Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/292

 248 THE I5ATTLE OF INKERMAN. CHAP. VI. 2d Period Gorge con- fronted by troops of the 95th Regiment. Cliarge of the 95th : its effect column moving up from the bed of St Clement's Gorge. Confrontinor this mass from the western crest of the Kitspur, there stood the wing of the 95th, or rather that major part of it which, though numbering little more than about a hundred men, still constituted its main body. From the edge of the steep, this fraction of the Derbies was looking straight down on the front of the column below. All at once, by some voice still unknown, the word ' Charge ! ' was uttered in a tone of command ; but the men instinctively felt that a charge down the steep must be wrong, and without yet obeying the order, they looked to their officers for guidance. Those officers, how- ever, believed that the word of command, if un- wise, was spoken, nevertheless, with authority ; and not enduring that an order to charge should be met by mere criticism instead of obedience, they repeated and began to enforce it. Led by Captain Sargent — a man of powerful will — the Grenadier company moved, and the whole line of these 95th men charged straight down the steep. Not awaiting their headlong assault, the column below broke asunder, and turned and fled. Our men followed in downward pursuit, and even, indeed, pressed the enemy's heels part - way up the opposite bank ; whilst some of them, turning to their right, went in chase of a body which had separated itself from the rest, and was de- scending along the bed of the gorge. It was whilst restraining the too eager pursuit of some of the soldiery that the brave, pious Champion