242 THE BATTLE OF BALACLAVA. chap, now following the first line were in echelon of I . ' regiments.* When the 8th Hussars began to encounter the riderless horses dashing back from the first line, there was created some degree of unsteadiness, which showed itself in a spontaneous increase of speed ; but this tendency was rigorously checked by the officers, and they brought back the pace of the regiment to a good trot. Of the three officers commanding the three troops, one — namely, Captain Tomkinson — was at this time disabled. Another, Lord Fitzgibbon, was killed ; and several men and horses fell ; but Lieutenant Seager and Cornet Clowes took the vacant com- mands, and those of this small and now isolated regiment who had not been yet slain or disabled moved steadily down the valley. In some respects this advance was even more trying to the supports than to the first line ; for although the supports were destined to suffer much less than our first line from the twelve Cossack guns in their front, yet, passing as they did between batteries and numbers of riflemen and musketeers, when; the gunners and the marks- men were now fully on the alert, they incurred
- Thus :—
llth Hussars. 4th Light Dragoons. 8th Hussa! (less one of its troopn)
