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
Kourgane Hill.
CHAPTER XI.
AFTER THE BATTLE.
The Battle of the Alma was won! Three short hours had sufficed to
finish it, and by four o'clock the enemy was in full retreat. It was a
flight rather than a retreat--a headlong, ignominious stampede, in
which the fugitives cast aside their arms, accoutrements, knapsacks,
everything that could hinder them as they ran. Pursuit, if promptly
and vigorously carried out, would assuredly have cost them dear. But
the allies were short of cavalry; the British, greatly weakened by
their losses in this hard-fought field, could spare no fresh troops to
follow; the French, although they had scarcely suffered, and had a
large force available, would do nothing more; St.
Pages:
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116