Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/528

 484 THE BATTLE OF INKERMAN. CHAP English marksman stood wrapped in thick mist ^"^' and smoke with a howling throng of Russians before hira ; but, irrespective of its accuracy, this weapon was, besides, an exceedingly strong-shoot- ing firearm. In the hands of our soldiery, it sent the lead deeper than a musket well could through the flesh of a closely -packed column ; but no corresponding advantage would have been as- sured to the Russians by giving them the same weapon as their English adversaries, because our people, being extended in line or drawn out into slender chains of skirmishers, did not ever afford to the enemy a target so thick that it could be more deeply penetrated by a shot from a rifle than one from a common musket. And again, it must not be understood that the enemy was altogether without the new arm. He had on Mount Inkerman no less than 1800 riflemen;* and considering the narrowness of the front upon which he in general fought, this was not an in- significant number. Upon the whole, it would seem that the ascen- dancy of our people in this particular Inkerman fight was not so much owing to their weapon as many inclined to suppose. The men of the 4th Division who became engaged in the fighting left no room for saying that the power of other " Viz., belonging to his Rirte battalions, . 649 Distributed amongst his line regiments, 1152 1801