Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 5.djvu/322

 300 THE BATTLE OF BALACLAVA. chap. As in the battles of old times, so now, and not for the first time, this day, he who was the chief on one side singled out for his special foe the man who seemed chief on the other. Shewell had not the advantage of being highly skilled as a swords- man, and being conscious of his deficiency in this respect, he asked himself how best he could act. The result was that he determined to rely upon the power which can be exerted by sheer impact. He resolved that, whilst charging at the head of his little band of horsemen, he would single out the Eussian officer whom he perceived to be the leader of the opposing force, and endeavour to overthrow him by the shock of a heavy concus- sion. To do this the more effectively he discarded the lessons of the riding-school, clenched a rein in each hand, got his head somewhat down ; and, as though he were going at a leap which his horse, unless forced, might refuse, drove full at the Rus- sian chief. The assailant came on so swift, so resolute, and, if so one may speak, with such a conscientious exactness of aim that, for the Rus- sian officer who sat in his saddle under the dis- advantage of having to await the onset, there remained no alternative at the last moment but either to move a little aside or else be run down without mercy by this straightforward, pious hussar. As was only natural, the charger of the Russian officer shrank aside to avoid the shock ; and Shewell, still driving straight on, with all his momentum unchecked, broke through the two ranks of the Lancers. He was well followed by