110 THE BATTLE OF INKERMAN. CHAP. VI. Itt Period. Grant's encounter with a Russian column. Acceleratioi of the impending onset. that spot by the Mikriakoff Glen, where Dalton's wing of the 49th, now commanded by Grant, had been posted.* With this little force Grant was sitting at ease in his saddle, and suffering his wiseacre pony to browse on the Inkerman oak- leaves, when the Eussian column approaching first darkened the mist, and then all at once seemed to break through it. Grant, speaking brief to his people, said, ' Give them a volley and ' charge ! ' He was obeyed. His men delivered their fire, and then cheering, with their bayonets down at the charge drove straight at the opposing mass, broke fiercely into its ranks, and not only trod down all resistance, but even made bold to take prisoners. Then Grant pressed on in pur- suit to the foot of Shell Hill, and even there did not stop, but persisted in his chase of the column till he drove it at length fairly in through the lino of the enemy's guns. This blow, it would seem, was the one which provoked the impending attack a little before its due time ; for Soimonoif, losing liis patience, resolved to move forward at once without any longer awaiting the accession of PaulofTs forces. IX. From the ground where Grant's people halted when staying at last their pursuit, they could
- Major Dalton, already mortally wounded, had been suc-
ceeded in command of the wing by Major Thornton Grant The wing came into action with a strength of 245 men.
