IV.

Now[1] tiny flashes, with the sharp ping of bullets, told that the enemy’s Infantry were also at work, whilst[2] a horse here and a man there dropped[3] in the ranks.

The battery having (S. 30, N. 4) by this time come up, the Cavalry moved[4] to the right, in order to[5] allow them to come into action, and _in a_ few seconds, after taking up their ground, our guns spoke[6] out their answer to the enemy’s fire.

The Cavalry now advanced[7] from the left, the[8] 7th Dragoons leading. Under[9] cover of these the Life Guards formed for a charge, and[10] by word of command the Dragoons opened[11] right and left to allow them to pass. Already Herbert Stewart, General Drury Lowe’s brigade-major, had passed[12] down the line the word: “The Cavalry are to charge the guns!” Sir Baker Russell was in front (= at the head), and shouted: “Now we have them. Charge!”

Away[13] went the long line, disappearing[14] almost instantly in the darkness and dust, and _away_ behind them went[15] the 7th Dragoons, keeping[16] (S. 16, N. 4) on either flank of the Guards.

We[17], remaining in the rear, had the full benefit of the storm and shot which was to greet the advancing horsemen (+Reiterei+, f.) and of whom from (S. 102, N. 4) this moment we saw no more till the battle was over; _and_ only (S. 109, N. 5) then we learned[18] what they had done.

Led by Baker Russell, they charged[19] straight at the guns, sabring[20] the gunners as they passed, and[21] dashing into and cutting down the flying Infantry beyond them. Russell’s horse was shot under him, but he seized another and kept with[22] his men.

The battle was ended[23] at a stroke, and a scene of wild confusion ensued[24]; some guns were[25] still firing, bodies[26] of Infantry still kept up a fusillade, and numerous bodies[27] of horses and men dotted the moonlit plain.

Being now separated altogether from the Cavalry, with[28] the enemy intervening between us, myself and two companions endeavoured to find our[29] way round to Kassassin. It was an adventurous ride, for several shells burst near us, but before we reached the camp, the conflict was at an end.

[1] = At (+In+) this moment (App. § 14) flashes of lightning (+kleine Blitze+) and the sharp ping (+Knallen+, n.) of bullets betrayed that also the hostile Infantry were (= was) engaged in the attack (+beim Angriff beteiligt sein+).

[2] Place ‘here’ after ‘whilst’, and ‘there’ after ‘and’.

[3] +zu Boden fallen.+

[4] ‘to move’, here +ab´ziehen+, sep. comp. irreg. v.

[5] = in order to allow (+gestatten+) the same (to agree with ‘battery’) to begin the combat.

[6] spoke out their answer to = answered (+erwiedern+), v. tr.

[7] +vor´rücken.+

[8] = and (+und zwar+) the 7th Regiment of Dr. at (+an+) the head (+Spitze+, f.).

[9] = Under their (+dessen+) cover (+Schutz+, m.) formed the Life Guards (+die Gardekürassiere+) a line of attack (+eine Angriffslinie+).

[10] = and upon a given command.

[11] = opened ... the ranks (+Reihen+).

[12] to pass the word, +den Befehl ergehen lassen+; down = all along, +längs+.

[13] +Die lange Linie sprengte davon.+

[14] = and disappeared.

[15] away ... went = followed.

[16] to keep, +sich halten+; on, zu, either flank = both flanks.

[17] = Since we remained (+zurück´bleiben+) behind all, (+so+) we had the full effect of the shower of shot (+Kugelregen+, m.)

[18] = heard.

[19] to charge straight at the guns, +die feindliche Artillerie sogleich an´greifen+.

[20] = sabred down; as they passed, +auf ihrem Zuge+.

[21] = and dashed (+sprengen+) into the ranks of the flying Infantry behind the same, which they (+sie+, f. Sing. to agree with +die Reiterei+) cut down (+nie´dermetzeln+).

[22] +bei+; men = regiment.

[23] = with one stroke (+Schlag+, m.) at an end (+zu Ende+).

[24] = followed.

[25] = thundered still.

[26] +einzelne Teile.+

[27] bodies — plain = and numerous bodies (+Haufen+) _of_ Cavalry were still here and there upon the moonlit plain visible.

[28] = and the enemy stood between us. (The verb must stand last, since also this clause is a depending one, co-ordinated to the preceding clause by the conjunction ‘and’.)

[29] our way round, +einen Weg seitwärts+.

_Section 177._

THE BATTLE OF KASSASSIN.