ng
to the rear with mangled limbs, while their life's blood was streaming
fast away. We looked at each other with amazement for we were now
under a most terrible fire. We knew well it meant death to many of
us. Several who had gone through the whole campaign shook hands
saying, 'This is hot,' 'Good bye, old boy,' 'Write to the old folks
for me if I do not return.' This request was made by many of us. I
was close to one of our Generals, who stood watch in hand, when
suddenly at 12 o'clock mid-day the French drums and bugles sounded the
charge, and with a shout, 'Vive l'Empereur' repeated over and over
again by some 50,000 men, a shout that was enough to strike terror
into the enemy. The French, headed by the Zouaves, sprang forward at
the Malakof like a lot of cats. On they went like a lot of bees, or
rather like the dashing of the waves of the sea against a rock. We
had a splendid view of their operations, it was grand but terrible;
the deafening shouts of the advancing hosts told us they were carrying
all before them."

"They were now completely enveloped in smoke and fire, but column
after column kept advancing, pouring volley after volley into the
breasts of the defenders. They (the French) meant to have it, let the
cost be what it might. At 12.15 up went the proud flag of France,
with a shout that drowned for a time the roar of both cannon and
musketry. And now came our turn. As soon as the French were seen
upon the Malakof our stormers sprang forward, led by Colonel
Windham--the old Light Division consisting of 300 men of the 90th,
about the same number of the 97th, and about 400 of the 2nd Battalion
Rifle Brigade, and with various detachments of the 2nd and Light
Divisions, and a number of blue jackets, carrying scaling ladders. Our
men advanced splendidly, with a ringing British cheer, although the
enemy poured a terrible fire of grape, canister and musketry into
them, which swept down whole companies at a time. We, the supports,
moved forward to back up our comrades. We advanced as quickly as we
could until we came to the foremost trench, when we leaped the
parapet, then made a rush at the blood stained walls of the Redan. We
had had a clear run of over 200 yards under that murderous fire of
grape, canister and musketry. How any ever lived to pass that 200
yards seemed a miracle; for our p