, 1873-08-03
THE LIGHT BRIGADE"
Its Chur1o ut Isnlnklayus

1.-THE LIGHT BRIGADE"
Its Charge Mt lEnlnk1hvHs
It has been populaEly decided thas Capt. Louia
Nolan, Of Lord Raglan'e atar, boing an impetu-
GUS soldier, purposely misconstruod tho actual
meaning Of m order Which no cnrried into IN
authorization OF tho senHoless sacrifice Of the
Light Brigade at Dalaklaya, aud that his only
oxouao was that lie was tho first man killed Ia
tho charge. Launco Poynta, in tho GALAXY, after
rovtowing the topography Of tho battlc-aold and
tbs position Of tho forcos says:
As it waH matters stood thus when Nolan ioft
Rnglan, bosriug tho "fourth order. Tho Rus
SLAMS were clustered on two hills tho English and
Frcnch cavalry stood looking on, Lucan was in
his usual nervous. irritable state, when tho gal
lop Of horse vas hoard. tall, slender young
officer, with trim figure and black moustache,
was coming, down Q steep descent at full spool,
with white envelope stuck in hi. bolt aud
every oyo was on him in a moment
It WAS Capt. Nolan, in his scarlet shell Jacket,
little forage cap sot on ono side Of his dark
curls, his faco full Of Joy md ongorness.
An audible murmur went through the ranks.
"Ordors comol Nolnn's tho boy tlat'll SHOW
un tho why to moye." For Nolan was well-
known aud universally beloved.
In another momcnt he llad dashed up and
aalutod then handed his letter to Lord Lucnn
The cavalry Gouoral toro 1t open with the norv-
Gus haste characteristic OF every movement OF
his Lordship. When ho road It over lis counto-
nance changed. Then his Lordship broke out.
something in this style:
"WLy, good heavens, sir, whst can ho mean7
barely hold our own, much less advance. It is
perfectly suicidal How eau we adyauco?"
Nolan's eye began to blaze. Ho Ind just como
from tho high ground whonce the whole Russian
that % hia order % contemplated Co tlo doubling baeE
OF tho Russian columns and aaviug the guns In
the roaoubts, ,he was impatient OF thu pragmatical
objection Of this captioua old man. .
Lucan:
should attack Immediately.
ATTACK, sir5" i cried Lnca,p' angrily. "At-
N Nolan threw Lis head back indignantly, and
pointed to tho Causoway Ridge, where tho Rus
Hinna wero busily Mt work trying to hnul away
the captured guns; The gronp was standing at
"Thoro, my Lord, is your onomy," he said,
and thore aro your guns"
The Captain forgot that ho was talking to IN
excitoa aud impractioable man. Wrong-hoadcd
Lucau chose to fancy. TINT ho pointed to the end
nature kept to tho error.
Very woll. Sir, very well,"' he said, angrily.
"Ths Il order aha'l bo oboyod' 1wash my handa
He wheeled hia horse and trotted on to vtoro
Cardigan sat in front Of his brilliant lines gnaw-
ing his gray nouatnclo aud chaang over his in
action.
Thon said wrong. hoaded Lucan:
"Lord Cardigan, you Will attack tho Russians
in tho Valley
Tho Earl dropped hia sword in salute.
Certainly my Lord but ALLOW MO to poins
ont to YOU that there is battory in front, bat
tory on each nank, aud the ground is covered
with NueBian ritlemon."
I" can't help it," said Lucan, snarpibh1y. sit
is Lord Raglan's positive order that the Light
brigade is to- attack tho enemy. We have 10
rlto;ca hrt IN ohny ~
Then Cardigan bowed his hoad.
"yory vol. my Lord" "wns I'LL ho enid. Then,
turning to Lis staff, "The brigade will I'D.
vance, ho said, quietly.
Meantime Nolan, after his sharp passage Of
arms with the division commander, had ridden
on to tho Light Brigade himsolf, where he
was choorfuliY talking to his sworn comrade and
I.ancers. Now that ho had maintained Lis po.
sition az mouth-piece OF tho Commanaer-in-
Chief, agninst the impndont, fault-fnding Of
Lucan, ho fclt hapry. His beloved cavalry was
against tic Cnuaoway Nidgo, aud .lroadJ
DAuonvlsc waH preparing to assault tho othei
| flank OF the Russana.
Who cau wonder that enthusiastic Nolan told
tha ho ws Eog tG a9o the eagds e. do
| 80, aud his hoart beat high With hopo Little
| did ho know OF the o1tent Of pig-headod atu-
pidity natural to the two members OF tho Eng
iish aristocracy who respectively commanded
4 clear, sharp yoico was soon hoard ia front
Of tho brigade, now formed In three linea. Lord
Lucau rodo away to tho "Heayios," ana Nolan
brigade, as tho sharp yolco cried:
| slight Brigade, forWard--trot-mn !"
| In \ 1nomollt tho front line was away, al stoady
Az II on parade, ut rapid trot, following an
erect gentleman mounted on. on .,at gaestnnt ,.
| sors arid blue fur-trln,ne0 jacket, the front =
| perfect blaze Of gold.
Tho croct gentloman was as slender in figure,
% alert III gesture. aa = boy OF ~, and yet
1Gut hardly lad they startcd when Nolan ut.
tered cry Of astonishmont and rage.
| "lood God aro tho foolH going to charge
down tho valley 2" ho shouted.
TAon, sotting spurs to his horse, ho dashod
out OF hia place and gallopod metlly acroas tho
front, waving bis sword,
Where are you goimg, ny ioaa r. co, Mo shouted:
to tho right This why! This "ay' The bat-
Lord Cardigan WIS an hot-tempored in his way
ae Lord Lucan. Tile autlacity Of IN officer pre-
onicor to address, his brigade was an additional
insult. lie spoke not word, but pointed grlrnly
forward with Ills sword. Nolan'a words wero
lost in tho thunder Of hoofs, and all that was
goBtloua.ng, pointing to CanHeway Ridge.
Then tho Nnsaian batteries opemod. There
Was 1asls, boom, and = second flash III tho
air, little cloud Of y white smoke, ~ end loud
trottIng limo. Poor Nolan threwnp his arm with
fearful slrak, and foil back in his saddle. stone
load, atr1ok through tho heart. With low
groan of rago the rushing horHeman qu!ckoned
thoir Esce sa dashed OH attn wild sa'lop' into
Tho aooret Of Dalaklava pcrahod with Nolan.
| A Lafayette blacksmith, who don't know one