XLIV. 14,000 men. The Arabs and Kabyles of Algeria, CHAP. though men of a fierce and brave nature, and prone to petty strife, are so wanting in the power of making war with effect, that, as far as concerns the art of fighting, they can scarcely be said to have given much schooling to the bold and skilful soldiery of France; but the deserts, the broad solitudes, and the great mountain-ranges of Northern Africa, have inured the French army to some of those military toils which are next in worth to the business of the actual combat; and for Bosquet, the hero of many a struggle in the passes of the Middle and the Lesser Atlas, it was no new problem to have to cross a stream and carry a body of troops to the summit of a hill with a steep-looking face. In the morning he had ridden forward, escorted by a few Spahis, to reconnoitre the ground with his own eyes; and thus, and by the aid of the careful surveys effected by the naval men, he was able to assure himself, not only that the river could be passed at its bar, but that troops there crossing it would be likely to find the means of getting round and ascending to the summit of the cliff from the south-west. Examining also the face of the cliff further inland, he saw that the broken ground opposite to the village of Almatamack could be easily ascended by footsoldiers; and he also, no doubt, perceived that the road leading up from the village (unless it should prove to have been effectually cut or guarded by the Invasion of the Crimea. III. 19 XLIV. tions. CHAP. enemy) would give him a passage for his artillery. His plan Upon these observations Bosquet based his plan. of opera- He resolved to march in person with Autemarre's brigade upon the village of Almatamack, there to cross the river, and afterwards endeavour to ascend the plateau at the point where the road from Almatamack goes up between the West Cliff and the Telegraph Height; but he ordered General Bouat, with his brigade and with the Turkish Contingent, to incline far away towards his right, to try to pass the river at its bar, and then to find the best means he could for getting his troops up the cliff. Advance of Autemarre The two bodies of troops under Bosquet's command began their diverging movement at the same Bosquet time; and before two o'clock the swarms of skirmishers in person. which covered the front of the columns were pushing under their way through the village of Almatamack, and officers, kindling a little with the excitement thus XLIV. the brisk ways of Napoleon's infantry. So, when CHAP. the young officer said, "The French, my Lord, are "warmly engaged," Lord Raglan answered, "Are "they? I cannot catch any return-fire." His practised ear had told him what we now know to be the truth. No troops were opposed to the advance of Bosquet's columns in this part of the field; but it is the custom of French skirmishers, when they get into thick ground near an enemy, to be continually firing. They do this partly to show the chiefs behind them what progress they are making, and partly, it would seem, in order to give life and spirit to the scene. of the force mouth detached their under sea; Bouat. When General Bouat reached the bank of the Advance river, he found that the bar of sand at its made it possible for his men to keep good footing against the waves flowing in from the and in process of time, with all his infantry, including the Turkish battalions, he succeeded in gaining the left bank of the river. He could not, however, carry across his artillery, and he therefore sent it back, with orders to follow the march of Autemarre's brigade. When he reached the left bank of the river, Bouat found an opening in the cliff before him, which promised to give him means of ascent. Into this opening he threw some skirmishers, and these, encountering no enemy, were followed by the main 19* XLIV. CHAP. body of the brigade, and by the Turkish battalions. Pursuing the course thus opened to him, Bouat slowly crept forward with his column, and wound his way up and round towards the summit of the cliff. But it was only by marching with a very narrow front that he was able to effect this movement; and it was not until a late period of the action that he was able to show himself in force upon the plateau. Even then he was without artillery. The troops under his command had not an opportunity of engaging in any combat with the enemy, because they marched upon that part of the heights which the Russian General had determined to leave unoccupied. Further advance of Aute Meanwhile Bosquet, marching in person with Autemarre's brigade, traversed the village of Almabrigade. tamack, forded the river at ten minutes past two marre's o'clock, and immediately began to ascend the road leading up to the plateau. The road, he found, was uninjured, and guarded by no troops. His artillery began the ascent; and meanwhile the keen and active Zouaves, impatient of the winding road, climbed the heights by shorter and steeper paths, and so swiftly, that our sailors, looking from the ships (men accustomed to perpendicular racing), were loud in their praise of the briskness with which the Frenchmen rushed up and "manned" the cliff. As yet, however, Bosquet had encountered no enemy. XLIV. brought Ulukul It has been seen that the position taken up by CHAP. Prince Mentschikoff fell short of the sea-shore by Guns a distance of more than two miles, and that he was out against not in military occupation of the cliff, now ascended him from by Bosquet with Autemarre's brigade; but also it Akles. will be remembered that, at the village in rear of the cliff, called Ulukul Akles, there had been posted some days before one of the "Minsk" battalions of infantry, with four pieces of light artillery, and that the detachment had there remained. These four guns were now brought out of the village, and after a time were placed in battery at a spot near the village of Ulukul Tiouets, and within range of the point where the Zouaves were beginning to crown the summit of the cliff. The "Minsk" battalion was not brought into sight; but at some distance, on the cliff overlooking the beach, there could be seen some squadrons of horse. after a mo the check, es As soon as a whole battalion of Zouaves had Bosquet, gained the summit, they were drawn up and formed mentary on the plateau. No shot was as yet fired by enemy; and General Bosquet, with his Staff, cended a tumulus or mound on the top of the cliff, in order to reconnoitre the ground. as Meanwhile his artillery was coming up, and the first two of his guns had just reached the summit when one of the carriages broke down. This accident embarrassed the rest of the column, and whilst the hindrance lasted the enemy opened fire from his tablishes himself on the cliff. |