The Russian
fleet commanding the town would have thundered down on them, and they in
their turn would have been subjected to an immediate attack from the
powerful Russian forces hastening towards the place. It was therefore
decided by the allied chiefs to wait till their siege-trains were
landed, and then to lay regular siege to the place.

The river Chernaya ran into the head of the harbour from the east,
passing under the heights of Inkerman. A range of hills and high ground
extended from its mouth to the town and small harbour of Balaclava, with
a broad valley intervening, in which the British cavalry was encamped,
with a line of Turkish redoubts in their front, and the village of
Kadikoi on their right. On the northern end of this range of heights
above Inkerman, the Guards with the 2nd division were posted; while the
French, under General Bosquet, were encamped extending along the whole
line of heights, till they were terminated by the valley where the
cavalry camp was pitched. The other three English divisions faced
Sebastopol itself. Balaclava harbour is surrounded by heights, on which
some powerful batteries were placed, and only one mountain road led up
to them near the sea. Some way below them was the village of Kamara.
The weakest points of the position were at the two ends of the long
range of heights at Inkerman and Balaclava, and on both these the
Russians made their fiercest attacks.

In the valley the only infantry regiment was the gallant 93rd
Highlanders, posted in front of the village of Kadikoi.

BATTLE OF BALACLAVA--25TH OCTOBER.

The enemy had for some days before the 25th of October been observed
hovering in the neighbourhood of Balaclava; and on the morning of that
day, reinforcements of 20,000 infantry, 40 guns, and a strong force of
cavalry arrived, under General Liprandi. The heights above Balaclava
were now garrisoned by the marines landed from the fleet; and they, with
the 93rd and a few detachments from other regiments, were under the
immediate command of Sir Colin Campbell. Early in the morning the
Russians, in great force, attacked the Turkish batteries, which they
succeeded in capturing,--the English gunner in each, with noble
self-devotion, spiking the guns before he attempted to escape. One
large body of the enemy now attacked the 93rd, under Lieutenant-Colonel
Ainslie, but were bravely repelled. Another, and the most powerful,
turned towards the cavalry. As they did so,