Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/558

 514 APPENDIX. went fighting out in the front, but the other half was for some time retained on Home Eidge. At length, however, the 95th in two separate bodies was pushed forward, and then the number of Pennefather's organised infantry still left on the Home Ridge became reduced to less than 400. NOTE VIII. Lieutenant, now Colonel, McDonald, Adjdtant of THE 95 th at Inkerman. When Lieutenant McDonald feU wounded, a soldier came up and disengaged him from his horse, and seated him with his face towards the body of Russian troops then approaching, and his back supported by a bush.* The man wished to remain with him, but McDonald said INo, and when the man stiU persisted, McDonald ordered him to retreat, and was then left sitting alone. When the Russians approached, they fired at him a great number of shots, and several struck him, but many more struck only his outer coat. Presently the Russians, seeing that he was not dead, came up close and began prodding at him with their bayonets. He says he did not feel the pain of the thrusts, but he confirms the experience which gives rise to the expression, ' cold steel.' He managed to raise himself on one leg, and make signs that he was a wounded man, but without effect, and he continued to receive bayonet-thrusts. He used his fists against some of the assailants, and for the moment not quite ineff"ectuaUy, but soon he was again pros- trate. When he was down, the Russians continued to poke at him with their bayonets, and now also they banged him a.s shown in the text, had marched up unopposed through the ' Gap.'
 * The Russian force was apparently that ISkoutsk battalion, which,