Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/471

 THE MAIN FIGHT. 427 task of attack, for in truth the same kind of acts chap which before would have been acts of defence '_ had now an aggressive force. To fight for the ^"'■p«"<"' Barrier in the hours when Dannenberg was an assailant had been to defend the Home Ridge by fighting half a mile in its front. To fight for the Barrier now was, as it were, to hold open by force the gate of the enemy's castle, and grievously embarrass his defence. It was rather as a con- sequence of the enemy's having abandoned the offensive than from any abrupt change yet made in their own measures that the efforts of oui' people acquired an aggressive character. But a power somewhile in abeyance now again came into activity. The strength of Shell Hill, after all, had been mainly owing to the magnificent vantage-ground it afforded to Dannenberg's bat- teries ; and in proportion as it might become more and more difficult for the artillery there planted to hold its ground, the position of course would not only become less and less tenable, but less and less worth defending. It was therefore, as we said long ago, that Lord Eaglau was sub- stantially taking the offensive when he began to subdue the enemy's batteries by means of his heavier metal. After the interval of comparative repose occasioned by want of ammunition, this distinctly aggressive power was called into action once more, and again the 18-pounder shot flew, tearing into the enemy's batteries, and compel- ling them — not indeed to retreat altogether, but — to writhe and to shrink and to shift their ground