GENERAL CAMPBELL'S ATTACK. 173
been carrying wool-bags and ladders, there were criAP.
then few or none to be seen. '—
Gerald Graham with his sappers and sailors, Disappear-
and the ladders they had borne, remained for Rifles.
some time in advance of our trenches ; but the
covering party of Eifies had already disappeared
from his front, nor again, if he looked to his rear,
could he see ' the main column ' approaching. Non-appear-
. ance of the
Where the Ernes and the 'mam column were 'maincoi-
T C ' Umn " '
we shall by-and-by see ; but their absence from
this part of the field annulled of course for the
time any prospect of thence undertaking an on-
slaught against the Eedan. What Graham had whatre-
00 mained in
with him in readiness for any assault were only this part of
J J the field.
the mechanical implements, and not the armed
forces required.
He therefore withdrew what remained of his Theiadder-
. . party
valiant sailors and sappers from their position brought
under
outside, and wisely brought them all back to sheitet
await their next opportunity beneath the shel-
tering parapet.
What had separated the infantry from the
bearers, and stopped the intended attack, will
now be seen.
At the outset of the advance we saw made by The « main
. 'column.'
the 'covering party' and 'bearers, the 'mam
' column ' under General Campbell in person
was duly preparing to follow in the wake of
the ladder-men, and already indeed its officers
were, some of them, over the parapet, when
the rest of the body was stopped and even
