A GENERAL ACTION.
A long low line of coast trending along north and south as far as the
eye could reach; nearest at hand a strip of beach, smooth shingle cast
up by the surf of westerly gales; next, a swelling upland, dotted with
grazing cattle, snug homesteads, and stacks of hay and corn; beyond, a
range of low hills, steep-faced and reddish-hued.
The Crimea! The land of promise; the great goal to which the thoughts
of every man in two vast hosts had been turned for many months past.
On the furze-clad common of Chobham camp, on the long voyage out, at
Gallipoli, while eating out their hearts at irritating inaction; on
the sweltering, malarious Bulgarian plains, fever-stricken and
cholera-cursed; at Varna, waiting impatiently, almost hopelessly, for
orders to sail, twenty thousand British soldiers of all ranks had
longed to look upon this Crimean shore. It was here, so ran the common
rumour, that the chief power of the mighty Czar was concentrated; here
stood Sebastopol, the famous fortress, the great stronghold and
arsenal of Southern Russia; here, at length, the opposing forces would
join issue, and the allies, after months of tedious expectation, would
find themselves face to face with their foe.
No wonder, then, that hearts beat high as our men gazed eagerly upon
the Crimea. The prospect southward was still more calculated to stir
emotion. The whole surface of that Eastern sea was covered with the
navies of the Western Powers. The long array stretched north and south
for many a mile; it extended westward, far back to the distant
horizon, and beyond: a countless forest of masts, a jumble of sails
and smoke-stacks, a crowd of fighting-ships and transports,
three-deckers, frigates, great troopers, ocean steamers, full-rigged
ships--an Armada such as the world had never seen before. A grand
display of naval power, a magnificent expedition marshalled with
perfect precision, moving by day in well-kept parallel lines; at
night, motionless, and studding the sea with a "second heaven of
stars."
Day dawned propitious on the morning of the landing: a bright, and
soon fierce, sun rose on a cloudless sky. At a given signal the boats
were lowered--a nearly countless flotilla; the troops went overboard
silently and with admirable despatch, and all again, by signal,
started in one long perfect line for the shore. Within an hour the
boats were beached, the troops sprang eagerly to land, and the
invasion was completed without accident, and unopposed.
The Royal Picts, coming straight from Gibraltar, had joined the
expedition at Varna without disembarking. The regiment had thus been
long on ship-board, but it had lost none of its smartness, and formed
up on the beach with as much precision as on the South Barracks
parade. It fell into its place at once, upon the right of General
Wilders's brigade, and that gallant officer was not long in welcoming
it to his command.
Everyone was in the highest health and spirits, overflowing with
excitement and enthusiasm. At the appearance of their general, the
men, greatly to his annoyance, set up a wild, irregular cheer.
"Silence, men, silence! It is most unsoldierlike. Keep your shouting
till you charge. Here, Colonel Blythe, we will get rid of a little of
this superfluous energy. Advance, in skirmishing order, to the
plateau, and hold it. There are Cossacks about, and the landing is not
yet completed. But do not advance beyond the plateau. You understand?"
The regiment promptly executed the manoeuvre indicated, and gained
the rising ground. The view thence inland was more extended, and at no
great distance a road crossed, along which was seen a long line of
native carts, toiling painfully, and escorted by a few of the enemy's
horse.
"We must have those carts." The speaker was a staff-officer, the
quartermaster-general, an eagle-eyed, decisive-speaking, short,
slender man, who was riding a splendid charger, which he sat to
perfection. "Colonel Blythe! send forward your right company at the
double, and capture them."
"My brigadier ordered me not to advance," replied the old colonel,
rather stolidly.
"Do as I tell you; I will take the responsibility. But look sharp!"
Already, no doubt under orders from the escort, the drivers were
unharnessing their teams, with the idea of making off with the cattle.
The skirmishers of the Royal Picts advanced quickly within range, and
opened fire--the first shots these upon Russian soil--and some of them
took effect. The carts were abandoned, and speedily changed masters.
"We shall want those carts," said old Hyde, abruptly, to his friend
the sergeant-major. They had watched this little episode together.
"Yes, I suppose they will come in useful."
"I should think so. Are you aware that this fine force of ours is
quite without transport? At least, I have seen none. Do you know what
that means?"
"That we shall have to be our own beasts of burden," said McKay,
laughing, as he touched his havresack. It was comfortably lined with
biscuit and cold salt pork--three days' rations, and the only food
that he or his comrades were likely to get for some time.
"I'm not afraid of roughing it," said the old soldier. "I have done
that often enough. We have got our greatcoats and blankets, and I
daresay we shan't hurt; but I have seen something of campaigning, and
I tell you honestly I don't like the way in which we have started on
this job."
"What an inveterate old grumbler you are, Hyde! Besides, what right
have you to criticise the general and his plans?"
"We have entered into this business a great deal too lightly, I am
quite convinced of that," said Hyde, positively. "There has been no
sufficient preparation."
"Nonsense, man! They have been months getting the expedition ready."
"And still it is wanting in the most necessary things. It has to trust
to luck for its transport," and the old sergeant pointed with his
thumb to the captured carts. "We may, perhaps, get as many more; but,
even then, there won't be enough to supply us with food if we go much
further inland; we may never see our knapsacks again, or our tents."
"We shan't want them; it won't do us any harm to sleep in the open.
Napoleon always said that the bivouac was the finest training for
troops."
"You will be glad enough of shelter, sergeant-major, before to-night's
out, mark my words! The French are better off than we are; they have
got everything to their hands--their shelter-tents, knapsacks, and
all. They understand campaigning; I think we have forgotten the art."
"As if we have anything to learn from the French!" said the
self-satisfied young Briton, by way of ending the conversation.
But Sergeant Hyde was right, so far as the need for shelter was
concerned. As evening closed in, heavy clouds came up from the sea,
and it rained in torrents all night.
A miserable night it was! The whole army lay exposed to the fury of
the elements on the bleak hillside, drenched to the skin, in pools and
watercourses, under saturated blankets, without fuel, or the chance of
lighting a bivouac fire. It was the same for all; the generals of
division, high staff-officers, colonels, captains, and private men.
The first night on Crimean soil was no bad precursor of the dreadful
winter still to come.
Next day the prospect brightened a little. The sun came out and dried
damp clothes; tents were landed, only to be re-embarked when the army
commenced its march. This was on the third day after disembarkation,
when, with all the pomp and circumstance of a parade movement, the
allied generals advanced southward along the coast. They were in
search of an enemy which had shown a strange reluctance to come to
blows, and had already missed a splendid opportunity of interfering
with the landing.
The place of honour in the order of march was assigned to the English,
who were on the left, with that flank unprotected and "in the air"; on
their right marched the French; on whose right, again, the Turks; then
came the sea. Moving parallel with the land-forces, the allied fleets
held undisputed dominion of the waters. A competent critic could
detect no brilliant strategy in the operations so far; no astute,
carefully calculated plan directed the march. One simple and primitive
idea possessed the minds of the allied commanders, and that was to
come to close quarters, and fight the Russians wherever they could be
found.
There could be only one termination to such a military policy as this
when every hour lessened the distance between the opposing forces. At
the end of the first day's march, most toilsome and trying to troops
still harassed by fell disease, it was plain that the enemy were close
at hand. Large bodies of their cavalry hung black and menacing along
our front--the advance guards these of a large force in position
behind. Any moment might bring on a collision. It was nearly
precipitated, and prematurely, by the action of our horse--a small
handful of cavalry, led by a fiery impatient soldier, eager, like all
under his command, to cross swords with the enemy.
A couple of English cavalry regiments had been pushed forward to
reconnoitre the strength of the Russians. The horsemen rode out in
gallant style, but were checked by artillery fire; a British battery
galloped up and replied. Presently the round-shot bounded like cricket
balls, but at murderous pace, across the plain. More cavalry went
forward on our side, and two whole infantry divisions, in one of which
was the Royal Picts, followed in support.
Surely a battle was close at hand. But nothing came of this
demonstration. Why, was not quite clear, till Hugo Wilders, who was a
captain in the Royal Lancers, came galloping by, and exchanged a few
hasty words with the general, his cousin Bill.
"What's up, Hugo?" The general was riding just in front of the Royal
Picts, and his words were heard by many of the regiment.
"Just fancy! we were on the point of having a brush with the Cossacks,
when Lord Raglan came up and spoiled the fun."
"Do you know why?"
"Yes; I heard him talking to our general--I am galloping, you know,
for Lord Cardigan, who was mad to be at them, I can tell you, but he
wasn't allowed."
"They were far too strong for you; I could see that myself."
"That's what Lord Raglan said. As if any one of us was not good enough
for twenty Russians! But he was particularly anxious, so I heard him
say, not to be drawn into an action to-day."
"No doubt he was right," replied old Wilders. "Only it can't be put
off much longer. Unless I am greatly mistaken, to-morrow we shall be
at it hammer and tongs."
"I hope I shall be somewhere near!" cried Hugo, gaily. "But where are
the Royal Picts? Oh! here! I want to give Anastasius good-day."
He found his younger brother was carrying the regimental colours, and
the two young fellows exchanged pleasant greetings. It was quite a
little family party, for just behind, in the centre of the line, stood
Sergeant-major McKay, the unacknowledged cousin. How many of these
four Wilders would be alive next night?
No doubt a battle was imminent. It was more than possible that there
would be a night attack, so both armies bivouacked in order of battle,
ready to stand up in their places and fight at the first alarm.
But the night passed uneventfully. At daybreak the march was resumed,
and the day was still young when the allies came upon what seemed a
position of immense strength, occupied in force by the Russian troops.
It was a broad barrier of hills, at right angles with the coast, lying
straight athwart our line of march. The hills, highest and steepest
near the water's edge, were still difficult in the centre, where the
great high road to Sebastopol pierced the position by a deep defile;
beyond the road, slopes more gentle ended on the outer flank in the
tall buttresslike Kourgané Hill. All along the front ran a rapid
river, the Alma, in a deep channel. Villages nestled on its banks--one
near the sea, one midway, one on the extreme right; and all about the
low ground rich vegetation flourished, in garden, vineyard, and copse.
These were the heights of the Alma--historic ground, hallowed by many
memories of grim contest, vain prowess, glorious deeds, fell carnage,
and hideous death.
"We are in for it now, my boy," whispered Sergeant Hyde, who was one
of the colour-party, and stood in the centre of the column, near
McKay.
"What is it?" asked the young sergeant-major eagerly. "A fight?"
"More than that--a general action. In another hour or two we shall be
engaged hotly along the whole line. Some of us will lose the number of
our mess before the day is done."
The Royal Picts formed part of the second division, under the command
of Sir de Lacy Evans, a fine old soldier, who had seen service for
half a century. This division was on the right of the English army. On
the left of Sir de Lacy Evans was the Light Division, beyond that the
Highlanders and Guards. The Third Division was in reserve behind the
Second, the Fourth far in the rear, still near the sea-shore.
The march had hitherto been in columns, a disposition that lent
itself readily to deployment into line--the traditional formation,
peculiar to the British arms, and the inevitable prelude to an attack.
The order now given to form line was, therefore, promptly recognised
as the signal for the approaching struggle. It was rendered the more
necessary by the galling fire opened upon our troops by the enemy's
batteries, which crowned every point of vantage on the hills in front.
Grandly, and with admirable precision, the three leading divisions of
the British army formed themselves into the historic "Thin Red Line,"
renowned in the annals of European warfare, from Blenheim to Waterloo.
This beautiful line, so slender, yet so imposing in its simple,
unsupported strength, was more than two miles long, and faced the
right half of the Russian position. As the divisions stood, the Guards
and Highlanders confronted the Kourgané Hill, with its greater and
lesser redoubts, armed with heavy guns and held by dense columns of
the enemy. Next them was the Light Division, facing the vineyards and
hamlets to the left of the great high road; before them were other
earth-works, manned by a no less formidable garrison and artillery.
The Second Division lay across the high road, opposite the village of
Bourliouk, high above which was an eighteen-gun battery and great
masses of Russian troops.
General Wilders's brigade was on the extreme right of the British
front; its right regiment was the Royal Picts, the very centre this of
the battle-field, midway between the sea and the far left; and here
the allied generals had their last meeting before the combat
commenced.
A single figure, sitting straight and soldier-like in his saddle, with
white hair blanched in the service of his country--a service fraught
with the perils and penalties of war, as the empty sleeve bore
witness--this single figure rode a little in advance of the British
staff. It was Fitzroy Somerset, now Lord Raglan, the close comrade and
trusted friend of the Iron Duke, by whose side he had ridden in every
action in Spain. His face was passive and serene. Contentment shone in
every feature. His martial spirit was stirred by the sights and sounds
of battle, once so familiar to him, but now for forty years unheard.
But the calm demeanour, the quiet voice, the steady, unflinching gaze,
all indicating a noble unconsciousness of danger, were those of the
chance rider in Rotten Row, not of a great commander carrying his own
life and that of thousands in his hand.
The man who came to meet him was a soldier too, but of a different
type, cast in another mould--a Frenchman, emotional, easily excited,
quick in gesture, rapid-speaking, with a restless, fiery eye. St.
Arnaud, too, had long tried the fortunes of war. His was an intrepid,
eager spirit, but he was torn and convulsed with the tortures of a
mortal sickness, and at times, even at this triumphant hour, his face
was drawn and pale with inward agony.
They were near enough, these supreme chiefs, for their conversation,
or parts of it, to be heard around. But they spoke in French, and few
but McKay understood the purport of all they said.
"I am ready to advance at any moment," said Lord Raglan. "I am only
waiting for the development of your attack."
"Bosquet started an hour ago, but he has a tremendous climb up those
cliffs."
It was General Bosquet's business to assault the left of the Russian
position, strong in natural obstacles, and almost inaccessible to
troops.
At this moment an aide-de-camp ventured to ride forward to his
general's side, and said--
"Do you hear that firing, my lord? I think the French on the right are
warmly engaged."
"Are they?" replied Lord Raglan, doubtfully; "I can't catch any return
fire."
"In any case," observed St. Arnaud, quickly, "it is time to lend him a
hand. The Prince Napoleon and Canrobert shall now advance."
"The sooner the better," said Lord Raglan, simply; "I must wait till
their attack is developed before I can move."
"You shall not wait long, my friend."
The next instant the French mounted messengers were scouring the
plain. St. Arnaud paused a moment, then, gathering up his reins, he
put spurs to his horse and galloped away, saluted as he went by a loud
and hearty cheer.
The sound must have gladdened the heart of the gallant Frenchman, for
he promptly reined in his horse, and, rising in his stirrups,
responded with a loud "Hurrah for Old England!" given in ringing
tones, and in excellent English. Then, still followed by cheers, he
went on his way.
It is but poor fun waiting while others begin a great game--poor fun
and dangerous too, as the English line presently realised, while they
looked impatiently for the order to advance. The Russian gunners had
got their range, and were already plying them with shot and shell. At
the first gun, fired evidently at the British staff, Lord Raglan, as
cool and self-possessed as ever, turned to General Wilders, and said,
briefly--
"Your men had better lie down."
"May I not cast loose cartridges first, my lord?" said the old
soldier, anxious to prepare for the serious business of the day.
"With all my heart! But be quick; they must not stand up here to be
shot at for nothing." Then Lord Raglan himself, erect and fearless,
resumed his observation of the advancing French columns.
"Dear, dear! how slow they are!" cried the eager voice of Airey, the
quartermaster-general.
"Look! they are checked!" said another; "they can't stomach the
climb."
"They have a tough job before them," said a third. "It will try them
hard."
That the French were in difficulties was evident, for now an
aide-de-camp came galloping from Bosquet with the grave news that the
division was in danger. He was followed by another prominent person on
St. Arnaud's staff, bringing an earnest entreaty that the English
should not delay their advance. A fierce storm of iron hail, moreover,
made inaction more and more intolerable.
The time was come! Lord Raglan turned and spoke five words to General
Airey. The next minute staff-officers were galloping to each division
with the glad tidings: "The line will advance!"
All along it men rose from the ground with a resolute air, fell into
their ranks, and then the "Thin Red Line," having a front of two miles
and a depth of two men, marched grandly to the fight.
It is with the doings of the Second Division, or more exactly with
Wilders's brigade of that body, that we are now principally concerned.
The task before it was arduous and full of danger, demanding devoted
courage and unflinching hearts.
At the moment of the advance the village immediately in front of them
burst into flames--a fierce conflagration, lighted by the retreating
foe. The dense columns of smoke hid the batteries beyond, and
magnified the dangers of attack; the fierce fire narrowed the path of
progress and squeezed in the advancing line. On the left, the Light
Division, moving forward with equal determination, still further
limited the ground for action; and, thus straitened and compressed,
the division marched upon a small front swept by a converging fire. So
cruelly hampered was the Second Division, so stinted in breathing
space, that a portion of General Wilders's command was shut out of the
advancing line, and circled round the right of the burning village.
In this way the Royal Picts got divided; part went with the right of
the brigade, still under the personal direction of its brigadier; part
stuck to the main body, and followed on with the general tide of
advance. With the latter went the headquarters of the regiment; its
colonel, colours, and sergeant-major.
They were travelling into the very jaws of death, as it seemed.
Progress was slow, and hindered by many vexatious obstacles--low walls
and brushwood, ruined cottages, and many dangerous pitfalls on the
vine-clad slopes--obstacles that forbade all speed, yet gave no cover
from the pitiless fire that searched every corner, and mowed men down
like grass.
Casualties were terribly numerous; yet still the line, undaunted but
with sadly decreasing numbers, kept on its perilous way. Presently,
having won through the broken ground, a new barrier interposed. They
came upon the rapid river, rushing between steep banks, and deep
enough to drown all who risked the fords. But there was no pause or
hesitation; the men plunged bravely into the water, and, battling
with the torrent, crossed, not without difficulty and serious loss.
Colonel Blythe, with the Royal Picts, was one of the first men over.
He rode a snow-white charger, which he put bravely at the steep bank,
and clambered up with the coolness of one who rode well to hounds. He
gained the top, and served as a rallying-point for the shattered
remnant of his regiment, which there quickly re-formed with as much
coolness and fastidious nicety as on a barrack-square at home.
They were under shelter here, and, pausing to recover breath, could
look round and watch how the fight fared towards the left.
At this moment the Light Division had effected a lodgment in the great
redoubt; but, even while they gazed, the Russian reserves were forcing
back the too-presumptuous few. Behind, a portion of the brigade of
Guards was advancing to reinforce the wavering line and renew the
attack. Beyond, further on the left, in an échelon, advanced three
lines, one behind the other, the Highlanders and their stout leader,
Sir Colin Campbell.
It was only a passing glimpse, however, that our friends obtained.
Their leader knew that the fortunes of the day were still in doubt,
and that every man must throw his weight into the scale if victory was
to be assured.
The line was again ordered to advance. The slope was steeper now; they
were scaling, really, the heights themselves. Just above them yawned
the mouths of the heavy guns that had been dealing such havoc while
they were painfully threading the intricacies of the low ground.
"We must drive them out of that!" shouted old Blythe. "That battery
has been playing the mischief with us all along. Now, lads, shoulder
to shoulder; reserve your fire till we are at close quarters, then
give them the cold steel!"
The Royal Picts set up a ringing cheer in cordial response to their
chieftain's call. The cheer passed quickly along the line, and all
again pressed forward in hot haste, with set teeth, and bayonets at
the charge.
A withering fire of small arms met the Royal Picts as they approached
the battery; it was followed by the deafening roar of artillery; and
the murderous fire of the guns, great and small, nearly annihilated
the gallant band. Small wonder, then, that the survivors halted
irresolute, half disposed to turn back. Colonel Blythe was down. They
missed his encouraging voice; his noble figure was no more visible,
while his fine old white charger, riderless, his flanks streaming with
gore, was galloping madly down the hill. Many more officers were laid
low by this murderous discharge; amongst others, Anastasius Wilders
had fallen, severely wounded, and his blood had spurted out in a great
pool upon the colour he carried.
All this happened in less time than it takes to describe. It was one
of those moments of dire emergency, of great opportunity--suddenly
arising, gone as swiftly beyond recall, unless snatched up and dealt
with by a prompt, audacious spirit.
Young McKay saw it with the unerring instinct of a true soldier. He
acted instantaneously, and with bold decision.
Stooping over his prostrate cousin, who lay entangled amidst the folds
of the now crimson silk, he gently detached the colour, and, raising
it aloft, cried--
"Come on, Royal Picts!"
The men knew his voice, and, weakened, though not dispirited, they
gallantly responded to the appeal. Once more the line pressed forward.
The short space between them and the earthwork was quickly traversed.
Before the artillery could deal out a second salvo, the Royal Picts
were over the parapet and in the thick of the Russians, bayoneting
them as they stood at their guns.
The battery was won.
"Well done, sergeant-major--right well done! I saw it all. It shan't
be forgotten if we two come out of this alive!"
The speaker was Colonel Blythe, who, happily, although dismounted by
the shot that wounded his horse, had so far escaped unhurt.
"But this is no time for compliments; we must look to ourselves. The
enemy is still in great strength. They are bringing up the reserves."
Above the battery a second line of columns loomed large and menacing.
Was this gallant handful of Englishmen, which had so courageously
gained a footing in the enemy's works, to bear the brunt of a fresh
conflict with a new and perfectly fresh foe? The situation was
critical. To advance would be madness; retreat was not to be thought
of; yet it might cost them their lives to maintain the ground they
held.
While they paused in anxious debate, there came sounds of firing from
their right, aimed evidently at the Russians in front of them, for the
shot and shell ploughed through the ranks of the foe.
"What guns can those be?" asked Colonel Blythe. "They are catching
them nicely in flank."
"French, sir, I expect," replied McKay. "That is the side of their
attack."
"Those are English guns, I feel sure. I know the crack they make."
He was right; the guns belonged to Turner's battery, brought up at the
most opportune juncture by Lord Raglan's express commands. To
understand their appearance, and the important part they played in
deciding the battle on this portion of the field, we must follow the
other wing of the Royal Picts, which, when separated from the rest of
the brigade, passed round the right flank of the village.
Hyde was with this detachment, and, as he afterwards told McKay, he
saw Lord Raglan and his staff ride forward, alone and unprotected,
across the river, straight into the enemy's position. In the river
two of his staff were shot down, and the commander-in-chief promptly
realised the meaning of this fire.
"Ah!" he cried. "If they can enfilade us here, we can certainly
enfilade them on the rising ground above. Bring up some guns!"
It was not easy travelling for artillery, but Turner was a man whom no
difficulties dismayed. Within an hour a couple of his guns had been
dragged up the steep gradient, were unlimbered, and served by the
officers themselves.
It was the fire of this artillery that relieved the Royal Picts of
their most serious apprehensions. It tided them over the last critical
phase of the hotly-contested action, and completed the discomfiture of
the enemy on this side.
Matters had gone no less prosperously on the left. The renewed attack
of the Light Division, supported by the Guards, had ended in the
capture of the great redoubt; while Sir Colin Campbell, a veteran
warrior, at the head of his "bare-legged savages," as they were
christened by their affrighted foe, had made himself master of the
Kourgané Hill.