Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 3.djvu/73

BATTLE OF THE ALMA. 47 effort ou the riglit was in progress ; but the pride chap. of nations must sometimes be suffered to deflect " the course of armies ; and although there was no military value in any of the ground north of the vineyards, Lord Ifaglan, it seems, did not like to withhold his infantry whilst the French were executing their forward movement. Since our soldiers lay facing downwards upon the smooth slope which looked against the enemy's batteries, they were seen, every man of them, from head to foot, by the Kussian artillerymen, and they drew upon themselves a studious fire from apparently about thirty guns. Thus the first trial our men underwent in the Firennde? action was a trial ot passive, enduring courage, "len wiuist They had to lie down, with no duty to perform, except the duty of being motionless ; and they made it their pastime to watch the play of the engines worked for their destruction — to watch the jet of smoke — the flash — the short, moment- ous interval — and then, happily and most often, the twang through the air above, and the welcome sound of the shot at length imbedded in the earth. But sometimes, without knowing whence it came, a man would suddenly know the feel of a rushing blast and a mighty shock, and would find himself besjiattered with the brains of the com- rade who had just been speaking to him, "When this happened, two of the comrades of the man killed would get up and gently lift the quiver- ing body, carry it a few paces in roar of the line, then quietly return to their rank's, and again lie