The portion of Codrington's troops destined to head the attack on the
Redan moved rapidly and steadily across the open space, though suffering
much loss from the heavy fire of round-shot, grape, case, and musketry
now directed on them from every available point, and those in front
passed with ease over the battered rampart and entered the work. But the
rest, with too strong a reminiscence of their mode of action in the
trenches, lay down at the edge of the ditch and began firing, alongside
of the covering troops, who alone should have performed this duty. The
supports also reached the ditch, and some of them entered the work. But
the great reserves, in moving through the inches toward the point of
issue, were obstructed and discouraged by meeting the numbers of wounded
men and their bearers, who were of necessity brought back by the same
narrow route, a difficulty which also hindered some of the French
attacks. Colonel Windham, the leader of the attacking troops, finding
that his messages for support produced no result, took the ill-advised
step of going back himself to procure reenforcements.
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