Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 6.djvu/135

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

THK MAIN FIGHT. 91 West Sapper's Koad — make good its ascent of chap. Mount Inkerman. Tiie head of the column, ac- cordingiy, after crossing the viaduct, moved ^st Period. silently up the acclivities on the Inkerman side of the ravine, and with this part of his force General Soimonoff was present in person. He did not himself know the ground, and was led by a guide. When the Kolivansk battalions had gained St George's Brow, Soimonoff ordered that they should be allowed a halt of ten minutes, and addressed to them some words of encouragement and guidance, telling the men that they would fight under the eyes of the two young grand- dukes, and directing that the march, when re- sumed, should still be conducted in silence. St George's Brow was the ground where the continuation . 1 • T • J.1 ■ °f Soimon- two army - corps, it accurately tmied m tneir offs marcii. movements, would effect their junction ; but Soi- monoffs people as yet could hear no tramp of battalions, no rumbling of artillery-wheels in the direction of St George's Ravine or along the shore of the roadstead ; and in truth, at this time, all the forces of Pauloff— for Dannenberg's confusing orders had clogged their movements — were still on the other side of the Tchernaya. Yet without for that reason delaying his march, General Soi- monoff after a while began to move on towards Shell Hill ; and, the ground now admitting it, he soon extended his front. The companies of the 6th Rifles and the eight his advaucf light infantry battalions of the Tomsk and Koli- bauie. vansk regiments, supported by the four Catherin-