"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.
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