CHAP. but that they fronted towards the South Valley and

V.

Scarlett's resolve.

were looking down almost at right angles upon the flank of our marching column. Of course, the aidede-camp instantly directed the eyes of his chief to the summit of the ridge on his left. For a moment, Scarlett could hardly accept Elliot's conclusion; but in the next instant he recognised the full purport of what had happened, and perceived that he was marching across the front of a great mass of Russian cavalry, which looked down upon the flank of his column from a distance of but few hundred yards, and might be expected, of course, to charge down on it. This, then, was the occasion which fortune had proffered to the Russian cavalry.

Scarlett's resolve was instantaneous, and his plan simple. He meant to form line to his left, and to charge with all six of his squadrons. Accordingly he faced his horse's head towards the flank of the column, and called out, 'Are you right in front?'* The order The answer was, 'Yes, sir!' Then Scarlett gave the word of command, 'Left wheel into line!'

he gave.

three

'Scarlett's The troops nearest to Scarlett were those which hundred.' formed the left-hand column-that is, the 2d squadron of the Inniskillings, which was in front, and the two squadrons of the Greys which brought up the rear. Those three squadrons were the force which constituted 'Scarlett's three hundred.'

Scarlett conceived at this time that the 5th Dragoon Guards would form up in prolongation of his

*This was a very apt question; for, as we shall afterwards see, some portions of the Heavy Brigade were marching 'left in front.'

V.

front on the left of the Greys; and, to leave a clear CHA P. front for the regiment thus supposed to be coming into line, he found it necessary that the three hun'dred' should move some way east of the vineyard before commencing their onset. He therefore gave Ground an order to 'take ground to the right.'

taken to the right.

Dragoon

The 5th Dragoon Guards had not yet so closely The 5th approached as to be ready to align with Scarlett's Guards. 'three hundred;' and it seems that Elliot, the Brigadier's aide-de-camp, delivered to the regiment an order which was regarded as directing it to act in support to the Greys. The position which the 5th Dragoon Guards actually took up was on the left rear of the Greys. On the right of the 5th Dragoon Guards, but divided from it by a considerable interval, there stood the 1st squadron of the Inniskillings.

Dragoon

and the

The 4th Dragoon Guards and the Royals were The 4th approaching; so altogether, besides the first line, there Guards were seven squadrons which might ultimately take Royals part in the conflict, though not until after the moment when the foremost 'three hundred' would be already engaged.

were approaching.

sion that

come to by

The embarrassment of determining whether he will The decidirect, or whether he will lead, is one which very must be commonly besets the mind of a cavalry general who the Comcommands several regiments just about to engage in in-Chief a conflict with powerful adversaries; but it pressed of cavalry

* I believe General Scarlett has no recollection of having sent this order; but the proof of the words given in the text seems irresistibly strong.

mander

of a force

V.

when about to

attack, in regard to

the place

where his

personal

presence will be

most re

quired.

CHAP. upon Scarlett with a somewhat unusual severity; for he had no time to be delegating authority, or giving effective instructions for the guidance of his supports; and, in one point of view, it might be bold to take it for granted that a general in command of several squadrons could be warranted in leaving a large proportion of them to come into the fight their own way; but then, on the other hand, our troops were young, were new to battle; and, it being determined that a very scant number of them were to be led on --and that, too, uphill-against a vast mass of cavalry which reckoned itself by thousands, there was ground for believing that they might need the example of a general officer, not for the purpose of mere encouragement, but in order to put them above all doubt and question in regard to their true path of duty.

In such a dilemma, shall a man be the Leader or the General? He cannot be both. Shall he strive to retain the control over all his troops, as does an infantry General sending orders this way and that? Or rather, for the sake of leading his first line, shall he abandon for the moment his direct authority over the rest, and content himself with that primitive act of generalship which is performed by showing the way? Scarlett's The soundness of Scarlett's decision may fairly be questioned; but he chose as chose Lord Uxbridge in the last of the battles against the great Napoleon ;†

decision.

*

*For the reason adverted to in the preceding paragraph.

+ Our cavalry Generals have very commonly adopted this way of performing their duty; but the decision of Lord Uxbridge (afterwards the