The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-11-29
FINDLAY, OHIO, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1867.
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...Charge of the LightBrigade.' 81
Stephen Massett says thar turing
his recent visit to England, and while
visiting the House of Commons he
was presented to the Earl of Cadi-
gan, who was in command of the
Eleventh Hussars, and led the charge
of the six hundred at Bslaklava-
Being one of the first to recite in
public Tennyson's famous lines, he
had a natural ambition to deliver
them in the presence of Lord Car
digan. A polite note was received
from the Earl, inviting Mr.. Massett
to call upon him at his residence in
Portman Square, where, after render
ing the poem to him and his lady,
the following graphic account of the
fight was given him:
At about one o'clock, after the
heavy brigade had been attacked by
the Russian cavalry, the whole of the
cavalry division was considerably
advanced towards the enemy. The
Light Brigade was ordered to dis-
tnnonrt 60 relieve their horses. Sud
denly they were ordered to mount"
Aid de- Camp Captain Nolen came
forward and told Lord Lucan, CON-
manding the cavalry, that the Light
Brigade were to attack the Russians
in the valley. Lord Lucan rode up
to Lord Cardigan and said SIT is
Lord Raglan's order that the Light
Brigade is to attack the Russians in
the valley" Lord Cardian's answer
was, saluting with his sword, Ger
tainly, my Lord; but You will allow
me to inform you that there is Rus
sian battery in front, one on each
flank, and the ground on the flank is
coyereddHith Russian riflemen"-
Lord Lucan's answer was, 81 cannot
help that; it is Lord Raglan's positive
order that the Light Brigade is to
attack them" Lord Cardigan then
formed his brigade of five regiments,
with three regiments ins the front
line, and two in the second. Lord
Lucan ordered Lord Cardigan's reg
ment-the Eleventh Hussars
so as to form a support on the left
rear of the front line. Lord Cardi-
gan Immediately ordered the ad-
vance. After going sixty yards or
so, Captain Nolan rode obliquely
thA rrhan D..rasa,.
shell fell upon the ground near Cap
tain Nolan, and not very far from
Cardigan. Nolan's horse turned and
carried him to the rear. Lord Car
digan then led the brigade down to
the main battery in front, about one
mile and quarter distant On ar,
irving at a position about eighty
yards from the battery, the fire be-
came very severe, and the officers
were considerably excited, and had
to be called to "be steady" Cardi-
gan, at the head of his brigade, pass
ed close by the muzzle of gun,
which was fired as he entered the bat
terry. He then rode straight forward
through the Russian timber car
riages, and came up close to the Rus
sian line of cavalry. His brigade did
'f.2Ct r~ii~" LIZ. r.~-a <,.4sas-,--z.-.-.
attacked by two Cossacks, slightly
wounded and nearly dismountei.--
He fenced off the Cossacks, and grad
tuaiiy retired from Others who were
attempting to surround him. When
he got back to the battery they had
all retired and diverged to the left
Lord Cardigan slowly retreated, and
met General Searlett, commanding
the heavy brigade of the cavalry
Cardigan told him that the ''Light
Brigade" was destroyed. The brig
ade was then counted by the stais
officer, and it was found that there
were only one hundred and ninety
five men left out of six hundred and
fifty.
Lord Cardigan Immediately rode
off to Lord Raglan to report what
had taken place The first thing
Lord Raglan said, in a very angry
tone, was, "What, sir, could you pos
sibly mean by attacking battery in
front, contrary TO all all the usages
Of warfare and the customs of the
service?" To which Lord Cardigan
replied, "My Lord, hope You VIII
not blame me, for received a posi-
tive order from my superior officer
in front of the troops to attack them,
and was quite as well awere of the
unusual course of'the proceeding or
dered-" Lord Raglan inquired what
had been done. To which lord Car
digan replied, that ''he had led the
brigade into the Russian battery :;
that he had ridden up to the Russian
eavalry; that he was not otfollowed by
the brigade; was wounded and near
ly dismoHated,,d and had some diff
Guilty in getting away from a number
of Cossacss tliat the brigade was
nearly destroyed, there being only
one hundred and nlnety-five remain
ling" -i-t-io la"' i.la Laaoilli"
The whole of this memorable affair
occupied the brief time of t1oentyI
niinuies! ioA ,lIgd s-l-4 H .5-.li
The oldest couple in Ohio are Mr.
and Mrs, Boyd at Ironton. lie is ll0,