THE MAIN FJGIIT. 309 whilst duleiiding Home liidge, it becomes appar- CHAP. cut that at the close of this Second Period a very . 1 Riiiall number indeed would suffice to represent 2'^^'*'^' the whole strength of the organised English in- fantry then ready to meet the next blow. Under every aspect this enormous diminution of the immediately effective strength was a change of grave import ; but more especially so in its bearing upon the fate of the next hour's conflict ; and upon the whole it must be judged that, in spite of the incessant defeats he had been sustain- ing, the enemy might at last fairly hope to con- quer fortune by a resolute use of his power. It was now half-past eight o'clock. THIRD PERIOD. 8.30 A.M. TO 9.15 A.M. The battalions thrown forward by Dannenberg zdPeriixL when he made all the recent attacks had suffered of thT'^ losses in battle which largely reduced their original ^^Mount number of 10,000 ; * but they continued to be in luhi"um, a well-organised state, nay, were even so little disheartened as to be already judged fit for the effort of another great onslaught; and, the 9000 f men in reserve being yet quite untouched, it may be taken for granted that at the opening of this Third Period, the enemy still had on Mount
- 10,712. t 9036 without the Sappers.
