CRIMEAN SERVICES OF “ I ” TROOP, NOW (( 0 }) BATTERY, R.H.A. 343 
right of the French army was brought forward. It was a fine warm 
day with a gentle breeze, the same order was observed and we moved 
across a similar undulating plain to that we had passed yesterday. We 
saw at about six miles distant a range of hills, on which the enemy 
were said to be in force, we halted occasionally, and at 1 p.m. we were 
close enough to see large masses of the Russian troops on the heights, 
with formidable batteries along its face commanding the river which 
ran close to the foot of the hills through the narrow valley that 
separated us from them. The army was again ordered to halt and 
load, there was now no mistake that work was before us, from this 
moment until we halted on the heights of Alma there was scarcely a 
check, and in three hours we were in possession of a position that the 
Russians vainly hoped they could have held for three weeks. I am not 
going to describe the battle, but simply state the part the Troop played 
in the proceedings of the day. As soon as we came into the range of 
the heavy guns of the Russians, the infantry deployed into line and 
advanced, the cavalry, about 500 men, and “ I ” Troop, R.H. A., were 
posted on the left flank to protect it from attack, a large body of 
Cossacks manoeuvring opposite to us. As soon as the enemy began to 
waver, the Cavalry and Troop crossed the valley and river, reached the 
top of the hill and opened fire on the retreating enemy, doing much 
damage, our losses during the day being one horse killed and one 
wounded. Having encamped on the ground lately occupied by the 
Russians, the army halted on the 21st and 22nd of September, collect¬ 
ing the wounded and burying the dead; the loss was fearful. The 
British lost nearly 2000 in killed and wounded, the French about 1800, 
and the Russian must have been about 10,000. Having no wounded 
of my own to look after, I spent my time in operating and dressing 
those lying on the field, but we were sadly in want of the means of 
transport—the ambulance having been left on board ship—this rendered 
the removal of the wounded both tedious and painful. On the 21st, 
cholera again visited our army, and many fell victims to it. On the 
22nd one gunner died after 15 hours’ illness, and several of the men 
complained of diarrhoea, with griping, which I checked with opium. 
On the 23rd of September the army marched to the Katschka across 
a similar plain, when, on reaching the river, the army halted for the 
night, but ee I ” Troop and cavalry were sent forward on a reconnais¬ 
sance to Duvankoi, where we halted for a few hours in a narrow gorge, 
and then retreated by the narrow road up the face of the mountain. 
We saw a large force of cavalry who retreated from the villages as we 
approached. The inhabitants brought in large quantities of grapes, 
peaches and bread, which they were much astonished at receiving pay¬ 
ment for, they must also have been agreeably surprised at our not 
plundering their houses, for as the Cossacks retreated they generally 
left only a wreck behind. It was midnight before the whole troop had 
re-assembled on the top of the hill. Next day, which was very hot, we 
suffered severely from thirst, as we had no water until we reached the 
Belbec river about 3 p.m. that evening, men and horses being nearly 
36 hours without it. On the 24th of September the army halted on the 
heights of the Belbec. We now came into a densely wooded country. 
46 
