Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/280

 236 THE BATTLE OF INKERMAN. CHAP. VI. 2d Period. Colonel Crofton's charge with some men of the 20th. 20th Eegiment, or rather to that fraction of it which had aligned upon the right of the Cold- stream, and was now divided by only a narrow space from the scene of the charge led by Torrens. Desiring, perhaps (as he naturally might), to act in conformity with the operations of Cathcart (who was his divisional chief), Crofton undertook to assail the battalion directly confronting him, but was wounded at an early moment. A staff officer chanced to ride up who proved to be Colonel Cunynghame, 'an old Twentieth man.'* Lieutenant Dowling f accosting him said : ' Col- ' onel, all our mounted officers are killed, or 'wounded. Where shall we go T Cunynghame accepting the leadership thus cast upon him by the chances of battle, caused the troops to form a well-knit line, marched them down to within a hundred yards of the enemy's column, and then, halting them, opened a fire which forced the bat- talion to yield. The halt of these ' Twentieth ' men was not long maintained. When Cunyng- hame left them, they not only advanced in pur- suit, but 'drove the Eussians like sheep,' and were soon far below the crest, some getting down close to the spot where Cathcart sat in his saddle, and in this fortuitous way rejoining the com- mander of their own division. We before marked the kind of predicament in which stood those Grenadiers and other in- one time commanded a battalion of the 20th. + This young offirer was souu afterwards killed.
 * He was A.Q.M.G. attached to the 1st Division, hut had at