The men had an idea that the place was mined, and that if they went forward they would be blown into the air.

They remained stationary, holding their ground, but refusing to go forward.
Every minute the Russians brought up fresh reserves, and a terrific fire was concentrated upon the British.

The officers, showing themselves in front, were soon shot down in numbers, and success, which had been in their hands at first, was now impossible.
For an hour and a half the slaughter continued, and then, as the Russian masses poured forward to attack them, the remnant who remained of the storming parties leaped from the parapet and made their way as best they could through the storm of bullet and shot, back to the trenches.
The fight had lasted an hour and three quarters, and in that time we had lost more men than at Inkerman.

Our loss was 24 officers and 119 men killed; 134 officers, and 1897 men wounded.

Had the regiments engaged been composed of the same materials as those who won the heights of the Alma, the result might have been different, although even in that case it is questionable whether the small force told off for the assault would have finally maintained itself against the masses which the Russians brought up against them.