march at six in the morning
Had the army made a flank march , the enemy must either have retired at once , or have been liable to an attack upon their right flank , when , if beaten , they would have been driven down to the sea-shore under the guns of the ships , and killed or captured , to a man . Unfortunately , however , owing to the jealousies between the two generals , the illness of Marshal Arnaud , and the incapacity of Lord Raglan , there was neither plan nor concert . The armies simply fought as they marched , each general of division doing his best and leading his men at that portion of the enemy 's position which happened to be opposite to him . The sole understanding arrived at was that the armies were to march at six in the morning ; that General Bosquet 's division , which was next to the sea , was , covered by guns of the ships , to first carry the enemy 's position there ; and that when he had obtained a footing upon the plateau , a general attack was to be made . Even this plan , simple as it was , was not fully carried out , as Lord Raglan did not move his troops till nine in the morning . Three precious hours were therefore wasted , and a pursuit after the battle which would have turned the defeat into a rout was therefore prevented , and Sebastopol saved , to cost tens of thousands of lives before it fell . The Russian position on the Alma was along a crest of hills .