The Story of a Soldier's Life Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1904 edition. Excerpt: ... lay in having an able, vigorous general on the spot to arrange for the defence of it with the troops he had, and they were but a confused handful composed of many regiments. When he went back he left his men without a leader, without any one to tell the regimental officers what to do, or where to place their men. Within forty-eight hours of the event I had gathered from my brother officers who were in the OUR REPULSE AT THE REDAN Redan up to the last moment, doing nothing and not knowing what to do, that there was no one there to give them orders or to make any arrangements for the defence of the place they had taken. For it must never be forgotten that they did take the Redan, and the fact that we were beaten out of it was not the fault of the gallant and devoted soldiers who stormed it, but of those who planned such a ridiculous assault, and who left them there without support. The French, when beaten, too often cry out," nous sommes trahis." The officers who entered the Redan that day were incapable of making any such public or ridiculous charge against their superiors, but in talking over with me, their brother officer, the events of that day immediately after their occurrence they were open-mouthed in their condemnation of those in authority who were responsible for the plan of attack and for its execution. I draw a curtain over my remembrance of what I learnt from my brother officers, and from others, at that time regarding this disaster. I content myself with saying that had Sir Colin Campbell been given command of the whole business, and allowed to make his own arrangements and plans, and to employ the Highland Brigade, who had practically suffered no loss during the war, we should never have been beaten out of the Redan on September 8....