Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 3.djvu/55

BATTLE OF THE ALMA. 29 panying our forces, tliougli small in comparison chap. with the encumbrances usually attending an army " in the field, was large as compared with that of the French ; and Loi'd Kaglan (whose favourite anxiety was concerning his reserve ammunition) refused to allow the convoy to be stripped of pro- tection. The oblique movement of the troops to- wards their right was tending to leave the convoy uncovered ; and in order that it should be again enfolded, as in the previous day's order of march, it was necessary to move it far towards our right. Lord liaglan insisted that this should be done ; so on the morning of the long-expected battle, and with the enemy in front, St Arnaud and the whole French army, and the English army too, chafed bitterly at the delay they had to endure whilst strings of bullock-carts were slowly dragged west- ward into the true line of march. Besides, the enemy's cavalry gave the English no leave to examine the ground towards which they were marching ; and whilst the Ei'ench, being next to the sea, could make straight for the cliff already reconnoitred from the ships, the English army advanced without knowledge of that part of the position which it was to confront, and was twice compelled to make laborious changes in the direc- tion of its march. Therefore, lor much of the delay which occurred there were good reasons ; but not for all. Sir George Brown had been di- rected on the night of the 10th to advance on the morrow at seven o'clock, and he imagined — it h eti-ange if he, of all men, with his great knowledge