210 BATTLE OF THE AUIA. uiJAT. external force, the column begun to dissolve; llie ll hard mass became fluid. It still cohered ; but Avh;it had been, as it were, the outlines of a wall, were becoming like the outlines of a cloud. The 55th was about to deliver a lire which seemed likely to ^jrove cruelly destructive, when it received an order which is believed to have come from General Pennefather personally — an order to 'cease firing and charge.' Thereupon the ofiicers went out in front and busied them- selves in the ordained task of stopping the fire ; but already their adversaries were giving way. First a few, then more, then all, turned round. Defeat of Moviug slowly at first and as though discontent with its fate, the column began to fall back. It retreated after some moments with a much in- creased speed, and is believed on the whole to have escaped great part of the slaughter that might have been inflicted upon it, if the fire of the 55th had not been stayed by the order to cliarge. The Eoyal Fusiliers bought this triumph with blood. In killed and wounded the battalion lost twelve officers and more than two hundred men. ]Ionck, we before saw, was killed; and Hare,* Watson, Fitzgerald, Hibbert, Hobson (the Adju- tant), Tersse, Apple}ard, Coney, Crofton, Carpen- ter, and Jones, were wounded. For some time one of the colours of the regiment was missing, but it did not at any time fall into the hands of
- ]Iiue ilicd of his wounds ;i few houvs iil'tcr the battle.
thf col iiiin
