Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 5.djvu/297

THE BATTLE OF BALACLAVA. 275 onel Champeron. Champeron's two squadrons chap were in echelon ; and it seems that, though acting ' in support to the first line during the earlier part of the advance, these two squadrons, upon ap- proaching more closely to the enemy, were to incline away to their left, and then, again, bring- ing round the left shoulder, to fall upon the two battalions of foot which constituted the infantry support to the guns. The ground about to be invaded was much broken and scrubby, being encumbered with a tall undergrowth reaching up to the girths of the saddles ; but the want of smooth even turf was not likely to be discomposing to men who had learnt war in the ranges of the Atlas. Abdelal's two squadrons, advancing briskly in foraging order, and bringing round the left shoulder whilst moving, broke through the enemy's line of skir- mishers, and having by this time a front which was nearly at right angles with the front of the Eussian guns, drove forward with excellent vigour upon the flank of the nearest half - battery, and already were near to their goal, when, with sing- ular alacrity, the guns of the half-battery thus attacked, and those also of the other half-battery which had not been directly assailed, were lim- bered up by the Russians and briskly moved off at a trot, whilst the two battalions of foot which constituted the infantry supports to the guns fell back all at once, without waiting for the impact of Champeron's two squadrons then rapidly ad- vancing against them ; and, moreover, the Cossack