Never before had volley so crushing been fired by
British troops. Up to that day, musketry had seldom been blasting in
effect; firelocks then in use were singularly clumsy weapons, noted for
anything but accuracy, and, to add to their inefficiency, it was not the
practice to bring the cumbersome piece to the shoulder, and thus to take
aim, but rather, the method was to raise the firelock breast high and
trust to chance that an enemy might be in the line of fire. Now all was
changed. During the Peace troops had been taught to aim from the
shoulder, and Minden showed the effect.
In spite of their losses, however, the French horse rallied and came
again to the attack, this time supported by four brigades of infantry
and thirty-two guns. "For a moment the lines of scarlet seemed to waver
under the triple attack; but, recovering themselves, they closed up
their ranks and met the charging squadrons with a storm of musketry
which blasted them off the field, then turning with equal fierceness
upon the French infantry, they beat them back with terrible loss."[2]
[2: Fortescue, _History of the Army_.]
Yet again the enemy came on; squadrons that up to now had not
encountered those terrible islanders, thundered down upon them,
undaunted.
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