360 THE BATTLE OF BALACLAVA- CHAP. ' round, I could see none of the first line or of the ' ' supports. The supports ought to have followed ' me in the attack, instead of which they diverged ' to the right and left. . . . My aides-de-camp ' were prevented by different causes from being ' with me. I was consequently nearly or quite ' alone. I have already positively stated that when ' I got back to the battery which we had attacked ' and silenced, I could see none of the first line, ' and no troops formed either on the right or the ' left. I therefore found myself alone ; and I ask, ' was it not my duty to retreat gradually and ' slowly in rear of the broken parties of the first ' line up the hill, rather than turn and ride 1 through the Eussian cavalry in search of my ' supports, without knowing at the time which ' way they had gone, they not having followed ' the first line in the advance as they ought to ' have done ? My humble opinion is, that it is ' quite sufficient for a General of Brigade to re- ' turn with as well as lead the attack of the front 1 line, unless he should by chance come in contact 1 with his supports, in which case he would re- • main with them ; but it may be observed that ' no general officer could have rendered any ser- ' vice or assistance in an affair like that of Bala- • clava, in which all the loss of men and horses ' was sustained in twenty minutes, and there were ' no troops left with which to attack an over- ' whelming force like that of the Eussians in • position on that day.' * ' What was the duty
- Paper famished to me by Lord Cardigan.
