THK MAIN FIGHT. 429 without even doing anything effectively in the CHAI". way of aggressive defence. Such was still the condition of things, when the "'^ ^«"'"' energies of Haines and Lord West brought about an attack on Shell Hill. Whilst Haines stood defending the Barrier .unbitionof . . . , , Haines in against every successive attack, he was never tiie directioc . , , . . . .11 of his left Without some ambition to wm a signal advantage front. in the direction of his left front. There, from almost the beginning of the action, and with but little intermission, our riflemen ensconced in the brushwood had been harassing the enemy's artil- lerymen engaged on the nape of Shell Hill ; but the fire thus directed became more destructive than ever when Haines extended his power to the part of the field whence it came, and gave our men there engaged the support of his troops at the Barrier. At length the time came when, perceiving, as he thouglit, signs of weakness in the forces opposed to him, Colonel Haines conceived the idea of operating in the direction of his left front with means somewhat more powerful than before, and a purpose more distinctly aggressive. He threw forward a few score of soldiery — all armed with the rifle — and assigned them a task which was other and greater than that of merely liaras- jing the enemy's batteries, for they were to work their wav forward until they could deliver such a
