long time. However, my friend planned a second day’s ride, when we went to a review of the Artillery on the plain where the battle of Balaklava was fought, and a grand sight it was. I saw General Codrington; also Russell, the Times correspondent. We then passed on to the Tchernaya, when my horse, which had been very fidgetty, bolted with me. There was a hill before us, so I let him have his own way, and before he got to the top he slackened speed, and I then pulled him up. I rejoined my friend, and we then went down to the Tchernaya bridge, where the battle was fought. We tried to cross it, but the French would not let us. We kept along by the side of the river a great distance. Beneath us was the valley of Inkermann, and above us were the Mackenzie heights, with numerous trenches and batteries. With a glass we could see the Russians, and whilst we were looking at them we saw them telegraphing. We got off our horses and led them up a steep hill, on the summit of which was a French battery, and further on there was another, still larger, at which the Russians were firing very fast. We passed that, and rode on to one – an old one that had been abandoned. In it was a large gun that had burst, one part of it lying some distance off. It was of such thickness that you could not thought possible to have burst. We went on to the summit, and in a few minutes I saw a shell come over and drop disagreeably close to us, and then explode, throwing up dust and earth. My friend remarked that seeing us on horseback, the Russians took us for officers. We thought it the better plan to retire as soon as possible, for shortly after, other shots came over. We next rode to one of the commissariat depôts to which my friend belonged, and in going along we passed through the French magazine. After refreshing ourselves and horses and getting mounted, we heard an awful explosion and saw a fearfully grand sight. The fire and smoke were enormous, cannon balls were being hurled in all directions, and shells were snapping and cracking in the air. Our horses were greatly frightened, and the workmen ran and put their heads in a stack of wood, just by. After the smoke had cleared a little, my friend said ‘Here’s off from the spot, and you must stick to me as close as you can!’ at the same time informing me that it was the French magazine which we had recently passed. I could not keep up with him, and soon found myself in the midst of a number of French officers, scampering along as fast as we could go. I overtook my friend, and we halted on the brow of the hill, beneath which was the spot where the explosion took place. The powder was still exploding, and a soldier advised us not to go any further, as it was not possible to tell if other explosions would not occur.-
Page:Item 5 1853.pdf/284
From Historical Hastings
This page has been proofread