I read the novel more than once.
I believe you're forgetting about the Steam Ram "Thunderchild" that charged through enemy fire and rammed one leg of a Martian ships tripod. Thus toppeling it into the water and allowing many ships and thousands of people to escape to the open ocean.
How about the hidden batteries of artillery (Masked batteries.) who's most effective means of attack was to wait until point blank range and then volley fire. And then they'd generally be wiped out at point blank range once the Martians had aquired the target.
It's been a long time (Longer than a lot of people have been alive.) since I've read it. But FFFFFTTTTT to the amazingly french like hollywierd idiots.