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diff --git a/45309-0.txt b/45309-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7d84b5a --- /dev/null +++ b/45309-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2153 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Cause of the Charge of Balaclava, by +Thomas Morley + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Cause of the Charge of Balaclava + + +Author: Thomas Morley + + + +Release Date: April 2, 2014 [eBook #45309] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CAUSE OF THE CHARGE OF +BALACLAVA*** + + +Transcribed by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org Many thanks to Trish +Gurney for lending her copy of original so that this transcription could +be made. + + [Picture: The graphical cover of the booklet] + + + + + + THE CAUSE OF THE CHARGE OF BALACLAVA + + + [Picture: Graphic of man on horse, shield with skull and crossbones etc.] + OCT 25th + 1854 + + _by_ + + _Thomas Morley_ + + 17TH LANCERS + The Man of the Hour + +Entered at Stationers Hall. All Rights Reserved. + + + + +The Man of the Hour! + + + (_SEE 19th CENTURY_, _MAY_, _1892_.) + + [Picture: Drawing of Thomas Morley] + + THOMAS MORLEY, + + Late Sergeant of 17th Lancers, + Captain of Cavalry through American Civil War. + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + + +THE charge of the Light Brigade, one of the most magnificent assaults +known in Military annals, and one of the greatest blunders known to +military tactics, has never yet been properly described. This may be +accounted for by the party bias which has colored all accounts of the +battle according to the views entertained by the various writers. Having +seen so many of these accounts for the last forty four years in various +newspapers and Magazines, and having been interviewed myself many times I +have felt impelled to write what I know about the action, and to give a +plain unvarnished account of the same without indulging in any fine +language or in technicalities, but using only soldiers’ phrases and +giving the details “with malice toward none” and the truth about all. + +The British Cavalry in the Crimea consisted of five heavy regiments, +called the Heavy Brigade, commanded by General Scarlett, and five light +regiments called the Light Brigade, commanded by Lord Cardigan. Attached +to the cavalry was one troop of the Royal Horse Artillery comprising six +guns, commanded by Captain Maude. This Cavalry Division was commanded by +the Earl of Lucan who had his headquarters at Balaclava Harbour, his +command being in camp about two miles nearer to Sebastopol. Their duty +was to defend Balaclava, which was the depot of supplies for the British +Army engaged in the siege of Sebastopol. + + * * * * * + +In addition to the Cavalry Division Sir Colin Campbell commanded about +eight hundred Highlanders (Scotch Infantry), and in camp near Balaclava +we had also some sailors and marines stationed on the heights near the +harbour and a British frigate was moored so that her broadside could +protect it. There were in addition about twelve hundred irregular +Turkish Infantry commanded by Rustem Pasha, stationed in three redoubts, +armed with seven old British ship guns, a little more than a mile from +the supplies. There were also three other redoubts thrown up to form a +chain on the ridge of the Causeway Heights leading to Sebastopol. The +last three were not mounted with guns. All these precautions were taken +by Lord Raglan in case the Russians should make a descent on Balaclava in +force, which they did before daybreak on the 25th of October, 1854. + + + + +THE ATTACK. + + +Lord Lucan knew that the Russians were in strong force near his pickets, +and yet he did not strengthen them or patrol the small front he had to +protect, while his cavalry pickets knew nothing of the Russian advance +until the Turks opened fire, they just saved themselves from capture or +annihilation by being better mounted than the enemy. + +The Turkish General seemed to have understood his duty better than either +Lord Lucan or Sir Colin Campbell, for he advanced his pickets, sent out +patrols, and hoisted ensigns in his three redoubts to signal to the +British that the Russians were advancing. Lord Lucan and Sir Colin +Campbell and staffs and others riding near the Turkish redoubts before +daybreak observed ensigns flying on their parapets and asked one another +what it meant, thus exposing their ignorance, but they did not take the +trouble to find out the meaning of it, and no one can learn from any +history thus far published how long these ensigns had been flying. They +had very likely been flying all night. Had Sir Colin Campbell but thrown +out a Corporal’s guard to watch the redoubts it might have been the means +of getting re-enforcements down from Sebastopol before daylight and +preventing us from losing the guns and redoubts and the annihilation of +the Light Brigade, and the loss of the only road for supplies. Lord +Lucan with his attendant staff went riding round till break of day, when +the Turks opened fire, being the first to find the Russians and the first +to attack them. Lord Paget was with Lord Lucan’s staff and when the +Turks opened fire he galloped to the Light Brigade and took command in +the absence of Lord Cardigan, who was on board his private yacht then +lying in Balaclava Harbour. + +The British forces, as was the custom, turned out every morning about two +hours before daylight, and on this eventful morning the men of the +Cavalry Division were standing to their horses for nearly two hours, +shivering in the cold fog. + +But at the first or second shot fired they mounted, and the heavy Brigade +advanced at a trot followed by the Light Brigade and Horse Artillery. +The Light Brigade halted near number 3 redoubt and the heavy Brigade +halted two hundred yards in advance of it. + +The Horse Artillery took up position just before it came to number 3 +redoubt and opened fire on the Russian Artillery, nothing but smoke from +their guns being perceived. The heavy Brigade moved first to its left, +then back again to its right, several times. Lord Lucan calls that a +demonstration. They could not see the Russians, and the Russians could +neither see nor hear the heavy Brigade. If they had, they would not have +been firing at the white smoke above the black fog of the Turkish +redoubts and our Horse Artillery, but would have sent a volley into the +heavy Brigade. Our Artillery was only wasting the ammunition, and when +they finally saw the Russians they had no ammunition, and had made no +provision to get any. Daylight was now approaching and Lord Cardigan +arrived fresh from off his yacht. To think of a General with an +important command during an active campaign sleeping on his yacht while +his command was about to fight the enemy! + +Think of his vessel taking up such valuable space in the harbour, while +we could not get ammunition landed nor even medicine! He no sooner +arrived at his Brigade than he ordered it to retire by alternate +Regiments, leaving Lucan and his “demonstration” to their fate. This was +done without orders. We were then supporting the heavy Brigade. The +Light Brigade retired past the Horse Artillery position just as Captain +Maude was being carried off on a stretcher severely wounded. We retired +about one hundred yards past his command and remained in that position +watching the Artillery fire all its ammunition away. When it did finally +retire, the heavy Brigade also retired. Lord Lucan had now found out +that an army of Russians had manoeuvred around his cavalry pickets, and +that thirty guns and ten thousand Infantry had taken up position within +one and half mile of Balaclava and supplies, and opened fire on the three +Turkish redoubts before his cavalry pickets were aware of it. + +The Russian General could not see any troops near the three redoubts, as +Lord Lucan had retired with his fifteen hundred cavalry and troop of +Horse Artillery and left the poor badly armed Turks to themselves. No +one had sense enough to order the Turks to fall back to the three +redoubts which had not yet been armed. We had plenty of Artillery Horses +(without ammunition for their guns) which could have removed the seven +guns and the ammunition out of the first three redoubts into the three +redoubts without guns. Had this been done we should not have lost any +guns, but our victory would have been complete and the Light Brigade +would not have been destroyed. The Russians had thirty guns and eight +pieces of heavy calibre firing at number 1 redoubt with three guns, yet +the Turks held on until the Russians stormed it with some thousands of +Infantry. Kinglake says thirty guns opened upon numbers 2 and 3 redoubts +and eleven battallions of Infantry stormed them; the same guns opened +fire on 2 and 3 redoubts. If five hundred Turks were defending number 1 +redoubt only seven hundred Turks would be in numbers 2 and 3 redoubts of +two guns each. These ran away before the Russians got near them and also +left their guns unspiked. + + + + +CHARGE OF THE HEAVY BRIGADE. + + +The British Army and the Turkish Infantry were in the south valley. The +Russian General, not seeing the enemy in his front, thought he had a +clear road to Balaclava Harbour. He began to advance his army toward it. +He sent four strong squadrons of cavalry from near number 1 redoubt which +he had just captured to reconnoitre, and they advanced toward Balaclava +Harbour. Sir Colin Campbell commanding the Infantry, had taken up his +position on a knoll and ordered his command to lie down, the commanding +officer of the four squadrons of Russian Cavalry could not see them +because of the long grass and brush. Sir Colin Campbell was between +Balaclava Harbour and the Russian Cavalry. When they arrived within +firing distance Sir Colin ordered his command to form a single line two +deep and from that position they fired a volley into the four squadrons +of Russian Cavalry advancing. It took them by such surprise that it +seemed to paralyse them by the sudden shock. They all wheeled about and +retired in a kind of circle back to the point from which they advanced. +Their loss, however, was but slight. The British Cavalry was on the +slopes of the Causeway heights in the south valley, looking on at Sir +Colin Campbell, and his few Highlanders instead of assisting him with our +Horse Artillery. We had a sailor’s battery near the Harbour on the +hills. They fired at the Russians, but I could not see at whom. The +British Frigate lying across the harbour of Balaclava also opened fire on +the Russians. After this for some time everything seemed to be quiet. + +Sir Colin Campbell’s command and the Turkish Infantry were ordered to +take position at Kadikoe, to defend the approach to Balaclava Harbour. + +The Heavy Brigade’s camp was situated between the 5th redoubt and the +Vineyard on the slope of the Causeway heights in the south valley. + +The camp lying in a very exposed position, Lord Lucan ordered it to be +removed in great haste to the south side of the vineyard for safety. + +At the same time the Light Brigade took up position at the top end of the +South Valley about five hundred yards from the vineyard. + +The first line consisted of the 17th Lancers on the right, the 13th Light +Dragoons and the 8th Hussars completed it, and remained mounted commanded +by Lord Cardigan. + +The second line were the 4th Light Dragoons and 11th Hussars commanded by +Lord Paget—they were dismounted. Lord Cardigan was ordered to watch the +enemy and attack anything but columns of Infantry. No one could see the +enemy and the enemy could not see the Cavalry Division, and not a single +picket or sentry was posted to give warning. The Heavy Brigade was +allowed to go to the back of the Vineyard to hunt up their camp +equipments, while parts of regiments began to water their horses. The +Horse Artillery being in some hidden place I never saw them again after +clear daylight. Lord Lucan being absent from his command made things +worse at this critical time. Lord Raglan and staff, and a French General +and staff assembled on the height at the top end of the two valleys which +had to be ascended to get to Sebastopol. + +Both commanders-in-chief could observe all the movements of the Russian +Army, their Infantry massing and a large column of cavalry marching up +the valley of death. Lord Raglan could see the Light Brigade part +dismounted, yet he could not see the Heavy Brigade, most of them being +back of the Vineyard. He sent one of his staff officers to inform Lord +Lucan that a large force of Russian Cavalry was advancing up the North +Valley, but he could not be found with his Division. General Scarlett +assumed command in Lucan’s absence, and sent staff officers to hunt up +the Regiments. General Scarlett tried to assemble his Brigade at the +east end of the vineyard, the Light Brigade camp standing in front of +those he assembled. The Russian General had military sense enough to +advance a line of mounted skirmishers half a mile in advance of his main +body up the North Valley. Neither Lucan, Cardigan, nor Scarlett knew +anything of this force marching up the North Valley till informed by the +commander-in-chief’s aide-de-camp. When the Russian skirmishers arrived +near the top of the North Valley, about 30 rode over the Causeway height +and came within thirty yards of the Light Brigade position. A Russian +officer who was directing that part of the line of Russian skirmishers +was killed, sword in hand, in front of the 13th Light Dragoons by one of +their officers. Lord Cardigan did not trouble himself to go or send one +of his staff officers 30 yards—had he done so he would have seen the +Russian column marching up the valley. The Russian General found out +from the commander of the skirmishers where the British Cavalry was in +position. He immediately marched his column to the top of the Causeway +heights, advancing toward the Light Brigade. The Russian General saw the +Heavy Brigade assembling at the end of the Vineyard, which was nearer to +his command. He made an oblique movement at a trot toward General +Scarlett, advancing down the Causeway heights through the camp ground of +the Heavy Brigade that had only just been removed out of danger. I +believe Lord Cardigan never saw the Russian skirmishers or the Russian +columns crown the heights. But Captain Morris commanding 17th Lancers +did, and like a flash he ordered the 17th forward. As we were advancing +toward the Russian column, Lord Cardigan saw the 17th Lancers moving, +halted us, and ordered us back, wishing to know where we were going, and +who ordered us to move. The consequence was, we never did attack the +Russians. When the Russian column arrived within 50 yards of the +vineyard, the Russian General saw he had to cross a large ditch, +extending on the side of the vineyard, and that he had also to advance +through the Light Brigade camp, with picket ropes standing with sick and +lame horses tied to the ropes before he could attack the heavy Brigade. +The Russian General thought he was being led into a trap. He then halted +his column with his right flank exposed toward the Light Brigade. Then +Lord Cardigan had the opportunity to attack and cover himself with glory. +No General had or ever will have a better or more favourable opportunity. +He had the ground in his favor, and not 500 yards to advance to the +Russian Cavalry column, and part of the Heavy Brigade mounted only 50 +yards from the Russian column to assist. But no, he would not attack, +and how he could sit on his horse, and see the Heavy Brigade fight such +great odds, and never attempt to give them a helping hand, passes +understanding. The Russian column, and not more than 50 yards away +General Scarlett’s few hundred in line of battle, stood looking at each +other. Kinglake says, Lord Lucan told Scarlett to take the four +squadrons to attack the Russian column (it was only three squadrons +however.) General Scarlett ordered all he had assembled under such +trying circumstances to advance to the attack. In passing through the +Light Brigade camp, standing together with sick and lame horses still +tied to the picket ropes, two officers’ horses fell over the ropes and +camp utensils, one being seriously hurt, to say nothing of a trooper +falling in clearing the camp. The command had to jump a wide ditch at +the end of the vineyard which so scattered them that they were nearly in +single line, and not more than 30 or 40 yards from the Russian column. +In five seconds officers and men were in their places. General Scarlett +then ordered his trumpeter to sound the charge. It was repeated by the +other trumpeters. They had to advance up the slope of the Causeway +heights. The consequence was they never arrived at a charging speed. +The command began to cheer and could be heard all over the South Valley, +the Light Brigade helping them to cheer with faces pale with rage at +having to sit on their horses and not be allowed to give their brave +comrades a helping hand. General Scarlett led his command about the +centre of the Russian column, going straight through it, and re-found +what was left of his command the other side of the column. Just as +General Scarlett was entering the column, Colonel Hodge advanced around +the east end of the vineyard with the 4th Dragoon Guards in column of +troop at a brisk trot. On they advanced, clearing the Russians column +right flank 40 yards. Colonel Hodge then gave the word of command “right +wheel into line” and ordered the charge to be sounded. Already at a +trot, they got into charging speed at once, going through the Russian +column, scattering them in all directions, the Light Brigade cheering +with them till the 4th Dragoon Guards came out of the Russians left +flank. General Scarlett’s command had rallied and charged back through +the Russian scattered column. After receiving these three charges in +rapid succession the Russian column was so disorganised that we could see +them wheeling about, and almost before General Scarlett’s command had got +through the Russian column a second time it began to retire at a trot +back over the Causeway heights leaving their killed and wounded. +Kinglake says, 78 of the Heavy Brigade were killed and wounded all by the +sword. I consider Colonel Hodge proved himself the best cavalry officer +in the division. Had Lord Cardigan assisted with the Light Brigade, the +balance of the Heavy Brigade not engaged would have given a helping hand. +It would have been one of the most crowning victories in the annals of +Cavalry History. + +When the Russian column had retreated over the Causeway height and down +the North Valley, Lord Cardigan mounted Lord Paget’s command, advanced +the Light Brigade in column of troops from the right at a trot, making a +circle of a mile in the South Valley below the battle ground, arriving +back at the Light Brigade camp. We were then dismounted. + +Lord Raglan saw the Russians trying to remove the guns out of the +redoubts they had captured from the Turks, and also making a different +disposition of their army. Raglan also saw the inaction of his cavalry, +the Light Brigade being dismounted. He sent some of his staff officers +down to it, and we were ordered in great haste to mount. The first +regiment mounted was the 11th Hussars, and was led by a staff officer of +Lord Raglan’s to the North Valley. The next regiment was the 17th +Lancers, and we were formed in line on the 11th Hussars. The next +regiment was the 13th Light Dragoons. This completed the first line of +the Light Brigade in the new formation. The second line consisted of the +4th Light Dragoons and 8th Hussars, commanded by Lord Paget. Lord +Cardigan never knew that the formation of his brigade was altered. He +did not know that Lord Raglan ordered the Light Brigade to the North +Valley till informed, and this is the only time Lord Raglan ever +interfered with the Cavalry—then he could not find any leaders. Our +formation before this was the 17th Lancers on the right of the first +line, the 13th Light Dragoons and the 8th Hussars completed it, commanded +by Cardigan. The second line was the 4th Light Dragoons and 11th +Hussars, commanded by Lord Paget. + +In his book Lord Paget states that he could never understand how the 8th +Hussars got into his command in place of the 11th Hussars. The reason +was, that he and Cardigan were with the Heavy Brigade taking some +refreshments and congratulating the leading officers. When Lord Cardigan +joined his Brigade in the North Valley, he wanted to know by whose +authority they were placed there. He was informed by order of Lord +Raglan. + +The Russian General seeing the allied infantry marching down from +Sebastopol knew then he could not take Balaclava, so he began to remove +the guns he had captured from the Turks, out of the redoubts. Lord +Raglan and the French Commander-in-chief came to the conclusion to bring +on a general engagement, and try to take back the guns that the Turks had +lost, and also regain the redoubts and key to Balaclava Harbour—our good +military road we had lost which was the cause of the suffering of the +British Army in the winter of 1854. Lord Raglan ordered the cavalry +division to attack the Russians to prevent them from carrying off the +guns. Lord Lucan did not understand the movements of armies or orders. +Order after order was sent to him, and, during the delay the Russians +were making additional alterations in their Army. The third order was +for “the cavalry to advance and take advantage of any opportunity to +recover the Heights, and they would be supported by infantry which had +been ordered to advance on two fronts.” Lord Raglan ordered the Duke of +Cambridge to advance his division of Infantry and Artillery down the +South Valley, which he did some distance in line of battle. Sir George +Cathcart was ordered to advance his division of Infantry and Artillery +down the North Valley. Every soldier in the Cavalry Division knew what +heights we had lost. The whole Cavalry Division saw the Russians take +the heights, and redoubts, with guns in them. + +After Lucan received the third order, he must have read it backward, for +he thought he was to support the Infantry, and prepared the cavalry for +it without seeing the Infantry or knowing where they were, which he +states, and never made any attempt to advance. + +Lord Raglan then selected Captain Nolan to take the fourth and last +order, but during all this delay of 40 minutes, the Russians, seeing the +allied Infantry taking possession of both valleys, concentrated their +Army and removed the captured guns which Lord Raglan wanted to prevent +them from doing. Not one of the four orders suggested that the cavalry +should charge. Lord Raglan knew it would be annihilation for them to do +so with the Russian Army in such a strong and commanding position. At +the end of the North Valley the Russians put in position their best +Artillery, supported by five or six thousand Cavalry, their Infantry also +being in position on all the commanding hills. The three redoubts they +captured were full of Infantry and Artillery, with riflemen on the +commanding positions near the redoubts on our right. On our left they +had six guns placed in position supported by Infantry and riflemen armed +with needle guns. + + + + +CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE. + + +Captain Nolan after receiving the last order galloped down the steep +heights from the position of Lord Raglan and staff, finding Lord Lucan +the Cavalry Commander with the Heavy Brigade in the South Valley near the +scene of their engagement of two hours before. The Causeway Heights were +between the two Brigades so that they were out of sight of each other +though only five hundred yards apart. The Light Brigade were in position +at the head of the North Valley, with the Chasseurs d’Afrique stationed +about 250 yards at the left. + +Lord Lucan describes the arrival of the order thus:—“The Cavalry was +formed to support an intended movement of the Infantry when Captain Nolan +came up at speed and placed in my hands this written information—‘Lord +Raglan wishes the Cavalry to advance rapidly to the front and try to +prevent the enemy carrying away the guns. Troop of Horse Artillery may +accompany. French Cavalry on your left.’” He said to Captain Nolan +after reading the order “Attack sir, attack what, what guns sir?” +Captain Nolan pointed with his sword, “There, my Lord, is your enemy, +there are your guns.” This conversation must have occurred in the South +Valley where the Heavy Cavalry were formed to support the Infantry and +where neither guns nor enemy were in sight. Captain Nolan probably +pointed with his sword to the Causeway Heights, where the nearest guns of +the enemy lay, and which was the point of attack intended by Lord Raglan. +Had they been on top of these heights the redoubts would have been in +sight, had the speakers been in the North Valley the words would have +been an absurdity, for the direction of the Russian Army did not require +to be pointed out with a sword. Several batteries were plainly in sight +across the valley and at each side, with thousands and thousands of +troops. It is recorded that Lord Lucan made some insulting remarks to +Nolan, telling him to quiet himself. Both of them moved over to the +Light Brigade, and Lord Lucan informed Lord Cardigan that it was Lord +Raglan’s order for the Light Brigade to charge the Russians in the +Valley. There is probably no doubt that Cardigan called Lucan’s +attention to the fact that there were batteries in front and on each +flank, and that the ground was covered with riflemen. This of course I +did not hear. I first saw Lord Lucan riding about the attacking line and +was aware that we were about to charge. I also noticed the Chasseurs +over at our left preparing to move at the same time. I saw very +distinctly what does not appear in any history, Lord Cardigan gallop on +perhaps three hundred yards in front and to the right to a piece of +slightly rising ground, evidently to reconnoitre the position of the +Russian Army and the best way-ground for his brigade. We were now in +line thus:— + + * + Lord Cardigan. +11th Hussars. 17th Lancers. 13th Light Dragoons + * + Lord George Paget. + 4th Light Dragoons. 8th Hussars. + +Almost at the moment that Lord Cardigan had left us Colonel Douglas, +commanding the 11th Hussars was ordered by Lord Lucan to fall back to +support the 17th which they did, altering the attacking line so that we +went on in this formation. + + 17th Lancers. 13th Light Dragoons. +11th Hussars. +4th Light Dragoons. 8th Hussars. + +This movement was executed simply by the 11th Hussars waiting for us to +advance until they were at proper supporting distance when they began to +move, for we were getting under way at the time. I never heard the word +of command to go forward from any officer. If given at all it must have +been by Lord Lucan, for Cardigan was, as I said, in advance of us +planning the line of movement and evidently did not see what went on in +his attacking line at the moment of advance. The whole movement was +executed in the greatest haste and we were quickly off at a trot. + +Then in the very beginning of the Charge, when the direction we were +taking just became evident, occurred Captain Nolan’s movement that has +been the cause of so much controversy. I was only about seventy yards +from Captain Nolan and distinctly saw every movement. Captain Nolan was +in front of the 13th Light Dragoons, who took their dressing and interval +and speed by the 17th Lancers, the regiment of direction. As soon as the +brigade was fairly in motion, so that its direction down the valley was +evident, Nolan rode away from the 13th at speed to the front of the 17th +Lancers, reached a position in front of the centre of the 17th, gave his +order “three’s right” with his horse’s head facing the regiment, at the +same time waving his sword to the right, which signified “take ground to +the right,” then turned his horse and galloped towards the Causeway +Heights, still pointing with his sword in that direction. At that moment +a shell exploded and a piece of it struck him in the left breast near the +heart. Probably the unearthly scream which rang in our ears above the +roar of the opening cannonade was a dying effort to make us follow his +direction. + +He remained in the saddle until the horse had cleared the right flank of +the first squadron of the 17th, in column of threes, when the horse, +finding the rider had no control over it, turned sharp to the right—the +way home—throwing the lifeless body head-first to the ground. + +The 17th had instantly followed his direction and gone “three’s right.” +The 13th had gone straight on instead of checking, as they should have +done to respond to our movements. They were perhaps 25 or 30 yards in +front of us when Nolan fell. At that juncture I heard Sergeant-Major J. +Nunnerley, of the 1st Squadron—now living at Ormskirk, Lancashire—shout +in a loud voice, “17th Lancers, (Three’s Left) or Front forward!” (I +belonged to the second Squadron). We went three’s left, the right flank +of the second squadron lapping the left flank of the first one-fourth its +front or more, so that the two flanks became merged together. At that +instant, the Russian Artillery in position across the valley, fired a +volley into the 17th, which seemed to paralyse it, killing and wounding a +number of officers and men. It seemed to me a troop of horses fell, +myself and horse being knocked down with them. I remounted and followed +the shattered line. All this time I never saw Lord Cardigan at all. +Kinglake’s account of him as such a conspicuous figure on his +white-legged horse, riding in front of his command and constantly +checking the speed by orders to “keep steady,” does not agree with my +observation, although he is said to have been just in front of our +regiment. + +From the time I saw him ride ahead and to one side of his command to +reconnoitre, I never saw him again till we had passed the Russian guns. +He probably joined some portion of the 13th Dragoons as they came up with +him, but that regiment scattered completely, going down into skirmish +line, having lost their base, the 17th Lancers. + +No squad of it held together to pass the guns or to return. In the +tremendous uproar and confusion of such cannonading it was impossible to +have any very distinct impression. I observed everything clearly up to +the moment the volley burst in our ranks and knocked me down. After that +I simply scrambled on my horse and rode on pell-mell, and I believe Lord +Cardigan did the same. The smoke prevented anyone from seeing any +distance and the noise from hearing, so I never heard an officer’s voice +from the time Nolan fell. It was the order of the brave Nunnerley that +brought us to front forward as stated, and I heard no further orders +after that. + +The Russian gunners were well drilled. There was none of that crackling +sound I have often heard in the American War and other places, where one +gun goes a little ahead and the others follow, having the effect of a +bunch of fire-crackers popping in quick succession. + +In such case the smoke of the first gun obscures the aim of the rest. +The Russian Artillery at Balaclava went off at the word of command, all +together. One tremendous volley was heard with flashes of flame through +the rolling smoke. While they reloaded the smoke lifted so that they +could see to take aim again. There were probably twenty cannon at our +right firing at us, and two batteries—twelve guns—in front. The +batteries at the left on the Fedioukine Heights were in action, but their +fire probably did not affect the first lines. Their fire was directed on +the Chasseurs d’Afrique, who moved toward them simultaneously with our +move forward. The direction was such, however, that the shells would +fall among the supports, Colonel Douglas’ and Lord Paget’s lines. If we +had been moving over uneven ground we should have had some slight +protection in the necessary uncertainty of aim of the guns, but moving as +we did in compact bodies on smooth ground directly in range, the gunners +had an admirable target and every volley came with terrible effect. + +There is a natural instinct to dodge cannon balls. In such fire as we +were under it changed to an impulse to hurry. There was no time to look +right or left, and the guns in front were what I looked out for. They +were visible as streaks of fire about two feet long, and a foot thick in +the centre of a gush of thick white smoke, marking about every three +hundred yards of the way, as they would reload in 30 or 40 seconds. The +last volley went off when we were close on them. The flame, the smoke, +the roar were in our faces. It is not an exaggeration to compare the +sensation to that of riding into the mouth of a volcano, but those who +did not fall were through the guns in an instant and full of fight. The +action of the scattered troops behind the battery and on the way back was +sufficient proof that they were not frightened or demoralized, even by +the proceeding—unheard of for Cavalry—of attacking batteries in front. + +Before we reached the guns every officer of my squadron, the second, was +either killed or wounded, leaving no one to command us. + +Thirty of the men followed Troop Sergeant Major O’Hara, and fifteen +followed Colonel Mayow, chief of Cardigan’s Staff. As I said before the +13th Light Dragoons were so scattered, that a group did not enter the +enemy’s lines together. The 11th Hussars was ordered to support us, the +17th Lancers, and we never saw them in the fight. Colonel Douglas, 11th +Hussars, Lord George Paget, 4th Light Dragoons, Colonel Shewell, 8th +Hussars, all managed to keep groups of their commands together, to enter +the line of guns. Lord Paget commanded the 4th Light Dragoons and 8th +Hussars, yet he lost the 8th and found the 11th Hussars (our supports). +The ride down the valley could not have occupied five minutes. I could +have run it on foot in seven minutes, as I was champion runner in those +days, but the formation of the brigade with which we started had been +destroyed, probably within three minutes. + +Our arrival at the battery silenced it instantly, and the gunners began +to try to move the cannon away. The gospel of Russian fighting was +always to save the guns. + +My first thought after we were through the line was to look for an +officer to see what we were to do, I saw Lord Cardigan at first but I had +no impulse to join him. I think no British soldier ever had. He lead +670 and none relied on him. I saw troopers riding past him to the right +and left. He was about 50 yards beyond the guns on their extreme left. +I turned to look for some one of my own regiment and mistook Lieutenant +Jarvis, of the 13th Dragoons, for one of my officers, as the uniforms of +both regiments being very similar. Lieutenant (now Major) Jarvis is, I +believe, still living. He was about 200 yards to my left front, riding +to his right towards a cannon that was retreating to the rear. I +galloped up to him and informed him that Lord Cardigan was above, +pointing my sword to the place, my lance having been shot away at the +last volley as we charged the guns. He replied “Never mind, let’s +capture that gun!” We raced towards it. He said, “Cut down the +gunners!” He shot one of the horse’s in the head bringing it to a sudden +stop. The gunners disappeared between the horses and gun-carriage as we +slashed at them. We both dismounted and took out the dead horse while +more of the Brigade gathered about to assist us. Private John Smith, who +died in a London Workhouse about the end of January, 1899, mounted one of +the horses attached to the gun, and I believe there is another soldier +living who mounted another horse of the gun. + +We started back off the field at a gallop with the mounted cannon, and +were near the place where I had seen Lord Cardigan, when a large body of +Cossacks charged, who appeared from behind a hill and surrounded our +group. I was riding on the right of the gun, the direction in which the +Cossacks attacked us. In the melee I got through the wrong end and had +to ride back again down the valley. I was pursued by seven of them until +they fairly chased me into a body of Russian Cavalry with its back to me. +There was no alternative but to ride through or surrender to the +Cossacks. I put spurs to my horse and bolted into the line. I got +through with a knock on the head from a Russian officer, that would have +wounded me but for my dress cap, which I eventually lost, but the lines +saved it. More members of the Light Brigade were riding about—some of +them wounded—fighting as best they could. + +Corporal Hall, of my own troop, had his lance trailing about and covered +with blood. I told him to throw it away and wanted to pick it up myself, +as I needed one, but there was no time. Hall was captured and died of +amputation of a leg. + +During the melee, about 40 stragglers of the Brigade were driving a line +of Russian Hussars down the valley in close column. I rode in the rear +of them and began to order the men back. I ordered Private Clifford of +my own troop to halt, instead of which he charged into the solid column +and was cut and pierced to death before my eyes. The column came to a +trot, and walk, and then wheeled about. I turned my horse about and saw +a line of Lancers marching down the valley and instantly thought they +were the French Lancers, as they carried flags on their lances. I rode +to them, and when within 30 yards they fired at me. I then saw their +long grey cloaks and knew they were Russian. It was in fact the +Jeropkine Lancers just formed in close line across the valley, cutting +off our retreat. I turned back to my scattered comrades, who were riding +about like myself in all directions, not seeing which way to go. I +raised my sword and shouted to them to fall in. They galloped to me from +all directions, and I hastily formed them in lines, putting those with +lances in front. I believe there were eight of the 17th Lancers in the +front rank, with members of other regiments forming a second line. The +Russian Lancers were not more than 40 yards from us when I ordered them +to cheer and charge. The Brigade of Russian Hussars were marching up the +valley about 50 yards behind and there were Cossacks on each flank. The +Russians must have thought we were assembling to surrender, and when we +yelled and charged into the centre of their line, they seemed to be +paralysed. + +The point of a lance through my sword hilt tore the flesh off my middle +finger, and this trifling wound was the only injury I received in that +immortal fight. Three of the men in my group fell in the charge but I +seemed to have more when I got through the lines, other stragglers having +rushed through the opening we made or rode round the flanks. We galloped +off on our way back, pursued by some of the Cossacks, firing at us, until +we came to a square of infantry on rising ground with muskets and fixed +bayonets pointing at us. They yelled something in Russian, I suppose +calling us to surrender. When they saw that we was not going to +surrender, they fired a volley point blank at us and at the shortest +range. This was fearfully destructive, and only a few of my little squad +were left. Weightman and Marshall together with others of the 17th were +captured here, one with 13 wounds and the other with 9, and were +prisoners for a year. We found the guns again re-manned and in position +again across the valley, and after we had charged through them from the +rear they opened fire on us again, as well as the infantry. + +There were no more of the enemy in front and I told the men to separate. +James Cope, 17th Lancers, and George McGregor, 4th Light Dragoons, opened +out each side of myself, and we made the best of our way back up the +valley. Cope and I reported together to the regiment which had +assembled, numbered off, and been complimented by Lord Cardigan before we +got there. We were the last squad to return, and the only squad that +rallied through the guns. + +The engagement may be summed up thus: There were five groups which +charged into the guns. The first two were 17th Lancers, one group +commanded by Colonel Mayow, chief of Lord Cardigan’s staff, the other by +Troop Sergeant Major O’Hara. The third group was the 11th Hussars under +Colonel Douglas. The fourth group were 4th Light Dragoons, commanded by +Lord Paget. The fifth group, 8th Hussars, Colonel Shewell and the last +regiment to enter the batteries. These five groups charged the masses of +Russian Cavalry that were supporting the artillery, time and time again, +driving them some hundred yards down the valley. This seems almost +incredible, but it must be recalled that we had no idea of the colossal +blunder of which we were victims. Our natural thought of course was that +we would be immediately followed and supported by the Heavy Brigade and +Infantry, both of which were stationed close in our rear. The French +Cavalry we know had moved and I thought they were there with us until I +had ridden nearly into a body of Russians, taking them for the French. +Of course, the Russians shared our impression that this was the beginning +of a general attack, which accounts for their temporary confusion and +partial retreat. + +While these five groups were going on fighting as best they could, +scattering the Russian Cavalry, the General ordered out the Jeropkine +Lancers—fresh troops who had not been engaged in the attack on the Heavy +Brigade two hours before. These Lancers took their position between the +guns across the valley, apparently cutting off the retreat of all the +Light Brigade by forming across their rear. + +The officers commanding the different groups now realised that they were +unsupported and in great danger. There was a hasty effort to join forces +to make the best of their way back. Lord Paget, happening to be near the +11th Hussars, ordered Colonel Douglas to join his command. He refused at +first, but seeing himself cut off did so, and a wordy controversy as to +who was technically in command takes up many pages in Paget’s book. +Probably, at the time, neither gave thought to anything but getting out +of the trap. Colonel Mayow and Sergeant-Major O’Hara joined with the 8th +Hussars, making two groups fighting and charging the Russian Lancers. +Some squads of the Light Brigade had not time to wheel about, but just +time to go three’s about, and charge with rear rank in front to prevent +the Russian Cavalry from charging their flanks. Not all the Brigade had +fallen into these larger groups which first cut their way out. After the +remnants of these groups had escaped the Jeropkine Lancers, six squadrons +strong were formed in line to prevent the stragglers from escaping. + +The Brigade of Hussars seeing the Lancers marching down the valley and +only a few scattered enemy, halted, wheeled about, and marched up the +valley. It was just at this time and between these two bodies that I +rallied my little squad. + +It is a singular thing that every authority on the Charge of the Light +Brigade gives a different number of killed and wounded, but they +substantially agree as to the number 198 which reported mounted after the +engagement. + +Lord Cardigan gives 195. James Cope, 17th Lancers, McGregor, 4th Light +Dragoons, and myself reported after the roll was called. + +I am only certain of the figures for my own regiment. The 17th Lancers +went into the engagement 145 and came out 45 mounted. Every officer of +my squadron was killed or wounded. We lost 13 prisoners, only one of +them unwounded, and he was dismounted, his horse having been killed. Of +these only 3 lived to return to the English ranks, two of them from my +squad—Weightman and Marshall. Weightman, who is still living as a +retired officer, had thirteen wounds, and Marshall nine wounds. + + + + +THE CAUSE OF THE CHARGE. + + + [Picture: Lord Lucan (on horse)] + +THE phrase “Someone had blundered” is familiar to every one, but the +condition of affairs which precipitated the blunder are not known and +have never been stated in history. + +After the Heavy Brigade made their glorious charge, the Light Brigade was +placed in the North valley by order of Lord Raglan, Lords Lucan and +Cardigan being absent congratulating the Heavy Brigade officers. Both +Commanders-in-chief and Staffs had assembled at the top of Sebastopol +Heights and were watching the Russian Army. They decided to force a +general engagement and recapture the guns and heights the Turks had lost. +The Russian General could see the allied armies—the French massing on the +heights of Sebastopol and the British Infantry and Artillery marching +down both valleys. The Russians, recognising the uselessness of trying +to take Balaclava, ordered their army on the Causeway Heights to retreat +and abandon the captured guns. Lord Raglan sent General Airey, +Quarter-master General, to give Lord Lucan instructions to which he paid +no attention. The third order was, “The Cavalry to advance and take +advantage of any opportunity to recover the heights; they will be +supported by Infantry which has been ordered to advance on two fronts.” +Now the trouble commenced. Lord Lucan could see that Lord Raglan +intended the whole cavalry to advance in one body, but he could not give +the word of command for his two brigades to move together, not knowing +the drill in vogue. Again, how could he ask the cavalry to advance with +the Artillery without ammunition? How far could he advance against the +Russian Artillery? It would be simple slaughter to charge. Lord Lucan +had invaded the Crimea without any supply for his cannon. He admits that +he did not leave the forts till he had used all his ammunition, and that +was before daylight. He was then only one mile from Balaclava Harbour, +the only place for supply, and he could have sent his ammunition wagons +for it. His artillery being only six-pounders—the smallest in the +Crimea—it was impossible to draw or borrow it. So the humbug went on, +and instead of him informing Lord Raglan he had no supply of ammunition +in the Crimea—which was his first duty to his Queen and country—he +prepared the Heavy Brigade to support infantry at the top of the South +valley, quite reversing the third order. + +The two commanders-in-chief had their infantry ready for the general +engagement; the French infantry massed on the top of Sebastopol heights +to support the English; and the French Cavalry was ordered to report to +General Lord Lucan, the English Cavalry commander. The Duke of Cambridge +had his division on top of Sebastopol heights the first and could see the +Russian army retreating on the Causeway heights and abandoning the +captured cannon. The Duke waited some time for Lord Lucan to get a move +upon his command, then marched his troops down the heights of Sebastopol +to the South valley, seeing no signs of the cavalry advancing, ordered +his infantry and artillery in line of battle and marched them towards the +Causeway heights. I am of the opinion—and always have been—that if Lord +Lucan had continued his humbug for ten minutes longer, the Duke of +Cambridge would have attacked the retreating Russians on the Causeway +heights. + +The Commander-in-Chief, worn out with Lord Lucan’s delay of nearly 40 +minutes, despatched the fourth and last order, viz., “Lord Raglan wishes +the cavalry to advance rapidly to the front and try to prevent the enemy +carrying away the guns. Troop of Horse Artillery may accompany. French +Cavalry on your left. Immediate.” Captain Nolan was selected specially +to see this order carried out, being one of the best cavalry officers in +the British Army. When the order was given he started and galloped down +the steep heights to the South valley to Lord Lucan, saluted him and gave +him the order. I suppose he read it, but knowing what took place after, +I rather doubt it. Lord Lucan says after he read the order he said to +Captain Nolan, “Attack! Sir! Attack what? What guns, sir?” and he +states also that Captain Nolan, pointing, said, “There, my Lord, is your +enemy, and there are your guns.” Captain Nolan did not tell him to +attack and he had no proof to show he did. + +Lord Lucan left the largest part of his command in the South valley +prepared to support infantry he had never seen. The first thing he did +was to inform Lord Cardigan that Lord Raglan had ordered the Light +Brigade to charge the guns, telling a lie in the Commander-in-Chief’s +name. Lord Lucan then ordered Colonel Douglass to fall back and support +the 17th Lancers, and none of the Regimental Commanders or Lord Cardigan +were informed of the alteration, although just going into the most deadly +charge ever made. Captain Nolan placed himself in front of the 13th +Light Dragoons. Seeing one-third of the cavalry going down the valley to +be sacrificed, they having to charge one mile and a half, leaving army +and supports, and the commander of the Brigade away, Captain Nolan rode +in front of the 17th Lancers, the regiment that gave the speed and +direction, taking Lord Cardigan’s place. He knew the enemy were on the +Causeway Heights retreating and abandoning the captured guns, not more +than half a mile from the Light Brigade, and no danger to the Brigade to +get where Lord Raglan intended. Captain Nolan knew the guns we were +going to charge were sent to that position to cover the Russians’ retreat +from the Causeway heights. After Captain Nolan had galloped about forty +or fifty yards in the front and centre of the 17th Lancers (he did not +know that the 11th Hussars were ordered to fall back) he gave the word of +command “Threes right,” waving his sword and turning to his left. At the +same moment the Russians opened fire and a piece of shell struck him in +the breast near his heart. Had he not have turned he would have been +struck in the back or possibly have been missed altogether. When he gave +that word of command he intended the whole attacking line to move by it. +Though killed his body still remained in the saddle, the horse, seeing +the opening on the right, turned sharply in that direction and flung the +corpse to the ground. + +[Picture: The dress worn in the charge by the 17th Lancers, October 25th, + 1854] + + The dress worn in the charge by the 17th Lancers, October 25th, 1854. + +The Russians having opened fire, the 13th Light Dragoons did not hear the +word of command but advanced. If Sergeant-Major Nunnerley had not given +the word of command “Three’s Left” (or front forward), it is a question +how far we should have taken ground towards the Causeway heights. The +13th Light Dragoons had their commanding officer, Captain Oldham killed, +and all the regiment so scattered that a group of men never held +together. The 11th Hussars, through the 17th Lancers taking ground to +the right, lost them entirely. The 8th Hussars that were in the 2-line +under Lord Paget, with the 4th Light Dragoons, got separated and joined +part of the 17th Lancers, after fighting through the guns. Lord Paget, +with the 4th Light Dragoons, found the 11th Hussars through the guns, and +Colonel Douglas commanding would not obey Lord Paget because Lord Lucan +had given him the command of the regiment to support the 17th Lancers, +although Lord Paget was the senior officer. Yet they had to join +together to fight their way out. + +In the meantime, Sir George Cathcart marched his division down the +heights of Sebastopol and across the North valley near the 5th redoubt, +(without guns) on the top of the Causeway heights. He could see the +Light Brigade charging 12 to 20 guns in front and receiving flank fire +from 20 other cannon, being the Russian field artillery and the seven +ship guns the Turks had lost, together with ammunition in the three +redoubts. Sir George could also see the French Cavalry charging a +battery of field artillery of six guns on our left. The Russian cannon +were all brass polished, 12 and 24 pounds. Their infantry were in +square, and the commanding hill covered with the Needle riflemen. Sir +George saw all this destruction of life and he could see the Heavy +Brigade and Horse Artillery had not even been ordered from the South +valley to support or assist the Light Brigade or French Cavalry. Sir +George said it would be dangerous to advance further. Lord Lucan brought +up two regiment and yet Cathcart would not budge an inch. I believe I +saw the whole of the regiments—five in all. (See Lord Raglan’s letter +where he states only two regiments). + +The Duke of Cambridge is the only General living that commanded a +division in the battles of Alma, Balaclava and Inkerman, and he knows +what I have written is the living truth in every particular. He saw over +400 horses killed in less than 15 minutes after receiving the order to +charge. The combined forces who took part in the Charge numbered 670 all +told, of whom only 198 returned mounted. + +Lord Lucan only gave one order to the Light Brigade, and that led to its +destruction, sooner than inform the Commander-in-Chief that he had no +ammunition for his artillery. If Lord Raglan had known, there would not +have required any order or A.D.C., and there would not have been any +murderous charge by order of Lord Lucan. Had Lord Raglan had known there +was no ammunition, he would not have ordered the Horse Artillery to +accompany, (see his letter for proof). Lord Lucan allowed the Russian +cavalry to advance at a trot through the camp ground of the Heavy +Brigade, and none of the commanders knew about it till informed by the +Commander-in-Chief. Lord Lucan could not be found, and in consequence it +was left to five regiments, under General Scarlett, to engage and defeat +the Russians, who numbered seven to one. Lord Cardigan asserts there +were only three regiments engaged. And that seven regiments were mere +spectators, and yet Lord Lucan asserts he was not taken by surprise. If +so, it is an amazing thing that a commander should permit a Russian +cavalry force (3500) to make its way, in broad daylight, directly through +the camp ground of his own troops. + +After the charge Lord Lucan ordered the remnant of the Light Brigade six +miles off on the hills near Inkerman to recuperate. In a few days the +rain came down and every thing became a mass of mud, impossible to +procure either meat, drink, or clothing. All the water we could get to +drink was ladled off the ground. The supply consisted of small holes the +horses made with their feet and all kinds of filth being on the ground +helped to make things worse. We were left to die without having any +medicine or even a cup of hot water. Several weeks elapsed before Lord +Lucan found it out, for everyone seemed afraid of him and Cardigan, and +these two never talked together. Lord Lucan occupied all the houses in +Balaclava Harbour, while Lord Cardigan lived on his yacht seven miles +from his command, and never visited them, although they were dying of +hunger and starvation, and even when we went into action at Balaclava and +Inkerman he still lived aboard. It was twelve o’clock when he arrived at +Inkerman and his command never went under fire again during his service. + +At last a storm came on the 14th of November, 1854, which continued for +three days, and not a tent could be made to stand up. Some were blown +away and never found again. Think of men dying under such conditions. +The horses also were dying of hunger some of them eating all the hair off +their bodies. If it had not been for Lord George Paget I do not know +what would have become of us. He marched us down to Balaclava but the +journey proved too much for our horses, over 100 stuck fast and died in +the mud. The Light Brigade received several hundred horses that broke +loose on from the Russians on the night of October 25th, 1854, or I would +not be counting horses by the hundred. (See Lord George Paget’s Book for +proof.) + +Lord Cardigan died serenely satisfied because he had destroyed his +command in obedience to orders, after stating in the _Times_, “No one man +surpassed another in gallantry.” He is the only officer who had a +command that returned back mounted, and that did not give a helping hand. +He lost the whole of his command, five regiments and staff, and returned +back by himself. He states in _Kinglake_, “I rode slowly up the hill and +met General Scarlett. I said to him, ‘What do you think, General, of the +aide de camp after such an order being brought to us which has destroyed +the Light Brigade, riding to the rear and screaming like a woman’? Sir +J. Scarlett replied, ‘Do not say any more, for I have ridden over his +body.’” + +Lord Cardigan, in less than six months after, published a letter in the +_Times_ newspaper, dated April 6th, 1855, viz.:—“The Light Brigade had +not advanced more than 100 yards when they were fired upon, and Captain +Nolan, who had placed himself in front of a squadron of the 13th Light +Dragoons, was killed.” Lord Cardigan’s statement to Kinglake, published +in the appendix 14 years after the charge, viz.:—“After advancing about +eighty yards a shell fell within reach of my horse’s feet, and Captain +Nolan, who was riding across the front retreating with his arms up +through the interval of the brigade.” + +I should like to know which statement is true about Captain Nolan. It +was impossible for him to be killed in front of the 13th Light Dragoons. +It was impossible for him to be retreating with his arms up through the +interval in front of Lord Cardigan. The interval was in the rear of him, +and he would have to look back. Did Nolan scream in front or rear of +Cardigan? How did he get in front of Lord Cardigan without him seeing +him go? Lord Cardigan was in front of his command a minute or less +before the attacking line commenced the charge, and this is why so many +saw him. Captain Nolan would not dare take command if Lord Cardigan had +been there. What kind of leading was he doing not to see him; and the +17th Lancers go “threes’ right” and take ground to the right. Many +things I should like to explain if I had space. + + * * * * * + + + + +LORD RAGLAN _re_ LORD LUCAN. + + + Before Sebastopol, + + Dec. 16th, 1854. + + Field-Marshall Lord Raglan + + to Duke of Newcastle, Sec. for War. + + My Lord Duke, + + I regret to be under the necessity of forwarding to your Grace the + copy of a letter which has been addressed to me by Lieutenant General + the Earl of Lucan. + + When I received it I placed it in the hands of Brigadier-General + Airey, the Quartermaster-General, and requested him to suggest to his + lordship to withdraw the communication, considering that it would not + lead to his advantage in the slightest degree; but Lord Lucan having + declined to take the step recommended, I have but one course to + pursue—that of laying the letter before Your Grace and submitting to + you such observations upon it as I am bound, in justice to myself, to + put you in possession of. + + Lieutenant General the Earl of Lucan complains that in my dispatch to + Your Grace of the 28th of October, I stated that, “from some + misconception of the instruction to advance, the Lieutenant General + considered that he was bound to attack at all hazards.” His Lordship + conceives this statement to be a grave charge and an imputation + reflecting seriously on his professional character, and he deems it + incumbent upon him to state those facts which he cannot doubt must + clear him from what he respectfully submits as altogether unmerited. + + I have referred to my dispatch and far from being willing to recall + one word of it, I am prepared to declare, that not only did the + Lieutenant General misconceive the written instruction that was sent + him, but that there was nothing in that instruction which called upon + him to attack at all hazards, or to undertake the operation which led + to such a brilliant display of gallantry on the part of the Light + Brigade, and unhappily, at the same time occasioned such lamentable + casualties in every regiment composing it. + + In his lordship’s letter he is wholly silent with respect to a + previous order which had been sent him. He merely says that the + cavalry was formed to support an intended movement of the infantry. + + This previous order was in the following words:—“The cavalry to + advance and take advantage of any opportunity to recover the heights. + They will be supported by infantry which has been ordered to advance + on two fronts.” + + This order did not seem to me to have been attended to, and therefore + it was that the instruction by Captain Nolan was forwarded to him. + Lord Lucan must have read the first order with very little attention + for he now states that the cavalry was formed to support the + infantry, whereas he was told by Brigadier General Airey, “that the + cavalry was to advance and take advantage of any opportunity to + recover the heights, and that they would be supported by infantry.” + Not that they were to support the infantry; and so little had he + sought to do as he had been directed, that he had no men in advance + of his main body, made no attempt to regain the heights, and was so + little informed of the position of the enemy, that he ask Captain + Nolan, “where and what he was to attack, as neither enemy nor guns + were in sight?” + + This, Your Grace will observe, is the Lieutenant General’s own + admission. The result of his inattention to the first order was, + that it never occurred to him that the second was connected with, and + a repetition of the first. He viewed it only as a positive order to + attack at all hazards (the word “attack” be it observed was not made + use of in General Airy’s note). An unseen enemy, whose position, + numbers and composition he was wholly unacquainted with, and whom, in + consequence of a previous order, he had taken no steps whatever to + watch. + + I undoubtedly had no intention that he should make such an + attack—there was nothing in the instructions to require it; and + therefore I conceive I was fully justified in stating to Your Grace + what was the exact truth, that the charge arose from the + misconception of the order for the advance which Lord Lucan + considered obliged him to attack at all hazards. + + I wish I could say with his lordship that, having decided against his + conviction to make the movement, he did all he could to render it as + little perilous as possible. This, indeed, is far from being the + case in my judgment. He was told that the Horse Artillery might + accompany the cavalry. He did not bring it up. He was informed that + the French cavalry was on the left. He did not invite their + co-operation. He had the whole of the heavy cavalry at his disposal. + He mentions having brought up only two regiments in support, and he + omits all other precautions, either from want of due consideration, + or from the supposition that the unseen enemy was not in such great + force as he apprehended, notwithstanding that he was warned of it by + Lord Cardigan, after the latter had received the order to attack. I + am much concerned, My Lord Duke, to have to submit these observations + to Your Grace. I entertain no wish to disparage the Earl of Lucan in + your opinion, or to cast a slur upon professional reputation; but + having been accused by his lordship of having stated of him what was + unmentioned in my dispatch, I have felt obliged to enter into the + subject, and trouble Your Grace at more length than I could have + wished, in vindication of a report of Your Grace in which I had + strictly confined myself to that which I knew to be true and had + indulged in no observations whatever, or in any expression which + could be viewed either as harsh or in any way grating to the feelings + of his lordship. + + I have etc. + + (Signed) RAGLAN. + + * * * * * + + [Picture: The Gun that Lieutenant Jarvis and myself captured] + + + + +SWORN STATEMENT FOR VICTORIA +CROSS IN SUPREME COURT, +UNITED STATES. + + + * * * * * + +To Lord Wolseley, Commander-in-Chief. + + 909, STEUBEN STREET, N.W., + WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., + NOVEMBER 12th, 1896. + +MY LORD, + +I beg leave to renew my application for the Victoria Cross, basing my +claim upon gallantry of conduct during the Charge of the Light Brigade, +25th October, 1854, and the Battle of Inkerman, and will give proofs that +corroborate my own statements. + +My previous applications for the Cross have been brief. With your +Lordship’s permission I will now give a more detailed statement. + + First as to the Charge of the 600:— + +My squadron was nearly annihilated before we reached the Russian battery, +every officer being either killed or wounded. Myself and horse had been +knocked down once and my lance shot away. After our passing through and +silencing the guns my first thought was to look for directions from an +officer, and I rode to Lieut. E. L. Jarvis, still living I believe a +retired Major, of the 13th Light Dragoons, as his uniform was so nearly +like that of the 17th Lancers, that I first thought he belonged to my +regiment. Lieut. Jarvis pointed to a cannon that was being taken off at +a gallop towards our right rear, and said, “Let’s capture that gun.” We +immediately charged upon it. Jarvis shot one of the horses in the head, +bringing it to a stop. I cut down the gunners with my sword. We both +dismounted and took out the dead horse, when more stragglers of the +Brigade came to our assistance. Private John Smith, C Troop, 17th +Lancers, now living in London, mounted one of the horses to the gun +carriage and we started off the field with it when a large body of +Cossacks charged upon us completely surrounding us. I fought my way +through and was pursued down the valley by seven of them into a body of +Russian Hussars re-forming. I had no alternative but to charge through +their line, which I did, an officer striking my head with the sword, my +lance hat saving my head except for a bad bruise. A brigade of Russian +Hussars were retreating down the valley pursued by about forty of our +men. I rode from the right flank to the left flank of the rear rank +calling to the men to fall back. Private Clifford of my troop rode into +the column and was cut to pieces before my eyes. The Hussars came about +and we were then between two large bodies of cavalry, one marching up the +valley, the other down, so that the few of our Brigade who were farthest +beyond the Russian guns were now completely hemmed in by a great body of +Russians. At this critical moment, when there was no officer to command +us and we were apparently lost, I beg leave to introduce the words of a +comrade still living describing my conduct. + + [Picture: The Only Squad Rallied Through The Guns] + +J. W. Wightman, late 17th Lancers, in _Nineteenth Century_, May, +1892.—“We heard the familiar voice of Corporal Morley, of our regiment, a +great, rough, bellowing man from Nottingham. He had lost his lance hat, +and his long hair was flying out in the wind as he roared, ‘Coom ’ere! +coom ’ere! Fall in, lads, fall in!’ Well, with shouts and oaths he had +collected some twenty troopers of various regiments. We fell in with the +handful this man of the hour had rallied to him, and there joined us also +under his leadership Sergeant-Major Ranson and Private John Penn, of the +17th. Penn, a tough old warrior who had served with the 3rd Light in the +Sikh war, had killed a Russian officer, dismounted, and with great +deliberation accoutred himself with the belt and sword of the defunct, in +which he made a great show. A body of Russians blocked our way. Morley, +roaring Nottingham oaths by way of encouragement, led us straight at +them, and we went through and out at the other side as if they had been +made of tinsel paper. As we rode up the valley, pursued by some Hussars +and Cossacks, my horse was wounded by a bullet in the shoulder, and I had +hard work to push the poor beast along. Presently we were abreast of the +Infantry who had blazed into our right as we went down; and we had to +take their fire again, this time on our left. Their firing was very +impartial; their own Hussars and Cossacks following close on us suffering +from it as well as we. Not many of Corporal Morley’s party got back.” + +After Wightman fell I kept a group together through the battery, again in +position and then ordered them to separate for safety. Private James +Cope died in India, and James McGregor, 4th Light Dragoons, since dead, +reported to our regiment with me. We were the last to get back to the +regiment. + +The names of Cope and McGregor are appended to my first application, 17th +October, 1856. + + Second as to the battle of Inkerman:— + +At the battle of Inkerman, November 5th, Cornet Cleveland was mortally +wounded. He fell from his horse in front of me just as the regiment was +ordered to retire. After we had retired some distance I rode to the +commanding officer of the regiment and asked to be allowed to fall out to +go back for Cornet Cleveland. He told me to go to the Sergeant-major and +tell him to send two men to assist me. He told his brother James O’Hara +and went himself. In the act of carrying Cornet Cleveland off the field, +both James O’Hara and myself had our dress hats shot off our heads by a +cannon ball. I annex a letter from Lord Tredegar, commanding officer, in +support of this statement:— + + TERDEGAR PARK, NEWPORT, ENGLAND, + APRIL 6th, 1889 + + MORLEY, + + I remember quite well that on the field of Inkerman you asked + permission to fall out to go and try and bring in Cornet Cleveland, + who had been seriously wounded a short time previously. I gave you + permission and you went with two other men, and brought Cornet + Cleveland into camp. I also know that you displayed great gallantry + in the Light Cavalry charge at Balaclava. + + Yours sincerely, + TREDEGAR, + _Late Captain 17th Lancers_. + + [Picture: Bringing out of the thickest of the fire, Cornet Cleveland, + mortally wounded] + + Bringing out of the thickest of the fire, Cornet Cleveland, mortally + wounded. + + * * * * * + + Third as to the Baida Valley:— + +In my first application I made a statement as to the occurrence in the +Baida Valley, viz.—“Whilst my regiment was stationed in Balaclava I was +one of the detachment ordered on duty in the Baida Valley. I was engaged +on one particular occasion in the reconnoitreing party in advance of the +party that took possession of Prince Chatteloff’s house near the +Woronzoff road. Two of the Land Transport Corps were wounded and it was +with great difficulty and caution that I was enabled to bring the +videttes into the main body upon which we had to retire.” This statement +was dismissed by Colonel Benson, who wrote to H.R.H. Duke of Cambridge +that he was not aware of any such occurrence taking place. With your +Lordship’s permission I will make this occurrence more clear and show +that there is ample proof of the truth of the statement. + +Major Peel, 11th Hussars, was in charge of the command, consisting of +three squadrons viz., 8th Hussars, 11th Hussars, and 17th Lancers. Now +General Sir Drury C. Lowe, K.C.B., commanded the 17th Lancers. I was +sergeant of the rear guard. The main body were near the house +dismounted. The Land Transport Corps were at the gate the only entrance +leading into the house. The rear of the 17th Lancers were within 40 +yards of the gate just around a bend of the road. The Russian Infantry +fired a volley into the Transport Corps I saw them running from their +wagons, some of them wounded. I formed a line across the road and +charged down to the Russians who had not time to reload. When they saw +us they jumped over a stone wall on the left of the gate into the steep +woods. We might have captured some of them but their fire had killed a +mule in one of the transport wagons, blocking up the gate. The remainder +of the wagons were in the road leading to the Woronzoff road which the +main body had to retire upon. I at once placed videttes upon the all the +roads. Sir Drury Lowe rode up to me and asked “where are the Russians?” +as I was watching the place where they had jumped over the wall. I told +him and he said “Come further back, they will shoot you. You have done +perfectly right.” There can be no exaggeration in this statement as Sir +Drury Low is still living. Sergeant-Major J. Nunnerly, late 17th +Lancers, was a sergeant with the squadron and aware of the occurrence, as +must be every survivor, in spite of Colonel Benson’s discrediting my +statement by saying he knew of no such occurrence. + +I wish to repeat the statement in my former application that “I embarked +at the commencement of the war. I served under Lord Cardigan at Devna +and Yenebazaar at the time when disease prevailed to a great extent. +During the time I had the honour to be selected as Corporal of a letter +party stationed at Varna. The whole of the dispatches of the army were +at times conveyed by this party, and I was compelled in consequence of +the sickness of the men to ride day and night without any rest to set a +good example to the men under my charge and keep out of their minds that +too much fatigue would kill them.” + +Allow me to add that this was Lord Raglan’s letter party and that I +continually reported at his headquarters to receive the dispatches. The +party consisted of myself, and Privates Wm. Purvis, P. Murphy, Burkemore, +and H. Gallimore. All these went into hospital with cholera and +Gallimore died. Wm. Purvis is still living at 105, Rutter Street, +Walsall. + +In conclusion allow me to say that I served twenty-two years in the 17th +Lancers and Yeomanry. I have only one son old enough for army service +and he is Sergeant-Instructor in the British Army. + +I beg that my claim may be impartially looked into on its merits at this +time. When action was taken on it before the claim was thrown out on the +statements of Col. Benson, who through carelessness or indifference +reported adversely on circumstances of which he had no knowledge. The +testimony of Lieut. Wightman and Lord Tredegar, still living, ought to be +sufficient as to the Charge of the 600 and the Battle of Inkerman. The +occurrence in the Baida Valley is not so important, but is mentioned to +show that I was always quick in action and forgetful of any personal +danger. If there is any doubt as to the correctness of my account I have +no doubt that Sir Drury Lowe will add his statement to mine. + +I have my Lord, the honor to be, + + Your obedient servant, + + THOMAS MORLEY, + _Late Sergeant 17th Lancers_, + +WASHINGTON, D.C., + UNITED STATES. + + * * * * * + + _Subscribed and sworn to before me_, _Nov._ 12_th_, 1896. + + JOHN R. YOUNG, + + _Clerk Supreme Court_, _D.C._ + + _By_ + + S. J. MERRYS, + _Junior Assistant Clerk_. + + [Blocks not in Sworn Statement.] + + * * * * * + + + + +_TIMES_, _APRIL 24th_, _1857_. +THE CROSS OF VALOUR. + + +SIR,—I am a sergeant of nearly three years, lately retired from the 17th +Lancers, at the early age of 25 years, solely in consequence of being +passed over most unjustly in the rewards and honours that have been +bestowed. I am now made drill sergeant in the Sherwood Rangers, +Mansfield, by its noble colonel, His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, and, +wishing my fellowmen to know how unjustly I have been treated, I beg of +you to allow me a place in your columns, so generously open to private as +well as public grievances, to state my service as briefly as possible. + +After being at Alma, I was present with my regiment in every engagement +that took place. I charged at Balaklava with my squadron until it was +nearly annihilated, my own lance being shot away. Drawing my sword I +galloped on to the Russian guns, and assisted in cutting down the +gunners. On the right of our forming line I observed one particular gun +going away as fast as the horses could take it. I went after it with +Captain Jervis, of the 13th Light Dragoons, who shot one of the horses +and delayed its progress. On this I engaged two of the gunners, who both +fell. It now became a struggle for our lives, a large body of Cossacks +surrounded us. I succeeded in working my way through them, and galloped +in the direction of what I judged to be our own Hussars. I found they +were Russians reforming. I forced my way on full speed through them, +unhurt. A regiment of Polish Lancers, 800 strong, had formed across the +valley. I halted a moment to look around. Perceiving several of our +cavalry in the same dilemma, I called to them, and being then a corporal, +I used what authority I had to form them as well as I could. We gathered +12, and charged their centre; most of us got through. I believe three +fell. These men were 4th and 13th Light Dragoons, and 17th Lancers; one +was of the 8th Hussars. I received the point of a lance in the right +hand; the wound was slight. The Russian infantry now opened a heavy fire +upon us and after galloping through the guns of the enemy in advance of +us, each one separated, trusting to fate. Private James Cope and Private +James Wightman, now corporals of the 17th Lancers, were of the number. +Wightman was severely wounded, and taken prisoner for twelve months. + +On the 5th of November, 1854, I was at the battle of Inkerman, and under +fire. Cornet Cleveland was shot; and when our regiment was ordered to +retire, I asked Captain Morgan to allow me to fall out of the ranks to +assist in carrying Mr. Cleveland off the field. Troop Sergeant-Major +O’Hara and Private James O’Hara of the same regiment, also fell out for +that purpose. In performing that act, James O’Hara and myself had both +our dress caps shot off our heads by a cannon ball. We still pursued our +duty till out of range, when the cornet wished to be laid down till a +stretcher could be procured. This officer died. While stationed at +Balaclava I was one of the detachment ordered for the Baider Valley. On +one occasion I was engaged in the reconnoitering party in advance of the +party that took possession of General Chateloof’s house, near the +Woronzoff Road. Two of the Land Transport Corps and several mules were +wounded and one killed, when the corps deserted the wagons, and I was the +sergeant who led a detachment of my regiment to the spot when the +Russians, on our approach, fled into the wood, and I placed my men on +vidette, which the main body had to retire upon. I may further add that +I embarked with the regiment at the first commencement of the war. I +served under Lord Cardigan at Devno Yeni-Bazar at the time when disease +greatly prevailed. At this time I had the honour to be selected as +corporal of a letter party stationed at Varna. The whole of the army +despatches were conveyed by our party, and I was often compelled in +consequence of the sickness of the men, to ride day and night without +rest. + +I was present in every skirmish in which my regiment was engaged, and I +returned home when the campaign ended. When in Ireland with my regiment +I inquired of my troop officer why I did not get a medal for +distinguished conduct. He told me he was very sorry I did not, but it +lay to the commanding officer’s discretion. So it appears they are not +“distinguished conduct medals” but “discretion medals!” There are +several men in the 17th Lancers who wear medals for distinguished conduct +on the field of battle who never crossed swords with a Russian. + +This is my simple and truthful statement; and I think I have reason to +complain that I am not decorated with a cross of valour—not to wear as a +matter of vanity, but alone prizable to me as a mark that, though a +young, I have not been an unworthy soldier. + +I have the honour to be, + + Yours truly, + THOMAS MORLEY. + + + + +THE CROSS OF VALOUR. {24} + + + _To the Editor of the Nottinghamshire Advertiser_. + +SIR,—Having perused in your last week’s impression, a letter under the +above heading, from the pen of a participator in the perils of the late +war, complaining of the neglect he had suffered at the hands of those who +must, or ought to be, well acquainted with the incidents he relates. I +am inclined to think with him, that the strictly “discretoniary +decorations” will, after all, form a too striking constituent in our +modern system of distributing military rewards, for, presuming Mr. Morley +to have one of the ordinary Crimean medals, it scarcely, in his case, +seems an adequate recognition of services rendered under very trying +circumstances, and by so young a man. Indeed, it appears an exceedingly +questionable policy to pass over, comparatively unheeded, one who could, +at a conjuncture—such as is stated to have occurred at Balaclava—rally a +dozen men, mere fugitives racing for their lives, and inspire them with +confidence sufficient to bear down upon, and literally rend assunder an +entire regiment of the enemy. This, when regard is had to the fact, that +they were just emerging from a most fearful storm of shot, poured upon +them by the Russian artillery, was a display of no ordinary intrepidity +and daring in men, who, previously to that campaign, had never crossed +swords with an enemy, and well worthy, I think, of some special mark of +approbation,—the more so, when we reflect that he was thereby +instrumental in saving eight or nine lives of the flower of the army, who +would, in all probability, have been shot down, or lanced piecemeal, had +they not at that critical moment acted in perfect concert. + +The fact of our Lord Lieutenant having given Sergeant Morley an +appointment in the Sherwood Rangers, is a sufficient guarantee for the +truth of his statements, and many, doubtless, who have read his very +interesting letter, will join me in congratulating him upon obtaining the +favour of such a man. + + I am, Sir, respectfully yours, + + EVARDUS. + +Nottingham, April 29, 1857. + + * * * * * + +I have proved by living officers, generals, and noblemen that my +statement is the living truth to-day, although 43 years have passed. Yet +this Colonel Benson was allowed to turn Her Majesty’s and Prince +Consort’s Noble Order and the Royal Warrant into mockery and the Victoria +Cross into a sham. He was the cause of me receiving an official letter, +dated 8th October, 1857, stating that all claims for the Victoria Cross +must be founded upon facts. This Colonel Benson wrote the most cruel +false statements to the Commander-in-Chief, and was the cause of me +purchasing my discharge out of the 17th Lancers, and then losing +promotion in the Yeomanry. He made false statements respecting my being +promoted to sergeant. I can prove I was promoted in November, 1854, and +he did not arrive in the Crimea till 22nd February, 1855. I have +received all kinds of official letters telling me they see no reason to +open my case. I received an official letter dated 22nd February, 1892, +stating that the case cannot now be opened. If a brave British soldier +cannot be heard by the authorities, what can he do but appeal to his +countrymen? Truth never dies. + +The royal warrant states, that for the Victoria Cross there shall be no +preference of age or rank, and the youngest soldier shall be rewarded for +valour. + +My next article will be to prove that all claims for the Victoria Cross +are not founded upon facts. Yet they wear it just the same. I will also +prove by their own official letters I never had an investigation. + +For myself I have the proud consciousness of having done my duty to Queen +and country. + + + + +Fought Under Two Flags, +AND A RECORD SECOND TO NONE FOR VALOUR. + + + [Picture: Death or glory flags, skull etc.] + +NO British soldier that I ever read about did more distinguished proved +valour. I received a letter from Major Jervis, late 13th Light Dragoons, +dated December 5th, 1876. He says amongst other things “that he well +remembers a young corporal of the 17th Lancers helping him to take the +gun,” and from the fact named in my letter, it could be none other than +myself. + +I received a letter from Lord Tredegar, dated December 9th, 1876. In +which he says, “that he well remembers, after the regiment had retired a +short distance, I asked permission to go back and bring in Cornet +Cleveland who lay in the thickest of the fire, mortally wounded.” See +his other letter, in my sworn claim for the Victoria Cross, General Sir +Drury Lowe, K.C.B., in answering a letter to me said “if he could do me +any service he would be happy to do it,” several officers wrote me at the +same time to the same effect. I was holding the position of Regimental +Sergeant-Major in the Yeomanry, and in charge of head quarters and +stores. I explained this to them and thanked them, telling them I was +well off. I am Sir Drury Lowe’s oldest Non-Commissioned Officer, I +served under him all the time he was in the Crimea and in Ireland, and +when he commanded a detachment in Clonmel. In the Baida Valley he came +to my assistance several times, once at Prince Challertoff’s residence, +when I charged the Russians and took back the waggons of the Land +Transport. I was on picquet duty with Lieutenant Barbour, some Greeks +came into the picquets on little ponies, and explained to us the Russians +were stealing. Lieutenant Barbour took all the picquet and left me in +charge of the Videtts; being absent longer than I liked, I sent a man who +was very sick into camp, explaining the matter to now Sir Drury Lowe, who +commanded the 17th, telling him I had no men to patrole with, he did not +send any reinforcements, but came himself with the regiment. He lost no +time in getting to me and remained in command till Lieutenant Barbour +returned with two Russian Greek spies, who tried to decoy his command +into a village in which the Russian Cavalry were hiding. Sir Drury Lowe +was loved by all men and I never heard or knew an enlisted man to say any +thing but kindness respecting him. I was in Aldershot when he commanded +the regiment, and I was in the Sergeants Mess. I heard Sergeant-Major +Davis repeat that he would sooner soldier under Colonel Lowe without pay +than any other officer with pay and the rest shouted “hear hear.” + +There is an old proverb that “Comparisons are odious” and it cannot be +better proved than by Colonel Drury Lowe and Colonel Benson, both +commanded the 17th Lancers. The latter was never under fire in the +Crimea. He was the only officer that flogged the soldiers. I saw him +flog three at once at Ismid, who rode in the charge of the “600,” one of +them had 17 wounds upon his back, all bleeding, through the lashes of the +Cat o’ Nine Tails. I saw tears running down the officers cheeks. This +Colonel Benson is the only officer that drummed out any men of the 17th +Lancers, some of whom had ridden in the charge of the “600.” + +Sir Drury Lowe, when Colonel, had a Regimental Sergeant-Major in the name +of Brown, every soldier in the 17th Lancers had the greatest respect for +him and officers too. + +Colonel Benson had a Regimental Sergeant-Major Wooden, a foreigner, that +could not speak the English language when he joined the regiment, went by +the name of Tish-me. Colonel Benson went by the name of Dosey, he always +looked as if he was asleep. But when he played at cards with young +officers they found he was not dreaming. Colonel Benson and this Wooden, +their teeth fit in their jaws like Hyenas. Every officer and soldier +feared them. + +Sergeant-Major Wooden was allowed to insult officers, one leaving the +regiment through the bad language he used to him. I can name three +sergeants out of one troop that left the 17th Lancers through him, and +they all rode in the “Charge of the 600.” Colonel Benson procured him +quarter-master of the 5th Lancers, and the commanding officer soon had +him retired on the smallest allowance, 3/6 per day. It was Colonel +Benson who secured his promotion as quarter-master of some infantry, but +he soon got into debt and shot himself. It was the same officer who +procured him the Victoria Cross and the French Order, although he never +crossed swords with a Russian, and all those who knew anything concerning +him, and who were in the “Charge of the 600,” say he threw himself off +his horse. It is a well-known fact that he never went to the Battle of +Inkerman, but drew our grog and got dead drunk with it. + +Sir Drury Lowe, purchased Regimental Sergeant-Major J. Brown a +commission, and appointed him adjutant of the regiment. I will undertake +to prove all I have said, and more, by officers and soldiers now living. + +Colonel Benson was the means of me losing promotion by writing lies to +the Duke of Cambridge. The Duke of Newcastle, my commanding officer, +read Benson’s letter and told me he should believe Colonel Benson’s +statement before mine. He promised afterwards that if I would not write +any more letters something would be done for me. That promise was never +fulfilled, for he promoted a sergeant over my head in the name of Smith. + +Through General Charles Frederick Havelock, who became Inspector of +Cavalry at Washington, D.C., I left the regiment and went to America. I +went with him to inspect the 12th Pennsylvanian Cavalry at the time the +regiment had just been mustered into the United States Service, and was +appointed Drill Instructor to the regiment. + +At the battle of Bull Run I saved the regiment from being captured, my +horse being killed and myself taken prisoner. When I returned to the +regiment I received a commission and all back pay and allowances which +amounted to some hundreds of pounds. They also paid me for horse and +equipments. I was in all the stirring engagements. I was second in +command in Dismounted Camp in Pleasant Valley, Maryland, to equip all +cavalry without horses, and was afterwards Assistant Commissariat in +Pleasant Valley. I was then appointed Assistant Inspector of Cavalry, +with Major Gordon, for the department of Western Virginia. I was in +Libby prison for twelve months, and while I was there 109 made their +escape by making a tunnel. I was in when powder was laid down to blow us +all up. + +During the time I was prisoner of war, General Cesnola saw me compelled +to be vaccinated. The matter turned out bad, my left side and arm +swelled to such a degree that I was compelled to lay on the floor for +months, my brother officers believing I should die. + +During the war I received a bullet in my head, and it remained in for +eight years. + +One of the worst running fights I ever was in was when General Max Weber +sent me from Harper’s Ferry, Va., to Charlestown to capture fifteen of +the enemys cavalry. I was allowed to pick thirty horses and men. After +we had advanced about five miles we saw them and pursued, we found two +thousand with two guns. Two squadrons charged us and we had a fight with +revolvers for four miles, till close to the forts. I lost twenty-one out +of the thirty men. This was on the 29th June, 1864. The United States +paid me for two horses killed in battle. + +I am the only officer that knew the plans which General Grant used to +capture Richmond in nine days. I also assisted General L. P. Di Cesnola +to make out these plans and forward them to President Lincoln. I saved +General Cesnola’s life. My horse was killed in a charge in the night, +and it lay on me till the sun rose. Through being a freemason I was +bandaged up. I heard that General Cesnola was wounded and I went to his +assistance. He had a sword cut in the head, was shot in the thick part +of the arm, the point of a sword through the palm of the hand, and horse +killed whilst leading his brigade in a charge. I attended to him and +dressed his wounds. I stayed with him, and managed to hire horses and +conveyances to travel a distance of 150 miles to Stanton Va. He is now, +and has been for years, Managing Director of the Metropolitan Museum of +Art and Central Park, New York. He often writes thanking me for saving +his life. I was introduced to him when he was Colonel of the 4th New +York Cavalry, by Major-General C. F. Havelock, at Washington, who knew +him when he was on Field Marshal Marmouer’s Commander-in-Chief’s Staff of +the Italian Army, in the Crimea. I received second and first +lieutenant’s and captain’s commissions on the field of battle, and have +them now. + +I resigned after the war and returned home and joined the Ayrshire +Yeomanry as drill troop sergeant-major, 1st of January, 1868. In June +1871 I was promoted regimental sergeant-major in charge of headquarters +and stores. I remained with them till June, 1877. I was so well liked +in Ayr that they gave me, an Englishman, the birth place of Robert Burns +on lease, in preference to hundreds of Scotchmen. In a few years the +place was sold to the gentleman of the county for thousands of pounds +more than they asked me for it. I was the last lessee of the place. +Only three persons were born in this house, these being the poet himself +and two of my children, one of whom is still living in Pittsburgh, +Pennsylvania. I took another business, but it did not do well, the rent +being too high—£600 a year. + +I then went to America, and in a few years I thought I should be better +off under the government. In April 1884 I called upon Senator Morrell, +the father of the house of the Senate, and went with him to interview the +Hon. Robert Lincoln, the Secretary for War, who informed me that he could +not give me the first place as he had promised it. In a few days I got +an appointment and received pay on it till the end of 1893. Mr. Lincoln +afterwards became Ambassador to England. On the 9th of May, 1863, I was +employed in the government building, in which President Lincoln was +assassinated, when part of the building fell, killing 25 and injuring +nearly 200. I was one of the latter, and being unable to perform my +duties was discharged. I applied to the Patriotic Fund in London for aid +out of the money the people of England subscribed—five children depending +upon me at the time. I received a reply telling me I was not entitled to +anything. This is the first and only time in my life I ever asked for +assistance. + +Some time after I ceased to receive pay. I then took the official letter +of the Patriotic Fund, dated October 18th, 1894, to Senator J. Hawley. +He said, “Why did you not come to me before, I would have put you back.” +I told him I was not able to do anything. “Then what can I do for you?” +he said. I replied that I wanted a place for my wife in the Treasury. +He said, “I am sorry for your sake, I do not belong to that +administration, but I will get her a place.” Three days after she was +employed in the Treasury till we came to England. I have never been able +since the Ford Theatre disaster to do any employment. I lived in Leek, +Staffordshire, for sixteen months, and the chief of police and several of +the magistrates, doctors and chemists of the town, know that I was sick +in bed nearly all the time, and have been sick in Nottingham this last +five months, but the climate seems to agree with me better, being my own +native place. + +I shall ever be grateful to America. It is a Heaven for a soldier. They +never want, if a good record. If they cannot work they have Soldiers +Homes to retire in; better looking than any Hotel in Nottingham. If they +die their relatives receive ten pound to carry them to the finest +Cemetery in the world; with marble head-stone, and their graves strewn +with flowers every 30th of May. Any soldier with a record can get relief +and forwarded to his destination. The Americans are the finest comrades +in the world, and they are the only nation that can fight side by side +with the British, they would understand one another and be proper chums, +while other nations do not understand one another. You would require an +interpreter to understand their names; much more work together in battle. + +I have attended many fires and assisted to put them out, about 1860 I +went to a fire at Mr. Hollins’ mills, near Pleasley, Derbyshire, no finer +mills in England. After the fire engines were on some time, I told Mr. +Hollins they were on the wrong side, and he had them removed to the other +side. I told him the fire was on the top story and they put up ladders +to reach it. No one man seemed to be able to carry the hose and leather +pipes up. I told him it would be dangerous for many to be up so high +when the water was put on, it would make it too heavy for the ladder. +After several tried I took it up myself, broke in the window with a +hammer, put in the hose and in half an hour or less I got inside, put out +the fire and went down the stairs. I then walked to Mr. Hollins’ House, +their dinner was on the table, and the room full of ladies and gentlemen; +no one seemed to be dining. After I told Mr. Hollins I had put out the +fire, I sat down and dined. He wanted to reward me, but I would not +receive anything, and he placed me on his game list. I should not speak +of this, only there are plenty of ladies and gentlemen living who can +bear out this statement. + +About 1874, I was walking up High Street, in Ayr, N.B., I saw a great +blaze in the second story of Mr. Semple’s the largest Ironmonger in the +town, and in the centre of the market space. I procured a bag of salt +and went up stairs with it, the oil had caught fire in a large tank; in +less than ten minutes I had it out, only Robert Reed was in the room. +Mr. Semple sent me a handsome present. + +If I was to give my life in full it would make a book. If my health gets +better I will write fuller. + + [Picture: Decorative graphic] + + + + +Cause of the “Charge of the 600” +BY THE “MAN OF THE HOUR.” + + + * * * * * + + Never before been published. + + [Picture: Death or glory flags, skull etc.] + + To be obtained of all Booksellers in the United Kingdom and + United States of America. + + * * * * * + + PRICE SIXPENCE. + + * * * * * + + Post Free in the United Kingdom, 7d. United States, 14 cent. stamps. + + WHOLESALE AND RETAIL OF + + THOS. MORLEY, 39, Dame Agnes Street, Nottingham, England. + + * * * * * + + Printed by Arthur Johnson, Maypole Yard, Nottingham, England. + + + + +Footnotes + + +{24} In the printed booklet “1875” is printed just above the heading +“THE CROSS OF VALOUR.” However, it’s been crossed through, and doesn’t +agree with the date of the letter. Perhaps it was meant for 1857?—DP. + + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CAUSE OF THE CHARGE OF +BALACLAVA*** + + +******* This file should be named 45309-0.txt or 45309-0.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/5/3/0/45309 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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