October 25, 2004
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150 YEARS AGO TODAY
Oct 25 1854
During the Crimean War's Battle of Balaclava, Lord Ragland orders the British cavalry corps on a suicide mission to capture artillery guns protected by 19,000 Russian troops.
The total strength of the Light Brigade when it started on the charge is usually accepted as 673.
On receipt of the order the reply of Lord Cardigan was, "Very good, sir."
James Thomas Brudenell, the Seventh Earl of Cardigan
Cardigan was known for his stridency on protocol and appearance. He was also probably regarded as a dangerous lunatic, in that was he was notorious for his willingness to duel over even minor provocations. He demanded high standards of formation, parades, uniform maintenance and appearance. Underlings who differed with Cardigan's insistence on discipline and protocol were punished.
To the Light Brigade Lord Cardigan then gave the word of command, "The Brigade will advance." No trumpet call was used. The men were dismounted when the order came, and were immediately in the saddle when the command was given.
It was not long before the 13th and 17th came under the guns of the enemy; the Russian battery on the Fedioukine Hills had opened fire, and the masses of infantry on either side the valley poured in a heavy discharge of musketry. Now, too, the Cossack battery in the front joined in, but yet, with men and horses dropping singly, or by twos or threes, on swept the Light Brigade. On they rode, each instant finding gap after gap in the ranks. Riderless horses, as the men dropped, still kept their places in the line; but there was neither pause nor hesitation. "Close in," "close in," was the word as death and destruction was dealt among them. At about 80 yards from the Cossack guns a discharge wrought fearful havoc, but after that those guns spoke no more.
Ahead of his men Lord Cardigan dashed into the battery, crushing his knee and receiving a slight wound. Nor were the 13th and 17th far behind. The two squadrons of the former and the right squadron of the latter were speedily among the guns, and were cutting down the artillerymen that remained at their posts. Through the guns they went, and were soon engaged in a hand-to-hand encounter with the enemy that was endeavouring to surround them by closing in on either flank.
On his first return he met Sir John Ewart and Sir George Cathcart, to whom he said, "I have lost my brigade." They did not understand him, knowing nothing of the charge, and stared without speaking. Lord Cardigan then turned his horse, and, as has been said, galloped back towards the Russians.
And so it came about that the "wretched remnant," as Captain Jenyns calls it, when they had got to the guns, "went with such a right good cheer, bang through their cavalry, which cut right and left like sheep; on rallying back there were the guns, four hundred yards in the rear, all clear, and no one, worse luck, to carry them off,—the worst part of all, as a very strong regiment of lancers came on our rear, and we had to cut our way through them. Lord Lucan never supported us."
And so, over the ground strewn with dead and wounded men and horses who were not half an hour previously in full vigour, passed the "wretched remnant," and even then not permitted to escape unscathed.
THE BALACLAVA GROUP.
(From a Photograph taken the day after the Battle)
Lieutenant Percy Smith, the only officer who rode through the charge and came back on his original horse, states that when he formed up the remains of the regiment, after the charge, he "could only get hold of fourteen mounted men ... for the moment the effective [?] strength of the 13th was one officer [myself] and fourteen rank and file."
-http://www.pinetreeweb.com/13th-balaclava2.htm
-http://www.briansiano.com/flashman/HTML%20Files/Lord%20Cardigan.htm
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The Charge of the Light Brigade
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron (1809–92)
HALF a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
5
Charge for the guns!” he said:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!”
Was there a man dismay’d?
10
Not tho’ the soldier knew
Some one had blunder’d:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
15
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
20
Volley’d and thunder’d;
Storm’d at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
25
Rode the six hundred.
Flash’d all their sabres bare,
Flash’d as they turn’d in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
30
All the world wonder’d:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro’ the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel’d from the sabre-stroke
35
Shatter’d and sunder’d.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
40
Cannon behind them
Volley’d and thunder’d;
Storm’d at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
45
Came thro’ the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.
When can their glory fade?
50
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder’d.
Honor the charge they made!
Honor the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!
Comments (3)
this was the inspiration for many heartfelt adventures...
they called this "the biggest blunder in british military history". now i'm starting to think whether it was a blunder after all.
I read that poem in class. History has many viewpoints. Isn't there that quote that basically states, History is decided by the victors? Ahh, I lost my train of thought
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