ed till they approached within half the distance, and
then pouring in a volley, changed with leveled bayonets. The French
stood firm, and the Ninety-second, numbering less than two hundred and
fifty men, burst in among them; a mere handful among their foes. But
just at this moment Ponsonby's heavy cavalry came up, and passing
through the intervals of the companies and battalions, fell upon the
French infantry. In vain the enemy endeavored to keep their formation;
their front was burst in, their center penetrated, and their rear
dispersed, and in five minutes the great column was a mass of
fugitives. Great numbers were killed, and two thousand prisoners
taken.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE ROUT.

While Pack's brigade secured the prisoners taken by the cavalry and
sent them to the rear, the cavalry themselves continued their charge.
In vain Ponsonby ordered the trumpeters to sound the halt. Carried
away by the excitement of their success--an excitement in which the
horses shared--the three regiments galloped on. The Royals on the
right fell upon two French regiments advancing in column, broke them,
and cut them up terribly. The Inniskillens also fell on two French
line regiments, shattered them with their charge, and took great
numbers of prisoners, whole companies running up the hill and
surrendering to the infantry in order to escape from the terrible
horsemen.

The cavalry were now terribly scattered; the three regiments of
Ponsonby's brigade were far down in the valley, as were the Second
Life Guards and First Dragoon Guards. The First Life Guards and the
Blues were still engaged with the cuirassiers opposed to them; for
these, although driven back, were fighting doggedly. The Greys, who
should have been in reserve, galloped ahead and joined Ponsonby's
squadrons, and the two brigades of heavy cavalry were far away from
all support. When they reached the bottom of the hill a tremendous
fire was poured from a compact corps of infantry and some pieces of
cannon on the right into the Royals, Inniskillens, and Second Life
Guards, and a fresh column of cuirassiers advanced against them. They
wheeled about and fell back in great confusion and with heavy loss,
their horses being completely blown with their long gallop across the
heavy ground.

These regiments had fared, however, better than the Greys, Royals, and
Inniskillens on the left, for they, having encountered no infantry
fire, had charged up the hill until level