nine o'clock in the
morning
It was evident that the weather was breaking up , and the ten days of lovely weather which had been wasted at sea were more bitterly regretted than ever . No tents were landed , and the troops remained wet to the skin , with the additional mortification of seeing their French allies snugly housed under canvas , while even the 4000 Turks had managed to bring their tents with them . The natural result was that sickness again attacked the troops , and hundreds were prostrated before , three days later , they met the enemy on the Alma . The French were ready to march on the 17th , but it was not until two days later , that the British were ready ; then at nine o'clock in the morning the army advanced . The following is the list of the British force . The light division under Sir George Brown -- 2d Battalion Rifle Brigade , 7th Fusiliers , 19th Regiment , 23d Fusiliers , under Brigadier Major-General Codrington ; 33d Regiment , 77th Regiment , 88th Regiment , under Brigadier-General Butler . First division , under the Duke of Cambridge -- The Grenadier , Coldstream and Scots Fusilier Guards , under Major-General Bentinck ; the 42d , 79th and 93d Highlanders , under Brigadier-General Sir C. Campbell .