The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-01-14

But meanwhile the great trunk col.
umn of the Russian attack. 1000 strong
with a dense fringe OF sklrmishers run.
alng before It, was moving up from the
Quarry Ravine. ana TO oppose It were
some two. hundred and fifty men, the
wrecks of several reglments-the Fifty
fifty. Fifty-seventh, and Seventh-sey-
enth-and less than 1000 Frenchmen--
the Seventh Legcr. The French troops
were young, and Of uncertain quality.
In one mood they deployed across the
front Of the advancing Russians WI4h
swift GOODNESS altogether admirable.
and maintained a fire SO close and sure
that the slaughter In the Russian ranks
was dreadful. But in the interval be-
tween the volleys. when busy reload
Ing, the young French soldiers were
apparently seized by the thought that
the Russian line, already SO close,
might deliver bayonet charge, and the
mass began TO change its structure, to
shrink back, and then to fall back!
Their officers made gallant attempts 10
rally them. Pennefather, with his staff.
eailoped down TO them, and in energetic
British-French, punctuated. 1t Is to be
feared. by many oaths. eXhorted then,
to stand. A French officer. his sword
high In air. mere youth. ran out sew
cral PAGES In the front, British officer
ran to his side, third and fourth join
cd the group. Some voice called out in
French, Drums to the 'front.'" and
drummers and buglers ran out, and
sounded and screamed the pas de
charge. and still the great battalion
swayed to and fro, undecided between
an heroic rush on the enemy or mere
ignoble flight. -lt5E. 5'., 5tss,
Here, again. as so often throughout
the battle, the nudacious and almost
absurd daring of a cluster Of British in
fantry changed the fortunes Of the day.
Colonel Daubcny found himself with
thirty men of the Fifty-hfth on the
flank OF the Russian column. The Sec
ond Russian battalion was at quarter
distance in the rear Of the leading bat
talon: 1t was In the act of denloying to
its right, when Daubeny. with his thirty
men. charged into the gap between the
two battnlions. The jam was fierce-so
thrust for n few seconds became impos-
slble. and Daubeny was cool enough to
exchange a half-laughlng nod with q
Russian officer close to him. and pin
Toned, like him, with the weight of the
mass. But the British infantry. by
sheer strength-sometimes with stroke
OF fist, sometimes with murderous
clutch at an enemy's throat-made
ON fHp No., rnIt 81,
thirty actually fought their way
through this body Of six hundred men.
from flank to flank, half, of them dying
IN the effort. And 1t was that heroic
dash OF thirty British soldiers through
what may be called the spine of:athe
great Russian column, which broke its
strength, and froze into powerlessness
the attack Mt Its head. The Seventh
Leger by this time coming bravely bbn
again, the great trunk column swung
back, broken and demoralized. i".5it
All through the day the Russians had
an overpowering superiority In artillery
fire, and the roar Of their one hundred
guns never ceased To this the British
replied with the fire OF thirty-eight
guns, mostly OF lighter calibre than the
Russian guns; but at this stage Lord
hdRluH HTeW TWO eighteen pOunCet
guns into the fight. The guns were
dragged into a commanding position,
and opened fire on the Russian batter
les. The answering fire was fierce and
cruel and. OF the men working the
guns, one In ten was struck down with
in the first few minutes. But the two
great guns, laid with cool and deadly
accuracy. and worked with almost in.
credible speed. wrought 9reat, mischief.
and in less than half an hour obtained a
complete ascendency over the Russian
batteries on Shell Hill. w
At most points OF The battle-line, the
exhausted British could only stand
where they had fought; but at some
points there was still energy enough TO
assume the offensive. Thus Lieutenant
Acton. In command Of some sixty men
of the Seventy-seventh. was ordered TO
gather under his command two other
tiny British companies close at hand,
and attack the most western Russian
battery on Shell Hill. By O'Clock the
fight was practically over and the VIE
tors won. and there IS no more aston
lshing victory In the history of the war.
STATE OF OHIO, I Il& E