leaders of the charge

[GoodTaste]

While all models of evolution required long times, natural selection required much longer times than any guided selection process. Hence the younger the age of the Earth, the more likely it was that natural selection could not be the mechanism. Physicists, led by the eminent Kelvin, himself a theistic evolutionist, were leaders of the charge for a young Earth, though it must be emphasized that “young” at that time meant around 100 million years or less. Even religious scientists had abandoned the idea of the Earth being just 6,000 years old.

Source: Scientific American

Does "charge" here mean "accussation/attack"? The sentence "led by...were leaders" sounds unique to me as if Kelvin was the leader of the leaders. I am not sure what it means.

 

[jutfrank]

The metaphor is of an attack by an army. If you 'lead the charge', you are the first one to run forward into battle.

Yes, the physicists were leaders, and Kelvin was the leader of these leaders.