THE MAIN FIGHT. 457 Soimonoff commanded in person) proved able chap, to maintain an ascendant which lasted several ;_. minutes. Making good his advance across the Mikriakoff glen, the enemy forced back the scant bodies of our infantry there obstructing his pro- gress : he seized the three English guns which had moved forward into his clutches ; and mean- while with a body of troops distinguished as the Under-road column he successfully turned the position, coming up by the Well-way at last to within a stone's throw of Pennefather's tents. With the accession of a fresh body of troops, scarce 260 in numbers, the course of the strife in this part of the field was abruptly changed ; and the mist which had thus far protected the enemy, began to favour our people by taking from the many their power of rightly wielding big numbers, from the few their sense of weakness. It resulted that (with the aid of three batteries) 3600 foot * were not only able to withstand the 25,000 men-f- brought against them, but to defeat with great slaughter and even expunge from the battle-field all those 15,000 assailants with whom they had come to close quarters. The number of Eussian officers struck down was appallingly great, and General Soimonoff himself fell mortally wounded. Second Period. — General Dannenberg now com- mg up assumed the command, and began to act with fresh troops. By attacking not only the
- 3622. See note ante, chap, vi., First Period, sec. xxi. p. 151.
t 24,643.
