In sank the great wedge, into his heart, and
as it cut its way hundreds of horsemen were thrown up on either
side of it, just as the earth is thrown up by a ploughshare,
or more like still, as the foaming water curls over beneath the
bows of a rushing ship. In, yet in, vainly does the tongue twist
its ends round in agony, like an injured snake, and strive to
protect its centre; still farther in, by Heaven! right through,
and so, amid cheer after cheer from our watching thousands, back
again upon the severed ends, beating them down, driving them
as a gale drives spray, till at last, amidst the rushing of hundreds
of riderless horses, the flashing of swords, and the victorious
clamour of their pursuers, the great force crumples up like an
empty glove, then turns and gallops pell-mell for safety back
to its own lines.
I do not think it reached them more than two-thirds as strong
as it went out ten minutes before. The lines which were now
advancing to the attack, opened and swallowed them up, and my
force returned, having only suffered a loss of about five hundred
men -- not much, I thought, considering the fierceness of the
struggle. I could also see that the opposing bodies of cavalry
on our left wing were drawing back, but how the fight went with
them I do not quite know.
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