340 WHISPERS FROM FAIRYLAND. [vit

 

ous of warlike deeds inher history. Never were greater
precautions taken to ensure that success, and perhaps
never was such a surprise effected—a surprise of an
invading army by the invaded.

There is no need for me to dwell upon the account
of the struggle of that terrible day. In the dim mist
of that November morning dense masses of Russian
soldiery were poured upon the English position—a
hand-to-hand battle of the most determined and fierce
character followed, and victory appeared to waver
between the contending parties. Unable to discern
friend from foe, our men fought at terrible disadvan-
tage ;—the most dreadful confusion prevailed, and
nothing but the undaunted resolution of the old island
race could have made head against a brave and excited
enemy so greatly outnumbering our troops.

How it fared with them has been already told in
more eloquent words than mine. How positions were
taken and re-taken, how the blood of England’s best
and bravest was poured out like water upon that fatal
hill-side ; how a terrible revenge was taken, and thou-
sands of Russian bodies strewed the ground, and how
the gallant Zouaves came up in time to scatter and drive
back the masses of the foe into their fortress, baffled
and defeated in their great effort—all this tale of thrill-
ing interest is known by heart to the reader of English
history. My task is but to tell of one of the incidents
of that eventful day which forms the sequel to the
Eton episode with which my tale commenced. ©

It happened during the heat and confusion of the
battle that a Russian column advanced upon an
English battery in the midst of a dense canopy of