CHAP. VI.1st Period.
one of the Catherinburg regiment, were about to chap. be attacked by a corps 500 strong, under General Adams in person, and on the opposite flank the The Sole English forces opposing it. right of the Borodino regiment was confronted, at some distance, by a little band of 200 men under Colonel Mauleverer;[1] but except those two bodies of English, and a few of the outpost men still hovering near, the 6600 Russians had no hostile troops before them. The Taroutine Advance of two Brodiono battaltions. battalions remained halted, but the two Borodino battalions, which were on and near the Post-road, began to move forward.
Mauleverer's counter advance with a wing of the 30th Regiment; The 200 men under Colonel Mauleverer were a wing of the 30th Regiment. This small force already in line attempted to deliver its fire upon the advancing masses of the Borodino regiment, but from the practice of piling arms in all weathers without closing the muzzles, it resulted that but few of the pieces would receive fire, and for a moment the men, baffled by this sudden failure of their rifles in the close presence of the enemy, began, as it seemed, to waver; but Colonel Mauleverer, a cool, skilful, and resolute officer, who commanded the regiment, and was present on foot with this wing, proved equal to the emergency. If no spark could be wrung from the firelock, he knew there was still the bayonet. He caused his men to advance to the 'Barrier,' or main picket wall, and there for the moment lie down behind it. The enemy's masses approached,
- ↑ The left wing of the 30th Regiment, with a strength of 202 men.
