Waterbury Evening Democrat

THE HIGHLANDERS AT ALMA
Sir Colin Campbell's Appeal to National Pride--Thrilling Story.

Our fine brigade of guards was severely cut up when the Highlanders drew near, and then, as Kinglake tells us, a man in one of the regiments reforming on the slope, cried in the deep and honest bitterness of his heart: "Let the Scotsmen go on! they'll do the work!" and with his three kilted battalions, Sir Colin, whose horse was shot under him, advanced to meet twelve of the enemy. "Now, men," said he, "you are going into action, and remember this, that whoever is wounded, I don't care what his rank is, must lie where he falls. No soldier must carry off wounded men. If any man does such a thing his name shall be stuck up in his parish kirk. Be steady-keep silence -fire low! Now, men, the army is watching us! Make me proud of my Highland brigade!"

So beautifully does the author of "Eothen"-an eye witness of this part of the battle describe their movements, that we cannot resist quoting him again. "The ground they had to ascend was a good deal more steep and broken than the slope close beneath the redoubt. In the land where those Scots are bred there are shadows of sailing clouds skimming up the mountain side, and their paths are rugged and steep; yet their course is smooth, easy and swift. Smoothly, easily and swiftly the Black Watch seemed to glide up the hill. A few instants before and their tartans ranged dark in the valley; now their plumes were on the crest." Another line came on in echelon, and another still-the Cameron and the Sutherland Highlanders. And now, to the eyes of the superstitious Russians, the strange uniforms of those bare kneed troops seemed novel and even terrible; their white, waving sporrans were taken for the heads of low horses, and they cried to each other that the angel of light had departed and that the demon of death had come.

A close and deadly fire was now poured into these "gray blocks," as Russell calls the Russian squares. No particular sound followed, save the yells of the wounded, while the Highlanders "cast about" to reload; but after their next volley a strange, rattling noise was heard, as the bullets fell like rain among their tin canteens and kettles which the enemy carried outside their knapsacks, for they were all right about face now. A wail of despair floated over these gray coated masses of Muscovite infantry as they broke and fled, throwing away muskets, knapsacks and everything that might encumber their flight; and now for the first time rose the Highland cheer. - Cassell's "British Battles on Land and Sea."