Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 5.djvu/70

48 THE BATTLE OF BALACLAVA. III. CHAP. I. 25th Oct. The hour before day- break. Advance of Lord Lucan and his Staff. Break of day. Two flails seen flying from the fort on Canrobert's HilL The import of this. Kire opened, In accordance with its daily custom, the Eng- lish cavalry on the morning of the 25th of Oc- tober had turned out an hour before daybreak ; and the men were standing to their horses when Lord Lucan, already in the saddle and followed by his Staff, moved off at a walk towards Can- robert's Hill. Two of the Divisional Staff — Lord William Paulet, I think, and Major M'Mahon, who had now, it seems, been joined by Lord George Paget — were riding some distance in rear of their chief, and had come within about 300 paces of Canrobert's Hill, when a streak of pale light in the horizon before them began to disclose the morning. Presently, there was grey enough to show through the dusk that Canrobert's Hill was not without its standard; but soon, it became almost clear, and presently afterwards certain, that from the flag-staff of the work two ensigns were flying. ' Holloa ! ' said one, ' there are two ' flags flying ! What does that mean ? ' ' Why, ' that surely,' said another, — ' that surely is the ' arranged signal — the signal that the enemy is ad- ' vancing. Are you quite sure ? ' The questioner was soon answered ; for scarcely had he spoken when the fort opened fire from one of its 12- pounder guns. The Staff-officers hurried forward to overtake their chief; and Lord George Paget galloped back at speed to the cavalry camp, where (in the absence of Lord Cardigan, who had the practice of sleeping on board his yacht, and