Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/358

 314 THE BATTLE OF INKERMAN. CHAP, broken up into several small bodies — were rang- L_ ing out far and wide to harass the enemy's ad- idPenod. yance, in conformity with Penuefather's favourite system ; whilst another portion of the two thou- sand, having also a strength of about 600, and commanded by Colonel Ainslie and Colonel Swyny, stood drawn up in line between the left of the Home Eidge and the Barrier with a front that looked towards the north-east ; * but the 800 English troops which remained after deducting those two bodies of 600 each were either on the Home Kidge itself or else closely approaching it.*}* In the judgment of Pennefather, as we saw, the loss of this little hillock would involve the sheer ruin of the Allies ; but apparently he still trusted much to his plan of fighting out in the front, or else put his faith in the steadfastness of the ' 7th L^ger,' now closely approaching ; for certainly the English troops that he had at this time on the Home Eidge itself were not only few, but all placed so exclusively on the flanks as to be leaving the crest at its centre altogether un- guarded by infantry. On the right at Hill Bend, Colonel Upton re- tained his position with some 120 men of the Guards; but it will be seen that all the rest of our infantry disposed at this time on Home Eidge were gathered towards the opposite flank ; for some + About 590 (as presently shown) on the Ridge, and 200 ap* [)roaching under Egertoii.
 * As shown ante, p. 299.