There were no fresh troops to bring up; only the Third
Division remained in reserve, and it was fully occupied in guarding
the trenches.
The French, it is true, could have thrown the weight of many
thousands into the scale; but General Canrobert had not set his more
distant divisions in motion, and the only troops that could affect the
struggle--Bosquet's--were still far to the rear.
In the contest that was now to be renewed the balance between the
offensive forces was more than ever unequal.
Dannenberg gathered together upon the northern slopes of Mount
Inkerman some 17,000 men, partly those who had been already defeated,
but were by no means disheartened, and partly perfectly fresh troops.
On the other hand, Pennefather's force was reduced to a little over
3,000, to which a couple of French regiments might now be added, 1,600
strong. The Russians had a hundred guns in position; the allies barely
half that number.
Yet in the struggle that was imminent the battle of Inkerman was
practically to be decided.
The Russian general had now resolved to make a concentrated attack in
column upon Pennefather's Ridge. He sent up another great mass from
the quarry ravine, flanked and covered by crowds of skirmishers. In
the centre, the vanguard pressed forward swiftly, drove back the
slender garrison of the Barrier, and advanced unchecked towards the
Ridge.
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