Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/151

 THE MAIN FIGHT. 107 rriiice Edward of Saxe-Wellnar, who was on cHAP. picket duty with his company of the Grenadier __' Guards at Quarter-guard Point, could scarcely ^^^ Period " ° T • i '''"* defeated have hoped that his watch (which was in the by a picket i ^ of the nature of a ' quarter-guard ' thrown out from Ben- Guards, tinck's camp, and quite unconnected with the general system of the English outposts) would all at once prove to be in the front of battle ; but with the hitherto unresisted approach of the Under-road Column thus turning the Hank of the 2d Division, he saw his opportunity coming. After first drawing back the men to ground which seemed apt for his design, he caused them there to lie down in skirmishing order, and open fire upon the flank of the elongated column then already moving up by the Well-way, and striking into the flank and left rear of Pennefather's camp. The troops thus smitten fell back. Prince Ed- ward pressed their retreat, took from them some prisoners, moved down after them to the verge of the crag which was the extreme limit of his watch, and thence pursued them with fire. The second body of Eussian troops at this time thrown forward was, it seems, a battalion of the Catherinburg regiment, which undertook to cross the Mikriakoff Glen, and advance towards the point of the Spur on its southern side.* deliberate orders given for the purpose — the body was composed of soldiers who had separated themselves from the columns on the high ground, and descended thence into the bed of the Careenage Ravine at a part near its upper extremity. Oatherinburg regiment was 3298, and accordingly the stri-ngth
 * The strength of the four battalions which composed the