The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1873-09-05
rHE-LIGHT nRIGAnE.
Truth About the Famous oharge 'IntO
the Mouth OF HeE.r

Truth About the Famous Charge '.Int
the Mouth OF Heli.''
fTs.. NtfI NU i. .tIll - Atttat
At last we have a historical blunde
gracefully corrected, and a handsom
defence Of a brave soldier whose nam
| has been under a cloud. 1t has bee
popularly decided that Captain Loui
Nolan, Of Lord Raglan's staff, beinl
an impetus soldier, purposely miscoh
strucd the actual meaning OF an orde
which he carried into the authorize
ton of the senseless sacrifc,
of the Light Brigade, and tina
his only excuse was that hi
was the first man killed in tht
charge. Launce Poyntz, in the Gal
arg, after reviewing the topography
Of the battlefield and the position o
the forces, says:
AS it was, matters stood thus wher
Nolan left Raglan, bearing the tfourtt
order.' The Russians were clustered
on two hills, the English and French
cavalry stood looking on. Lucan
was In his usual nervous, irritable
state when the gallop of a horse was
heard. A tall, slender young officer
with trim figure and black nous
tache, was coming down steep de-
scent at full speed; with white en-
velope stuck in his belt; and every
eye was on him in moment.
1t was Captain Nolan, in his scar
let hell,jacket, little forage cap set
on one side Of his dark curls, his face
full Of joy and eagernesss. 8-t3'
An audible whisper went through
the ranks.
"Orders come! Nolan's the boy
that'll show us the way to move."-
For Nolan was well-known and uni.
yersally beloved.
In another moment he had dashed
up and saluted then handed his let.
ter to Lord Lucan. The cavalry gen.
eral tore it open with nervous haste
characteristic of every movement Of
Of his lordship. When he read it
over his countenance changed. Then
his lordship broke out, something in
his style: a-
"Why, good heaven, sir, what can
this meanY With the little force at
our command we can barely hold our
own, much less advance. 1t is per
teotly suicidal. How can we ad-
vance ?" AZ g44
Nolan's eye began to blaze. lie
had just come from the high ground
whence the whole Russian position
could be seen at glance. Knowing
that his order contemplated the
doubling back of the Russian columns
and saving the guns in the .redoubIs,
he was impatient Of the pragmatical
objection of this captioq5 man.
In stern and distinct tone he said
to Lord Lucan:
Lord Raglan's orders are that the
cavalry should attack Immediately"
"Attack, sir?" cried Lucan, angrily.
"Attack what? What guns, sir :" q
Nolan threw his head back indig-
nantly, and pointed to the Causeway
ridge where the Russians were busily
at work trying to haul away the cap
tured guns. The group was standing
at the right Of the entrance of the
north valley. pl qn moJw
There, my lord, is your enemy"
he said, "and there are your guns"
The captain forgot that he was
talking to an excited and impractical
BILE man. Wrong-headed Lucan
chose to fancy that he pointed at the
end of the valley, and with all the OBJ
stinacy Of his nature kept to the err
ror. ...,..1 1..-...... .sa...s5
every well, sir, very well" he said
angrily, "The order shall be obeyed.
| wash my hands of IT."
He wheeled his horse and trotted
off to'where Cardigan sat in front OF
his brilliant lines gnawing his gray
moustache and chatting over his mac
ton. urE
Then SAID wrong-headed Lucan:
"Very well, my Lord" was all he
said, Then turning to his staff. "The
brigade will advance" he said quietly.
Meanwhile Nolan, after his sharp
passage of arms with the division
commander, had ridden off to the
right brigade himself, where he was
cheerfnlly talking to his sworn com
rade and friend, Capt. Morris, Of the
seventeenth Lancers. Now that he
had maintained his position as mouth
piece of the commander-in-c chief,
against the impudent, fault-fnding
Lucan, he fell happy. His beloved
cavalry was to be launched at length
on this glorious mission against the
Causeway Ridge, and already DIAL
lonville was preparing to assault the
other flank Of the Russians.
Who can wonder that enthusiastic
Nolan told Morris that he was going
to see the brigade through the charger
1t was his privilege to do SO, and his
heart beat high with hope. Little
did he know OF the extent of pig-head-
ed stupidity natural to the two mem
bers Of the English aristocracy who
respectively commanded and led that
charge.
A clear, sharp voice was soon heard
in front Of the brigade now formed in
three lines. Lord Lucan rode away
to the "Heavies," and Nolan galloped
round to the rear to the left of the
brigade, as the sharp voice cried:
'Light brigade forward-trot-
marchn
In a moment the front line was
away, as steady as if on parade at a
rapid trot, following an erect gentle
man, mounted on a chestnut thorough
bred, and wearing tight scarlet trous-
ers and blue fur-trimmed jacket, the
front a perfect blaze of gold.
The erect gentleman was as slender