THE MAIN FIGHT. 369 brought, they did this at once with great willing- chap. ness, and afterwards fought very well. ' Colonel Haines, too, at nearly this time, made '*"' ^*"* a separate effort in person to obtain some small reinforcement, as also a supply of ammunition, and not without a result ; for Pennefather (with Egerton's assent) gave him an augmented com- pany of the 77th Eegiment under Lieutenant Acton, and at once sent forward some cart- ridges.* Pennefather, (who had told Colonel jraich of Egerton that the men he required were to skir- men^under pGnnG* mish in front), rode across from the left with fauier;s Acton's company till it reached the Post-road. Then — as though it were really his policy to mask the scantiness of the reinforcement by tumult — he sent the men into the fight by bidding them to go fast down the Post -road and shout as loud as they could. English soldiery engaged in deter- mined, yet orderly fighting, are famed for their
- terrible silence,' interrupted only at cardinal
moments by the roar of an opportune cheer ; and
- Haines requested Major Rooper of the Rifles to execute
this mission, but Rooper, not knowing the ground, doubted whether he should be able to find Pennefather ; and there being no other mounted officer within reach, Haines himself galloped back to see Pennefather, leaving Rooper for the mo- ment in charge at the Barrier. The force which I have called 'an augmented company of the 77th,' comprised the company which Acton had been commanding all day with the half of another company added to it. The first supply of ammunition sent down to the Barrier comprised only Minie cartridges, and proved useless to the greater number of the men there engaged, because they were armed with the musket ; but the mistake was afterwards remedied. VOL. VI. 2 A
