Meanwhile the two guns on the knoll with Lord Raglan had been augmented by a battery, and these opened a tremendous fire on the retreating Russians. Other batteries crossed the river, and frightful execution was done.
The heights of the Alma were won, the greatest battle since Waterloo had been fought, and the Allies were triumphant.
‘Hurrah, the day is ours!’ cried Cornet Leland; ‘let us rejoin our regiment.’ And putting spurs to their horses in ten minutes they were with the Light Cavalry Brigade.
One of the first to welcome Jack was Sergeant Barrymore, who, wet through as he was, had managed to rejoin his regiment. He was mounted on the horse of a trooper who had been wounded. A few words of congratulation passed, then the advance was sounded.
By squadrons the different regiments advanced, and increasing the pace to a trot they reached the crest of the hill in front of them. They were escorting a battery of artillery, which on mounting the crest opened fire on the retreating Russians. Numbers of stragglers, many of them officers of rank, were seen in the dip before them, and the ground being practicable for cavalry, Lord Lucan formed his squadrons into column and ordered them to pursue and capture as many as they could. The delighted troopers shot forward, and soon a good many prisoners were made.
Jack’s troop and a troop of the 11th Hussars came upon a large body of the defeated Vladimir regiment, covering the retreat of a number of officers, and, extraordinary sight, several carriages. With a shout the troopers charged forward, when the Russians delivered a volley which emptied one or two saddles; then the troopers were in amongst them; but there was no more fight left in the Russians, who immediately threw down their arms and surrendered.
Some score of Lancers and Hussars went off after the carriages, and several officers of rank were captured. Jack was passing on when he heard a piercing shriek, and, turning, beheld an extraordinary sight. A carriage drawn by four horses had been galloping off when some Hussars spurred after it, threatened the driver with their swords unless he stopped, and then dismounting had opened the carriage door.
A young, handsome girl, beautifully dressed, jumped from the carriage, when a Hussar, poking in his head, called to his comrade, and together they dragged out an officer in a gorgeous white uniform, over which he wore a silver cuirass. The officer, on being taken, had drawn a pistol and fired at the Hussar, who promptly raised his sword to run the Russian through. It was this which had caused the young lady to shriek.
Seeing what was happening, Jack made Dainty leap to the spot, and holding up his hand he cried out to the Hussar, ‘Don’t strike, man; don’t you see the Russian is wounded?’
‘He ain’t so badly wounded that he didn’t try to blow my head off!’ cried the Hussar, still angry.