THE MAIN FIGHT. 127 XVI. General Buller in person had marched from his chap. camp rather later than the four companies of the ^^' Connaught Eangers, but he now opportunely came ^^^ Period. up from the left rear of Pennefather's camp. It General . , , . IP • Buller with IS true, he brouglit with him only lour companies some men (comprising just 259 men) of the 77th Eegiment nnder under Colonel Egerton ; but this force, small as it seems, was destined to exert a strong sway over the course of the battle. With their right towards the shoulder of the ms advanct Home Ridge and their left closely skirting the eueluy-s Well-way, the companies of the 77th, having masses""' already wheeled into line, moved diving into the mist and the smoke, guided rather by the sound- ing tumult of battle than by anything that had yet been descried, but at length the shot whis- tling past them, and th e busy flashes of the mus- ketry jetting out from the cloud in their front, disclosed the near presence of hostile infantry. The four companies passed Thornton Grant on their left ; * and continued to advance. In thus pressing forward. Colonel Egerton — however un- knowingly — was opposing his 259 men to the right wing of a body scarce less than 8000 strong, then led on by Soinionoff in person to attack the English position ; f whilst, to aid his small force, in encountering these masses, there was nothing
- Grant himself — now General Grant — bears witness to this,
t 7938 — i.e., Soinionoff 's attacking force of 9586, less the strengths of the 1st Catherinburt,' battalion defeated by Fordyce,
