Section 176 The Battle of Kassassin. — IV
Now1 tiny flashes, with the sharp ping of bullets, told that the enemy’s Infantry were also at work, whilst2 a horse here and a man there dropped3 in the ranks.
The battery having (S. 30, N. 4) by this time come up, the Cavalry moved4 to the right, in order to5 allow them to come into action, and in a few seconds, after taking up their ground, our guns spoke6 out their answer to the enemy’s fire.
The Cavalry now advanced7 from the left, the8 7th Dragoons leading. Under9 cover of these the Life Guards formed for a charge, and10 by word of command the Dragoons opened11 right and left to allow them to pass. Already Herbert Stewart, General Drury Lowe’s brigade-major, had passed12 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!”
Away13 went the long line, disappearing14 almost instantly in the darkness and dust, and away behind them went15 the 7th Dragoons, keeping16 (S. 16, N. 4) on either flank of the Guards.
We17, 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 learned18 what they had done.
Led by Baker Russell, they charged19 straight at the guns, sabring20 the gunners as they passed, and21 dashing into and cutting down the flying Infantry beyond them. Russell’s horse was shot under him, but he seized another and kept with22 his men.
The battle was ended23 at a stroke, and a scene of wild confusion ensued24; some guns were25 still firing, bodies26 of Infantry still kept up a fusillade, and numerous bodies27 of horses and men dotted the moonlit plain.
Being now separated altogether from the Cavalry, with28 the enemy intervening between us, myself and two companions endeavoured to find our29 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.
Notes
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.