Editing Battle of the Alma (section)

===Final stage===
Without entrenchments to protect its infantry and artillery, the Russian Army was unable to defend its position on the heights against the deadly Minié rifles. Soon, the fire of the Guards was joined by the 2nd Division under Evans, on the British right. Its [[30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot|30th Regiment of Foot]] could clearly see the gunners of three Russian batteries from the riverbank and take them out with their Minié rifles before they could redeploy the guns. As the Russian infantry and artillery withdrew, the British slowly advanced uphill.{{sfnp|Figes|2011|p=215}} By 16:00, the allies were converging on the Russian positions from all directions, with the Guards on the left overcoming the last Russian reserves on the Kurgan Hill, Codrington's men and the other Guards closing in on the great redoubt, and the 2nd Division pushing up the Sevastopol Road. With the French in command of the cliffs above the Alma, the battle clearly had been decided.{{sfnp|Small|2007|pp=51–54}}

The Russians fled in all directions, running down into the valley and away from the enemy. Mounted officers tried in vain to stop the panicked flight, but the men had decided they had had enough.{{sfnp|Figes|2011|p=216}} Most of the Russian soldiers retreated towards the Kacha River in small groups, without officers or any clear idea of what to do or where to go. Many were not reunited with their regiments for several days. At the top of Telegraph Hill, the French captured the abandoned carriage of Menshikov. In it they found a [[field kitchen]], letters from the [[Tsar]], 50,000 francs, pornographic French novels, the general's boots, and some ladies' underwear. On the hill were abandoned picnics, parasols and field glasses, left behind by the spectators from Sevastopol.{{sfnp|Bazancourt|1856|pp=260-262}}