r the quarries,
while General Eyre moved his brigade of the same division still
farther along. His orders were that in case of the assault on the
Redan being successful, he should attack the works on its right.

On the French left, three columns, each 6000 strong, under General De
Salles, were to attack three of the Russian bastions; while on their
right, three columns of equal force were to attack the Russian
positions: General D'Autemarre assailing the Gervais battery and the
right flank of the Malakoff, General Brunet to fall upon the left
flank of the Malakoff and the little Redan from the Mamelon, while
General Mayrau was to carry the Russian battery near the careening
creek.

Thus the French were to assault in six columns, numbering in all
36,000 men, with reserves of 25,000. Our assaulting columns contained
only 1200 men, while 10,000 were in reserve. The attack was to
commence at day-break, but by some mistake the column of General
Mayrau attacked before the signal was given. In a few minutes they
were repulsed with great loss, their general being mortally wounded.
Four thousand of the Imperial Guard were sent to their assistance, and
three rockets being fired as a signal, the assault was made all along
the line. The Russians, however, had been prepared for what was coming
by the assault on their left. Their reserves were brought up, the
Redan was crowded with troops, the guns were loaded with grape, and as
the little English columns leaped from their trenches and rushed to
the assault, they were received with tremendous fire.

The inevitable result of sending 1000 men to attack a tremendously
strong position, held by ten times their own strength, and across a
ground swept by half a dozen batteries, followed. The handful of
British struggled nobly forward, broken up into groups by the
irregularity of the ground and by the gaps made by the enemy's fire.

Parties of brave men struggled up to the very abattis of the Redan,
and there, unsupported and powerless, were shot down. Nothing could
exceed the bravery which our soldiers manifested. But their bravery
was in vain. The three officers in command of the columns, Sir John
Campbell, Colonel Shadforth, and Colonel Yea, were all killed. In vain
the officers strove to lead their men to an attack. There were indeed
scarce any to lead, and the Russians, in mockery of the foolishness of
such an attack, stood upon their parapets and asked our men why they
did not com