Complex sentence: At first, Charette and Lescure's men pushed back the Republican left flank and overran five guns, but the attacks were poorly timed and the column of Elbée and Royrand came up too late.
Split into simpler sentences: At first, Charette and Lescure's men pushed back the Republican left flank and overran five guns. But the attacks were poorly timed and the column of Elbée and Royrand came up too late.