The Russians
then opened with a fire of grape that was terrific." And again: "They
mowed down our men in dozens, and the trenches, being confined, were
crowded with men who foolishly kept in them instead of rushing over the
parapet, and, by coming forward in a mass, trusting to some of them at
least being able to pass through untouched to the Redan, where, of
course, once they arrived, the artillery could not reach them, and
every yard nearer would have diminished the effect of the grape by
giving it less space for spreading. We could thus have moved up the
supports and carried the place. Unfortunately, however, our men
dribbled out of the ends of the trenches ten and twenty at a time, and
as soon as they appeared they were cleared away."
Thus ended the first engagement in which Gordon took part. The Allies
suffered defeat, and Lord Raglan died a few days later of a broken
heart. It was not an auspicious baptism of fire.
In August another assault was made, which also met defeat. Gordon ends
his account with the remark: "We should have carried everything before
us, if the men had only advanced."
Perchance one reason why the men failed to advance was that their
morale had been lowered, by reason of the privations they had
undergone. This was before the days of the Red Cross, the army
canteen, or the Y.
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