Many such moves had been reported on previous days, and all
had ended in nothing. "Let the Duke of Cambridge and Sir George
Cathcart have their orders at once. We must trust to the cavalry till
the infantry come up. Tell Scarlett to support the Turks."
But the Turks had given way before General Scarlett could stiffen
their courage, and as his brigade, that of heavy cavalry, trotted
towards the redoubts, other and more stirring work offered itself. The
head of a great column of Russian horse, three thousand sabres, came
over the crest of the hill and invited attack.
Scarlett saw his opportunity, and, with true soldierly promptitude,
seized it. He wheeled his squadrons into line and charged. Three went
against the front, five against the right flank, one against the left.
The intrepid "Heavies," outnumbered fivefold, dashed forward at a hand
gallop, and were soon swallowed up in the solid mass. But it could not
digest the terrible dose. Just eight minutes more and the Russian
column wavered, broke, and turned.
It was a fine feat of arms, richly meriting its meed of praise.
"Well done! well done!" was the message that came direct from Lord
Raglan, on the hills above.
"Greys! Gallant Greys!" cried Sir Colin Campbell, galloping up to one
of the regiments that had made this charge.
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