Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/304

 260 THE BATTLE OF INKEKMAN. CHAP. VI. 2d Period. Result of the attack. he thus opened were after all so narrow, so few, and so far apart, that the body, in spite of such stabs, was able to hold together ; and one must infer, though no witnesses speak, that of the brave ' Twentieth ' men who thus engulfed themselves bodily in the depths of the column, a large propor- tion fell slain. Still, if Eussian narrators speak truly, there were some, at least, of our soldiery who cut their way out through the column.* Upon the whole, it resulted that the column, although for some moments forced back at one part, and at others pierced, riven, and torn by individual assailants, was able to maintain its ground on the crest. There were some of the English who had not either cut their way through, or fallen in the struggle. These de- sisting at length from their singular onslaught, dropped back one by one, or in small knots, under the shelter of the steep, some remaining, it seems, within a few paces of the enemy, some choosing their berths lower down. They had ex hausted their cartridges, and could not vex the column with fire. The Russian commander apparently was con- body of their desperate assailants succeeded in cutting through. ' At this moment,' says General de Todleben, 'confusion began ' in the ranks' [the ranks of Cathcart's soldiery], 'but being ' and throwing themselves with desperation [en de.sesperees] ' upon the liikoutsk regiment, thej' succeeded in forcing its ' ranks, and cutting for tlunnsidves a way through the midst of ' our .soldiers,' p. 473. My own sources of information do not, at present, enable me to eonfirni tliis on Knglisli authority.
 * The Rus.sian.s, indeed, seem to have thonght that the main
 * tjuickly rallied, these brave troops made a supreme effort,