Strangely enough, results almost similar to those produced by the prematurity of the attack on the right were brought about by delay in those of the centre and left. General Brunet had not completed his preliminary arrangements when the signal-rockets were fired, and the contest had been waged for nearly half-an-hour on the right before he was ready to advance. When he did so, at length, his troops met with an opposition as terrible as that which had checked the other division: his men began to fall thickly around him, and he himself was mortally wounded by a ball in the chest. The movement of General D'Autemarre's division was also retarded, as it could not go into action before that of Brunet; but, as soon as this difficulty was removed, he sent forward a couple of regiments, who, dashing with impetuosity into the intrenchment which connects the Karabelnaia ravine with the Malakoff, scaled it, and a few of their number actually penetrated into the Malakoff itself, on which the French eagles were for a moment planted. But the hope engendered by this dashing achievement was as short-lived as its brief success: the Russian reserves poured in masses into the Malakoff, and the French, overpowered by numbers and by a heavy artillery fire, were driven back across the intrenchments.
No sooner did Lord Ragalan, who was posted in the advanced trench at a point which commanded a near view both of the Redan and Malakoff, perceive through the glimmer of early dawn the serious opposition encountered by the French, and the turn affairs were likely to take, than, with a feeling of chivalry, which does him eternal honour, he anticipated the moment fixed for the assault, and ordered the English columns to move out of the trenches upon the Redan. These columns, three in number, and each containing four hundred men, consisted of detachments of the Light, Second, and Fourth Divisions, under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir George Brown. The right column was to attack the left face of the Redan between the flanking batteries; the centre one was to advance upon the salient angle; and the left one upon the re-entering angle formed by the right face and flank of the work; the first and last preceding the centre column.
Each column was accompanied by artillerymen to spike the guns or turn them on the enemy: and the scaling-ladders were carried by a party of sailors, who, with Captain Peel in command of them, had volunteered for this dangerous service.
No sooner had the flanking columns issued from the trenches, preceded by covering parties from the Rifle Brigade, and by the sailors, than they were assailed by a most murderous fire of grape and musketry, more heavy and continuous. Lord Raglan declared, than he had ever before witnessed. The sailors suffered severely, and Captain Peel himself was wounded. In the attacking columns the men in advance were either killed or wounded, and the remainder, finding it impossible to proceed, lay down on the ground and fired into the embrasures of the Redan. Major-General Sir John Campbell, who had for several months commanded the Fourth Division, and whose kindliness of manner and cheerfulness of disposition had deeply endeared him to the men, led the left column sword in hand up to the abattis, only to be shot dead beneath it. Colonel Yea, the beloved commander of the Royal Fusiliers, who led the right column, and Colonel Shadforth of the 57th, in command of the storming party on this side, both shared a similar fate. Lieutenant-Colonel Tylden, of the Engineers, of whom Lord Raglan so frequently made honourable mention in his despatches, was severely wounded; and Major-General Jones, on whom the supreme direction of the siege operations had devolved on the return of Sir John Burgoyne, was struck, though not severely, by a grape-shot in the forehead. Meanwhile the pitiless storm of grape still continued to pour with unremitting fury on the devoted men in front of the Redan, who, after holding their ground with unparalleled tenacity for nearly half-an-hour, at length relinquished the struggle, and the scanty survivors ran back through the same appalling fire to the trenches, where the reserves had suffered almost as severely as themselves. Any renewal of the attack was hopeless, as about the same time the French, whose reserves had been brought up only 2 I
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to be swept away, but who still clung with reluctant obstinacy on the slopes of the work, to enter which was now an impossibility, were recalled from all points by General Pelissier, who, seeing that all chance of success was at an end, ordered a general retreat to the trenches. This was effected, without any further loss of consideration, under cover of an admirable artillery fire from our batteries, which contrived to monopoHze completely the attention of the enemy.