Editing Battle of the Alma (section)

===Retreat and second attack===
[[File:Batalla del río Almá, por Richard Caton Woodville.jpg|thumb|The Coldstream Guards at the Alma, by [[Richard Caton Woodville]] 1896]]

By now, the 1st Division had finally crossed the river and the Russians in the greater redoubt saw approaching them the Guards' Brigade, with the [[Grenadier Guards]] on the right, the [[Scots Guards|Scots Fusilier Guards]] in the centre, and the [[Coldstream Guards]] on the left. Out of sight on the far left was the Highland Brigade, commanded by Sir [[Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde|Colin Campbell]]. Campbell was irritated by the Guards' delay and ordered an immediate advance. A firm believer in the [[bayonet charge|charge with bayonets]], Campbell told his men not to fire their rifles until they were "within a yard of the Russians".{{sfnp|Spilsbury|2005|pp=64-65}}

The Scots Fusiliers, by then ahead of the rest of the division, started to move uphill immediately, repeating the Light Division's mistake, which at that moment was running down from the redoubt, pursued by Russian infantry. The Light Division crashed into the advancing Scots Fusiliers with such force that the line was broken in many places. The Scots faltered, but emerged on the other side with only half their numbers and continued towards the great redoubt in a chaotic state. When they were {{convert|40|yd|m|0|abbr=on|order=flip}} from the redoubt, the Russians mounted a massive volley. The Scots Fusiliers were forced to retreat, stopping only when they reached the river; they remained in the riverbank shelter for the rest of the battle, ignoring repeated orders to advance.{{sfnp|Annesley|1854|pp=54-55}}

The two other guards regiments filled the gap left by the Scots Fusiliers, but refused orders to charge with bayonets up the hill. Instead, the Grenadiers and the Coldstream formed into lines and started firing [[Minié ball|Minié]] volleys into the Russian advance parties. This stopped the Russians, and the Grenadiers and the Coldstream were soon able to close the gap between them; the Russians were again forced back into the redoubt.{{sfnp|Figes|2011|p=214}}