TIIH MAIN FIGHT. 305 sides but one by the enemy's hosts — this I'egi- chap. ment had heard from its colonel the word-s — ^^' ' Fifty-seventh ! die hard ! ' but the remembrance ^'^ ^'^'"^ of that dismal, that valiant command had been cherished in the corps with tenacious affection, and young Stanley knew v/ell what choi'd it was that he touched when he said — ' Men, remember ' Albuera ! ' * then ordered the regiment to charge. He fell mortally wounded, but was obeyed to the letter, for his little regiment charged home. The enemy's column, if breaking under the onset of bayonets, still did not at first turn in flight, and the meeting of the Line and the Column was fol- lowed by a good deal of obstinate hand-to-hand fighting ; but at length the 57th, now commanded by Captain Inglis, had absolute mastery, and not only defeated the opposing mass, but ])ursued it down the Quarry Eavine to that same bend in its course which not many minutes before young Vaughan and his people had reached. Thus, against the whole weight of the forces Result of attacking the right of Home Eidge, our people sianattaou made good the defence with less than 400 men.i* the right ^ ' of Home
- The men ot the regiment prided themselves on being called Ridge.
the ' Die-hards. ' The cherished remembrance had probably been rendered more vivid than ever, if it i.s true, as 1 think I have heard, that one of its captains at Inkerman — Captain Inglis, who succeeded to the command of the regiment, and brought it out of action — was the son of the Colonel Inglis "ivho at Albuera in 1811 had bade it 'die hard.' t With regard to the Russian strength engaged in this at- tnck, see the grounds (stated anie, note, p. 300) for putting it at fully 2000. The English troops engaged were fresh, and tlicrefore their numbers can be given, as we saw, with exact- ness—viz., wing of 20th, 180; 57tli, 196; total, 376. VOL. VI. U
