THE MAIN FIGHT. 401 ready for an act of brave self-devotion, General chap. Ganrobert seems to have felt that the moment ' was one for extreme resolves, and even used words ^'^ *"'"* which were thought to import a determination to lead his horsemen in person. But there now came a shell which burst close to one of the squadrons of the Chasseurs d'Afrique, and they immediately retreated.* Lord George Paget conformed to its retreat, their movement. Thus, without any strenuous effort on the part of the enemy, and, indeed, without his quite knowing it, the French troops — horse, foot, and artillery — had all encountered discomfiture. There followed, as may well be imagined, a tem- porary prostration of spirit. Despairing of their Dcsjiairof own power to retrieve the mischief, and not im- agining that Lord Raglan, after all the heavy loss he had suffered, could for a moment dispense with their aid, the French hastened to conclude that the battle was irretrievably lost. One of their Their con- officers considerately rode up to apprise Colonel intimation -f- • 1 r> 1 J ^ ^ ^ ^ i ° DicksoE Dickson of what was, as they understood, the real condition of things, and advise him to withdraw his guns. ' My officer,' said the horseman, ' save ' your guns ! all is lost ! ' Dickson having received no corresponding in- timations from his own chief, and being in the full enjoyment of the great artillery power which his guns were exerting, felt loath, as may well be supposed, to accept the proffered counsel. See-
- This was the French regiment which did excellent service
at the bnttle of Balaclava. VOL. VI. 2 C
