General Bosquet had command of all the French troops employed on the right of the English attack.  MacMahon’s division was to assault the Malakoff itself, having De Wimpffen’s brigade with Camou’s division in reserve, and with it two battalions of Zouaves of the Guard.  On MacMahon’s right La Motterouge’s division, composed of the brigades of Bourbaki and Picard, was to attack the curtain.  It was supported by four regiments, two of grenadiers and two of Voltigeurs of the Guard.  Still farther north was Dulac’s division, supported by Marolle’s brigade of Camou’s division and one battalion of Chasseurs of the Guard.  These were to attack the Little Redan.  Pelissier himself took up his position in the Mamelon, and to avoid giving warning to the enemy by any system of a general signal, the watches of the staff and the generals were carefully compared in order that the assault might be begun at twelve o’clock.  This hour was chosen by Pelissier in consequence of his having ascertained that the troops on duty in the Russian trenches were relieved at that hour, and owing to the works being cramped from the number of traverses and blindages erected to cover their garrisons from fire, it had become the habit for the old guard of the works to march out before the relief marched in, and it was thus anticipated that at twelve o’clock the works would be nearly empty.  This surmise proved to be accurate.

The French had taken great trouble to screen the concentration of their troops from the sight of the enemy.  Each division had a separate access to the advanced trenches in which the storming parties were to assemble.  In places where the parapets, having sunk, might have disclosed to the view of the enemy the troops moving into position, they had been carefully raised.  Cuts had been made through parapets to admit of the supports moving forward in bodies, and to allow field-artillery batteries, which were stationed at the Victoria redoubt and the old Lancaster battery, to pass through to the front.  These apertures had been filled up with gabions, and carefully concealed, so that their position remained unknown to the enemy.

General Herbillon, still encamped on the Tchernaya, was directed to cause his force (less Camou’s division called up to support La Motterouge, and Dulac) to stand to arms at twelve o’clock, and his command was reenforced by a brigade of cuirassiers under General De Forton.  The morning was dull and gloomy, with a cold wind which drove clouds of dust into the air.  A little before twelve o’clock all the French storming parties were crouching ready for the order.

Bosquet himself was in the sixth parallel; MacMahon, surrounded by his staff, was standing in the front trench with his watch in his hand.  No one spoke in this group, in which the calm faces showed no sign of the excitement visible in the zouaves on either side of them, who, though silent, were trembling with impatience.  Close at hand there was a corporal holding a little tricolor.  Two minutes before twelve o’clock the word was passed in an undertone, “Ready,” and as the hands indicated it was twelve o’clock, on a command from MacMahon a shout arose of “Vive l’Empereur!” bugles and drums sounded the charge, and the zouaves dashed straight at the Malakoff.