Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/382

 338 THE BATTLE OF INKEKMAN. C II A P. VI. Sd Period. English soldiery interiiostvl l>etveen tioilies (•'f Russian troojis. AdvaTico of the great trunk column to llie Harrier. Before witnessing the advance of the great trunk column, we must see what troops stood confronting it at the head of the Quarry Ravine ; and in reference to that last subject some few words of elucidation seem necessary. Tiiose portions of the enemy's vanguard which gained and held for some minutes the crest of HcJine Ridge were, all of them, troops which had avoided the Barrier by turning one or other of its flanks ; * and when they pushed on their advance beyond that part of the Post-road, they there left behind them a ribbon of ground which neither they nor any other of their people had as yet overswept. Without knowing this, it might be hard to account for the presence of English soldiery, interposed (as we shall presently see them) between the head of the great trunk column and the enemy's more advanced troops. After the close of his fighting on the Kitspur, Bellairs had worked his way across to the Barrier, and was now lying posted behind it with only, indeed, a small remnant of his three companies ; but having near him some officers of other regi- ments and several little knots of soldiery who brought up the whole number of men to about 150. Preceded by a thick line of skirmishers, the head of the great trunk column was now seen approaching the Barrier. Bellairs and the other 'vanguard' was furnished exclusively I'v what Iiad been the flankinf; I'uluiinis.
 * As explained ante, p. 312, where it is shown that the