VI. id Period. THK MAIiN FIGHT. 215 defence of the Sandbag Battery. Colonel Hors- chap ford with one wing of his Eifles moved forward to operate near the head of St Clement's Gorge. The wing of the 95th under Champion was happily placed at the first, for, whilst standing in support to the Guards, it coukl, and did, fend back the column then attempting to turn their left flank ; * but afterwards, the wing was sub- divided, one part being sent into the Sandbag Battery, whilst the rest, cut up into fractions, moved hither and thither as occasion required to prop the defence at weak points. Altogether, the fresh troops brought up were more than 800 strong ; f but although the remains of our sol- diery, who had fought all this wliile on the KLit- spur, were mere hundreds engaged against thou- sands, it is, nevertheless, true that a bare increase of their numbers was not what they wanted the most. Supposing that, for their pride's sake, they Tiie reai were to go on with a struggle begun bv mistake not met on wronfT oround, the kind of relief they most accession of ^ *= ' IT. reinforce- needed was, first, support on their left to secure ments. them from being cut off ; and next, such a change in the general plan of the battle as might give a set purpose to their hitherto aimless fight by ter-
- So far Champion seems to have been acting in exact con-
formity with H.R.H.'s direction. t Coldstream, . . . .314 20th, one wing, . . • 160 95th, do., , . . 222 Rifles, do., . . . 139 886
