at a bound. The Russians rushed out and left multitudes
of dead behind them. The Guards had stormed
the right of the battery ere the Highlanders got into the
left, and it is said that the Scots Fusilier Guards were
the first to enter. The second and light division
crowded the heights. The French turned the guns on
the hill against the flying masses, which the cavalry in
vain tried to cover. A few faint struggles from the
scattered infantry, a few rounds of cannon and musketry,
and the enemy fled to the south-east, leaving three
generals, drums, three guns, 700 prisoners, and 4000
wounded behind them. The battle of Alma was won."

The newspapers are filled with particulars of this
memorable battle, derived from letters from their
correspondents, private letters from officers and soldiers
engaged, and other sources. From these we glean a
few of the most interesting incidents:—The battle
commenced with the assault of the left wing of the Russians
by General Bosquet's division. One account says that
when the French came upon the Russians the latter
mistook them for Turks, on account of the Zouave
uniform, but soon found out their mistake, for they
were driven back in double quick time, and the position
was turned and taken. One of the defences of this
position was an octangular tower, from and around
which a tremendous fire of musketry was opened on
the French as they advanced. The Zouaves for a
moment were beaten back, but a sergeant-major, named
Fleury, dashed ahead, with the tricolour flag in his
hand, right to the basement of the tower. A bullet
laid him low; but the Zouaves, followed by the other
chivalrous regiments, charged the Russians with the
bayonet and utterly routed them. They then pushed
on towards the Russian centre, which they were
threatening when the action concluded. The gallant
behaviour of the French was witnessed from our men-
of-war's tops. Sub-Lieutenant Poitevin, colour-bearer
of the French 30th Regiment, went and planted the
colours on this fort, and there he stood superb in the
midst of hosts of Russian sharpshooters. A moment
after, he fell, pierced by a dozen balls. Fortunately,
the tower was not completed, and no guns were mounted
in it. In fact, masons were busily engaged on it as the
allies approached, and the scaffoldings were only just
removed as the battle begun. After the battle it was
found to be full of dead Russians, mostly shot in the
head. A visitor found French Zouaves and others were
busy engraving their names and regiments with their
knives on the walls. At the commencement of the
action many ladies were on the heights. Prince Menschikoff
had given them to understand that, on the part of
the Russians, it would be a mere review—that the
allies would not be able to meet his heavy artillery and
would retreat. A scaffolding had been erected for their
accommodation, but they appear to have retreated in
great haste when the enemy got too close, for next day
we are told the French had great sport after the battle
with some women's clothes which they found near the
redoubt where they lost so many men.

Prince Napoleon had a narrow escape. While the
sharpshooters of his division were endeavouring to
dislodge the Russian infantry, a cannonball was seen
bounding along, and was about to fall exactly on the
group among which the Prince was standing. General
Thomas, who had seen it fall and perceived its direction,
cried out, "Take care, Monseigneur!" The Prince
gave his horse the spur, and succeeded in turning him
aside in time to allow the ball to pass, which broke the
leg of Military Sub-Intendant Leblanc, who was
standing close behind the spot from which the Prince
had removed. M. Leblanc was so badly wounded as to
be obliged to suffer amputation.

The French Artillery seems to have greatly
distinguished itself. A French officer writes:—

"The battery of Commandant de la Boussinière was
exceedingly fine, when, towards the end, we aided the
English by taking the Russians in flank. It fired with
marvellous aim, extinguished the Russian batteries, and
permitted the English to dash forward. The battery of
Toussaint charged and opened fire on the telegraph,
within 400 metres of the Russian infantry, which fled
at the aspect of its irresistible enthusiasm. General
Bosquet, who was much engaged in the combat, declares
and repeats that the artillery system of the Emperor is
henceforward placed at a very high rank. He fought
with 12 pieces against 32 guns of the Russians, which
could not hold against them. The Ottoman division
had only 2000 men engaged with the second French
division on the enemy's left. Their part was not so
active a one as those brave soldiers would have desired,
and General Bosquet had the greatest difficulty to make
them remain in the position assigned to them. They
only lost 230 men killed and wounded."

The Light Division led the English attack. In their
advance the troops had to pass through some vineyards,
and "here," says one writer, "the men gave one of
those surprising examples of coolness and contempt of
danger which forms one of our national characteristics.
In the midst of the most tremendous fire which an
army has ever encountered, with comrades falling
around them, the men commenced seeking for and
plucking the half-ripe grapes, which were hanging
temptingly on the hewn vines."

When the river was passed the fire from the enemy
became hot, and here Sir George Brown, seeing the
men falling fast around him, cried out to the men,
"Deploy into line and charge with the bayonet, and I
will lead you myself." Gallantly spoken, and more
gallantly done, by a man of sixty-six. Hundreds fell
on both sides, but the steadiness and deadly fire of our
men told fearfully in the enemy's ranks.

One of our Riflemen, it is said, brought down
successively thirty-two Russians; and, after a fierce struggle,
the Light Division succeeded in carrying the
redoubt, and an officer of the 33d inscribed his name
on a 32-pounder which had caused fearful ravages in
the British ranks.

Before rushing to the attack, the First Division lay
down in one of the Russian trenches to load and close
up. While here, the Honourable Major Macdonald,
Aide-de-camp to the Duke of Cambridge, scrambled
out of the trench on horseback to reconnoitre the
enemy's position. The instant he showed himself a
shower of balls and musket-bullets was directed against
him. One of the former struck his charger full in the
chest, and hurled both horse and rider to the ground.
Fortunately, Major Macdonald was only slightly hurt
by the fall, and some officers who saw the occurrence
rushed to his assistance and extricated him from his
mangled steed. With great coolness, the Major mounted
a horse which was offered him, and rode back to the
trench unscathed, though the bullets were whistling
around him in all directions.

The colours of the Scots Fusilier Guards had twenty-
six bullets through them. The staff of the colours was
broken: but Mr. Lindsay held fast and escaped without
a wound.

The following account is given by one writer of the
check experienced by the Light Division, by which it
sustained so heavy a loss. After the capture of the
redoubt the Light Division followed up the hill, pouring
in volley after volley after the retreating Russians. At
this moment a compact column descended one of the
hills. This was mistaken for a French division, and the
firing on the part of the British ceased. When within
musket range, this supposed French column deployed
in line, and, before the error could be discovered, poured
a fearful volley into the British ranks. Our loss here
was frightful—the 23rd Regiment was nearly annihilated,
and six officers fell on the spot. The 7th Fusileers
were equally unfortunate. The Light Division was
forced to give way, and the redoubt fell into the
hands of the Russians once more. The Russians
pursued, and it was at this point that the great
charge of the Guards and the Highland Brigade was
made. Sir Colin Campbell was at the head of the
latter, far ahead of his men, shouting "We'll hae none
but Highland bonnets here;" but the Guards pressed
on abreast, and claimed with the 33rd Regiment the
honour of capturing a cannon—an honourable rivalry,
and flattering to both corps.

The Highlanders, said an eye-witness, behaved with
distinguished courage. They never fired a shot until
close upon the Russian regiments, when they gave them
a volley and charged. The enemy fell back, but at a
little distance rallied, and, lowering their bayonets,