Followed by the young midshipmen, Captain Peel strode away through the mist, which was now heavy with gunpowder-smoke.  They passed through the camp of the second division, which was absolutely deserted, except that there was a bustle round the hospital marquees, to which a string of wounded, some carried on stretchers, some making their way painfully on foot, was flowing in.

Many of the tents had been struck down by the Russian shot; black heaps showed where others had been fired by the shell.  Dimly ahead, when the mist lifted, could be seen bodies of men, while on a distant crest were the long lines of Russian guns, whose fire swept the British regiments.

“I suppose these regiments are in reserve?” Jack said, as he passed some of Sir R. England’s division, lying down in readiness to move to the front when required, most of the battalions having already gone forward to support the troops who were most pressed.

Presently Captain Peel paused on a knoll, close to a body of mounted officers.

“There’s Lord Raglan,” Allison said, nudging Jack.  “That’s the headquarter staff.”

At that moment a shell whizzed through the air, and exploded in the centre of the group.

Captain Gordon’s horse was killed, and a portion of the shell carried away the leg of General Strangeway.  The old general never moved, but said quietly,—­

“Will any one be kind enough to lift me off my horse?”

He was laid down on the ground, and presently carried to the rear, where an hour afterwards he died.

Jack and his comrades, who were but a few yards away, felt strange and sick, for it was the first they had seen of battle close at hand.  Lord Raglan, with his staff, moved slowly forward.  Captain Peel asked if he should bring up his sailors, but was told to hold them in reserve, as the force in the trenches had already been fearfully weakened.

“Stay here,” Captain Peel said to the midshipmen.  “I shall go forward a little, but do you remain where you are until I return.  Just lie down behind the crest.  You will get no honor if you are hit here.”

The lads were not sorry to obey, for a perfect hail of bullets was whistling through the air.  The mist had lifted still farther, and they could obtain a sight of the whole line along which the struggle was raging, scarce a quarter of a mile in front of them.  Sometimes the remnants of a regiment would fall back from the front, when a fresh battalion from the reserves came up to fill its place, then forming again, would readvance into the thick belt of smoke which marked where the conflict was thickest.  Sometimes above the roll of musketry would come the sharp rattle which told of a volley by the British rifles.

Well was it that two out of the three divisions were armed with Minies, for these created terrible havoc among the Russians, whose smooth-bores were no match for these newly-invented weapons.