312 THE BATTLE OF INKEKMAN. CHAP VI. 3d Period. Their dis- positions for the attack. The great trunk column. The flanki troops. resting thus largely upon the advantages of the Quarry Kavine were much favoured, of course, by the circumstance of its offering two parallel roads for the advance of the columns.* The central or great trunk column of the as- sailing force consisted of two heavy masses, one moving in support to the other, and containing each two battalions.f Our people from some cause had hitherto seen very little of Russian colours in action ; X but with the four battalions constituting this trunk of infantry, the enemy was now visibly carrying a standard, and one of great size.§ It was in charge of the second mass. The other forces advancing against the Home Ridge consisted of single battalion or single company columns with skirmishers covering their advance; and these detached bodies were so placed and so moved that they shielded the great ng trunk column on both ilanks, and ultimately spread out far in front of it a moving thicket of bayonets, which thus practically, if not by design, was destined to act as the 'vanguard' of
- The old road in the bed of the ravine, and the new one
scientifically carried on terraces along its left bank. + These, it is believed, were the four battalions of the lilkoutsk regiment. + Though foriiiin.i,' only the fourth part of a regiment, each Russian battalion had its ' flag,' but our people, I believe, rarely if ever saw these minor standards in action. They were pro- bably small, and ' cased.' § The standird, 1 suppose, of the whole regiment— i.e., of all the four battalions. The evidently abnormal appearance of the standard made one question whether it might not have been an ' Icon,' that is, a flat 'image'— a picture, or a basso-relievo— of some protecting saint.
