Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/314

 270 THE BATTLE OF INKERMAN. CHAP, force which had undertaken to block their VI. ,, path. M Period. -piie soldiery who moved along the margin of the Ledgeway with the colours of the Grenadier Guards had already, by this time, made some little way towards the rear ; but they were only a part of ' the hundred ' which had abstained from pnr- suit. With a streugtli of perhaps some three score, they were moving against a battalion of which one part directly confronted them, whilst the other swirled past them on their then right, and they had no troops thrown out to cover them in rear or in flank. They still went on forcing their way, but only, as it seemed, to thrust themselves more and more absolutely into the enemy's power. The two colours had become separated, the regimental colour in the hands of Verschoyle having made some twenty paces more way towards the rear than the Queen's colour, carried by Turner. The group immediately surrounding this last standard was in general very small, and though having at one time a strength of about fifteen, numbered during some perilous moments only five or six men. It occurred to some one that the sight of the colours in danger would be likely to draw stragglers towards them, and this, it seems, was the real purpose of the shout now all at once heard ; but the words, as it happened — the words, ' Carry high the colours ! ' — had a brave welcome sound, giving strength to the resolve of the men, and inflaming their soldierly pride. Whilst our people thus strove to open a path