At mention of the great Duke Lord Raglan’s face lighted up.
‘O’Callaghan,’ he said, ‘you have rendered an important service. By chance I had myself discovered the convoy; but through the cavalry having gone astray I might not have been able to capture it had they not, thanks to you, been coming this way towards the guns. Colonel Powell gives you an excellent character, and at my suggestion he has promoted you to the rank of sergeant. You will be appointed his orderly trumpeter.’ Then, turning to Jack, he said, ‘Of you, Blair, I have heard before. You are the same who gallantly rescued a comrade in the affair on the Bulganak, are you not?’
‘I did my best for him, my lord.’
‘You succeeded, for I have heard from your regimental doctor that he is doing well. I shall not forget you. Now you may both go.’
The delighted trumpeters rejoined their comrades, and their news was received with great satisfaction, for both were deservedly popular in their regiments.
‘A sargint,’ cried Larry to Jack, ‘an’ orderly to the colonel! Faix, the ould dad’ll burst hisself wid joy.’
The march was soon continued, the men being in most excellent spirits. Later on in the day they passed Sebastopol, which they saw on their right. None who then gazed on the fortifications ever dreamed of the many, many weary months that would elapse, of the untold sufferings they would have to endure, of the titanic struggle that would take place on the very plain they were then crossing, or of the thousands of lives that would be lost ere the British flag waved over that grim fortress. The troops made a tremendous march; never halting till, after sunset, they reached the little hamlet of Tractir on the Tchernaya, where they halted for the night.
The next morning the march was resumed, and, crossing the Tchernaya, the column, led by Lord Raglan, descended into the plain. They marched on, with only one trifling hindrance from an old castle which stood on the heights, mounting a few old guns. The place was summoned, and at once surrendered, when the troops took possession of it, and then marched at once upon Balaclava.
The thunder from guns in the little harbour announced the fact that the fleet had arrived, and the water was soon covered with British boats as the town was filled with British soldiers. The cavalry were encamped outside the town, the infantry being accommodated in and around the place.
All that day and the next stragglers kept coming in, till General Cathcart arriving safely with the rear-guard completed the success of the famous ‘flank march.’