Part 16 (1/2)
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 sh.e.l.l. 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 princ.i.p.ally 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 s.p.a.ce, 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 gra.s.s.
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, rus.h.i.+ng 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 echelon, advanced three lines, one behind the other, the Highlanders and their stout leader, Sir Colin Campbell.
It was only a pa.s.sing 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 a.s.sured.
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!”