleben, p. 173. § The sixteen squadrons of regular cavalry were also con- sidered as a part of this ' Great Reserve ; ' but, as we liave seen, tlipy did not remain posted on the same ground as the infantry reserve. I.