BATTLE OF THE ALMA. 283 from the field. lie looked, and came lo make chap. out that this loiie pedestrian was Prince Gort- ' schakoff — Prince Gortschakoff, the chief to whom he had entrusted the command of the whole centre and the whole right wing of his army. ' What is this ? ' ' What is the matter ? ' ' Why ' are you on foot ? ' ' Why are you alone ? ' These, as was natural, were the questions hurled at Prince Gortschakoff by his troubled, amazed commander. ' My horse,' said Gortschakoff, ' was ' killed near the river. I am alone, because all ' the aides-de-camp and officers of ni}' Staff have ' been killed or wounded. I have received six ' shots ; ' and then, in a spirit scarce worthy of historic moments, scarce matching with the greatness of the disaster which his overthrow had brought upon a proud and mighty empire. Prince Gortschakoff showed the rents which shot had made in his clothes.* At this time, so far as I know. Prince Ment- hisomis- schikoff used none of the means by which, measures for though forced to retreat, skilled commanders retreat: can make themselves feared. On the very road where he stood, the Czar's faithful infantry — infantry famous for its heroism in the trying hour of a retreat — was left to extricate itself from the field by brute flight. It would seem that Prince JMentschikoff's authority — already for some time neutralised by the mischances which, all the day long, had been throwing him
- It is Prince Gortschakoff himself who gives this account of
his meeting with Prince Mentschikoff.
