Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 5.djvu/364

342 THE BATTLE OE BALACLAVA. chap go out of action not only with the distinct con- ' sciousness of a defeat, but of a defeat rendered bitter and humiliating by the overthrow of their powerful cavalry ; whereas, if Liprandi should be left in possession of the hillocks, and the small iron guns which he had been able to capture, he might plausibly claim a victory, and would have some real trophies to show in the Theatre Square at Sebastopol. It is true enough that no such nominal victory as this was calculated to give mighty confidence to Liprandi's own little army — the men who composed it knew the truth too well — but it was for the defenders of Sebastopol rather than for the field army that moral force was vitally needed ; and in Sebastopol, as we now know, the 'victory of Balaclava/ and the guns which, though taken from the Turks, could still be truly called ' English,' were well fitted to be re- ceived as blessings of unspeakable value. They could not fail to give heart to the men — whether soldiers, or sailors, or people — who were engaged in defending the place, and on the other hand it may be taken for granted that if the tidings of so slender a ' victory ' as that of Balaclava could bring all this accession of moral strength to the beleaguered town, the opposite effect that must have been produced by Liprandi's defeat would have been fnlly proportionate, rue deter. It was determined that the Bussians should be uieAiiics^ left in undisturbed possession of the ground which they held. Sir Geome Cathcart, who had brought his