Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 9.djvu/333

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THE DEATH OF LORD RAGLAN. 303 whole course should devolve upon twelve squad- crap rons of cavalry, with three troops of horse artil- L lery. From the English to the French Head- quarters the infantry lining the road was to be furnished by a contingent of officers and men told off for this honour from every one of our regiments, and beyond, along the remaining dis- tance of six miles, by the Imperial Guard of the French and the troops of their First Corps. In the courtyard of what had been Lord Kaglan's house there stood the Guard of Honour, one furnished by the Grenadier Guards, with the drums and regimental colours. In the vineyards adjoining were placed the bands of three regi- ments. Making no other large exception than that of troops on duty in the trenches, or required for the safety of their camps, one may say that, to honour the memory of the English commander, the armed hosts of the Allies were assembled in all their martial splendour and strength.* Met first by the roll of the drums from the Guard of Honour, then emerging from the court of the house under the outburst of sound that opened the solemn Dead March, and thenceforth passing always between the serried infantry lines under the booming of minute-guns, the darkly palled bier, covered over with the Flag of the Union, having on it the plumed hat and sword of

  • Sayer's Collection, p. 229. — The narrator, though official,

still does not refrain from saying that the appearance of the troops was 'splendid.'