Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/181

THE MAIN FIGHT. 137 ran past them, but they afterwards jumped up chap. unhurt, and increasing by degrees to a number '. — much greater than that of the whole force against ^"^ ■^*"'"'- them, these 'resurrection boys' — for so in their mirth our soldiery called them — became a some- what grave danger in Egerton's rear, for it seemed at one moment that his scanty force might be heaved forward by the sheer weight of the crowd pressing on from behind, and so carried bodily forward between two reuniting throngs of Eus- sians into the midst of the enemy's lines. The numbers of Russians in Egerton's rear were too formidable to allow of their being made prisoners ; and our people indeed so desired to be rid of foes swarming behind them, that there resulted in the midst of the strife a kind of tacit accord. The resurgents on their part, whilst sheering off by the flanks, took care to give no offence ; and the English soldier, contented, allowed them to make their way past without either shooting them down, or trying to intercept their retreat. At length, on the slope of Shell Hill, Colonel uieTTtu Egerton came to a halt. He re-formed the scant, haitetfin au straggling line which had swept thus victoriously position, from the very camp of the English to the edge of the Russian position ; and, artillery-fire from the heights having opened by this time against him, he caused his men to lie down. The column still retreating before its now recumbent foes, and still pursued by their fire, was half-way up the hillside, when the sole mounted officer — he rode a dark-coloured charger — whom the English