Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/164

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120 THE BATTLE OF INKEKMAN. 1st Period. CHAP, batauts thus advancing auainst him. Breakins in through their centre with a great weight of numbers, he not only sundered their two right- hand companies from the two which constituted their left, but continued to drive forward vigor- ously betwixt the severed wings, and compelled the two right-hand companies to fall back.* But if the Rangers were thus overpowered on their right, their left was at this time victorious. When their two left-hand companies^ found themselves confronted by a strong body of Rus- sian infantry, then crossing the Mikriakoff Glen, they opened fire upon the enemy thus advancing against them, received his fire in return, and then charging at once down the steep he was seeking to mount, they not only drove him before them into the bed of the glen, but pursued him along its course, and across the Jut Road, and far up the opposite acclivity, never staying, indeed, their chase till at nearly the top of the hill they en- countered a stone wall some five or six feet high. A little beyond this wall they saw, drawn up on the brow, eight columns of Russian infantry with moreover a powerful force of artillery .J A few

  • These were the Grenadiers, and the No. 5 company.

t These were the No. 7 company under Lieutenant Baynes, and the Light company under Captain Crosse. The victorious advance of those two companies was about to divide tliem from the rest of the force, and it is therefore fitting to add that the senior officer present with them during the period of the sepam- tion was Major Maxwell. t Lieutenant Baynes, I believe, counted only seven columns,