22 SIR WILLIAM FLOWER 



was across a fine open undulating country, following the line of 

 the coast, from which we were about three or four miles distant. 

 Our little army presented a very pretty sight as it slowly moved 

 along, the rear and flanks protected by some squadrons of the 

 4th Light Dragoons, which had been left behind for that purpose. 

 About the middle of the day we halted, and our commander, 

 Brigadier-General Torrens, made a speech to the men, informing 

 them that he had just received intelligence that a battle was 

 about to be fought by the army in advance of us, and that if we 

 marched well we should be up in time for it, etc. ; so on we went 

 again, but the heat of the day and the weight of the packs soon 

 began to tell on our men, many of whom were mere recruits who 

 had never marched before in their lives. Our waggons soon 

 filled with sick men, and others kept dropping out every minute ; 

 however, by using threats and persuasion alternately, getting the 

 worst ones on to the waggons, carrying packs and firelocks for 

 others, we managed to get them all along to a village near the 

 sea, where we left the waggons and sick and weakly men under 

 the charge of an officer and assistant-surgeon. This was about 

 five or six o'clock, and we must have marched fifteen or sixteen 

 miles; but the General wishing to share in the glories of the 

 battle,^ of which we now heard the firing and saw the smoke in 

 the distance, on we went again, at first pretty bravely, but the 

 exhausted men began to fall out again ; but as it was getting dark, 

 and we saw from the lights ahead that we were near our destina- 

 tion, we left them in dozens on the ground, and as many of them 

 were only exhausted, they came on again and joined us during 

 the night or next morning. The lights we had first seen turned 

 out to be, on our approaching them, a village on fire ; a melancholy 

 sight it was, too, as we passed between the smouldering walls and 

 blackened and demolished ruins. Here we met stragglers from 

 the main army searching for lost comrades ; they told us of the 

 dreadful battle that had been fought, and how their regiments 

 had been cut to pieces; they spoke Httle of having gained a 

 great victory — that was a matter of course. Then a dead body 

 of an Englishman lay across our path, cold, stiff, and bloody. 



1 The battle of the Alma. 



