The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-14 00:00:00

Tan RUSSIAN CAVALRY.

The Russians—evidently corps d'elite—their light blue
jackets embroidered with silver lace were advancing
on their left, at an easy gallop, towards the brow of
the hill. A forest of lances glistened in their rear, and
several squadrons of grey-coated dragoons moved up
quickly to support them as they reached the summit. The
instant they came in sight the trumpets of our cavalry
gave out the warning blast which told us all that in
another moment we should see the shock of battle beneath
our very eyes. Lord Raglan, all his staff and eport, and
groups of officers, the Zouaves, the French generals and
officers, and bodies of French infantry on the height,
were spectators of the scene as though they were looking
on the stage from the boxes of a theatre. Nearly every
one dismounted and sat down, and not a word was said.
The Russians advanced down the hill at a slow canter,
which they changed to a trot and at last nearly halted.
Their first line was at least double the length of ours
—it was three times as deep. Behind them was a
similar line equally strong and compact. They
evidently despised their insignificant-looking enemy, but
their time was come. The trumpets rang out again
through the valley, and the Greys and Enniskilleners
went right at the centre of the Russian cavalry. The
space between them was only a few hundred yards ; it
was scarce enough to let the horses " gather way," nor
had the men quite space sufficient for the fell play of
their sword arms. The Russian line brings forward each
wing as our cavalry advance, and threatens to annihilate
them as they pass on.
THE SCOTS GREYS AND THE ENNISKILLENERS.

Turning a little to their left, so as to meet
the Russian right, the Greys rush on with a cheer
that thrills to every heart—the wild shout of
the Enniskillenere rises through the air at the
same instant. As lightning flashes through a
cloud, the Greys and Enniskilleners pierced through
the dark masses of Russians. The shock was but for a
moment. There was a clash of steel and a light play of
sword blades in the air, and then the Greys and the red-
coats disappear in the midst of the shaken and quivering
columns. In another moment we see them emerging
and dashing on with diminished numbers, and in broken
order, against the second line, which is advancing
against them as fast as it can to retrieve the fortune of
the charge. It was a terrible moment. "God help them !
they are lost !" was the exclamation of more than one
man, and the thought of many. With unabated fire the
noble hearts dashed at their enemy. It was a fight of
heroes. The first line of Russians, which had been
smashed utterly by our charge, and had fled off at
one flank and towards the centre, were coming back

to swallow up our handful of men. By sheer steel
and sheer courage Enniskillener and Scot were
winning their desperate way right through the
enemy's squadrons, and already grey horses and red
coats bad appeared right at the rear of the second
mass, when, with irresistible force, like one bolt,
from a bow, the Ist Royals, the 4th Dragoon Guards,
and the- sth Dragoon Guards rushed at the rem-
nants of the first line of the enemy, went through it
as [though it were made of pasteboard, and, dashing
on the second body of Russians as they were still
disordered by the terrible assault of the Greys and
their companions, put them to utter rout. The Russian
horse in less than five minutes after it met our dragoons
was flying with all its speed before a force certainly not
half its strength. A cheer burst from every lip—in the
enthusiasm officers and men took off their caps and
shouted with delight, and thus keeping up the scenic
character of their position they clapped their hands
again and again. Lord Raglan at once despatched

Lieutenant Curzon, aide-decamp, to convey his con-
gratulations to Brigadier-General Scarlett, and to say
" Well done." The gallant old soldier's face beamed with
pleasure when be received the message. " I beg to
thank his lordship very sincerely," was his reply.
TIIE ORDER TO CHARGE.

When Lord Lucan received the order from Captain
Nolan and had road it, he asked, we are told, " Where
are we to advance to V' Captain Nolan pointed with his
finger to the line of the Russians, and said,." There are
the enemy, and there are the guns, sir, before them ; it

is your duty to take them," or words to that effect, ac-
cording to the statements made since his death. Lord
Lucan, with reluctance, gave the order to Lord
Cardigan to advance upon the guns, conceiving that
his orders compelled him to do so. The noble Earl,
though he did not shrink, also saw the fearful odds
against him. Don Quixote in his tilt against the
windmill was not near so rash and reckless as the
gallant fellows who prepared without a thought to rush
on almost certain death. It is a maxim of war, that

" cavalry never act without a support," that " infantry
should be close at hand, when cavalry carry guns, as the
effect is only instantaneous," and that it is necessary to
have on the flank of a line of cavalry some squadrons
in column, the attack on the flank being most danger-
ous. The only support our light cavalry had was the
reserve of heavy cavalry at a great distance behind
them, the infantry and guns being far in the rear. There
were no squadrons in columns at all, and there was a
plain to charge over, before the enemy's guns were
reached, of a mile and a half in length.
THE CHARGE.

At 11.10 our Light Cavalry Brigade rushed to the
front. They numbered as follows, as well as I can
ascertain : Men.
4th Light Dragoons
Bth Irish Hussars
11th Prince Albert's Hussars
13th Light Dragoons
17th Lancers, 145

Total 607 sabres.
The whole brigade scarcely made one effective regiment,
according to the numbers of continental armies ; and
yet it is more than we could spare. As they passed
towards the front, the Russians opened on them from
the guns on the redoubt on the right, with volleys
of musketry and rifles. They swept proudly past,
glittering in the morning sun in all the pride and
splendour of war. We could scarcely believe the evi-
dence of our senses ! Surely that handful of men are
not going to charge an army in position ? Alas ! it was
but too true—their desperate valour knew no bound;
and far indeed was it removed from its so-called bettor
part—discretion. They advanced in two lines, quicken-
ing their pace as they closed towards the enemy. A more
fearful spectacle was never witnessed than by those who,
without the power to aid, beheld their heroic coun-
trymen rushing to the arms of death. At the dis-
tance of 1,200 yards the whole line of the enemy
belched forth, from thirty iron mouths, a flood of
smoke and flame, through which hissed the deadly
balls. Their flight was marked by instant gaps in our
ranks, by dead men and horses, by steeds flying wounded
or riderless across the plain. The first line is broken, it
is joined by the second, they never halt or check their
speed an instant ; with undiminished ranks, thinned by
those 30 guns, which the Russians had laid with the
most deadly accuracy, with a halo of flashing steel above
their heads, and with a cheer which was many a noble
fellow's death:cry, they flew into the smoke of the bat-