The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-04-12
The Balaklava Charge.
WAS THERE A BLUNDER-How NOLAN DIED.
A MYSTERY CLEARED.

been under cloud. 1t has been popularity
decided that Captain Louis Nolan, of Lord
Raglanss stan, being an impetuous soldier,
purposely misconstrued the actual meaning
of an order which he carried, into authori-
cation of the senseless sacrifice of the
Light Brigade, aud that his only excuse
was that he was the first man killed in the
charge. Launce Poyntz, in the GALAXY,
after reviewing the topography of the bat
tlefield and the position of the forces, says:
Nolan left Raglan, bearing the " fourth
order" The Russians were clustered on
two hills, the English and French cavalry
stood looking on ; Lucan was in Lis usual
nervous, irritable state, when the gallop
of horse was heard. A tall, slender,
young officer, with trim figure and black
moustache, was coming down deep de-
scent at full speed, with white envelope,
| which stuck in his belt, and every eye was
on him in a moment.
1t was Captain Nolan in his scarlet shell
jacket. little forage cap set on one side of
his dark curls, his face full of JOY and earn
estness.
An audible murmur went through the
ranks.
"Orders come! Noan's the boy that'll
show us the way to move" For Nolan was
we'll known and universally liked.
In another moment he had dashed up and
ssiuted; then handed his letter TO Lord
Lucan. The cavalry general tore it open
with the nervous haste characteristic of
every movement of his lordship. When
he read it over his countenance changed.
Then his lordship broke out something u
this style:
"Why. good heavens, sir, what can he
mean 2 With the little force at our COM
mand we can barely hold our own, much
less advance. 1t is perfectly suicidal. How
can we advance 2"
Nolan's eye began to blaze. He had just
come from high ground whence the whole
Russian position could be seen at glance.
doubling back of the Russian columns and
saving the guns in the redoubts, he was
impatient of the pragmatical objection of
this captious old man.
In stern, distinct tone, he spoke to
Lord Lucap:
airy should attack immediately"
"Attack sir7" cried Lucan, angrily,
"Attack what Z What guns, sir I"
Nolan threw his head back indignantly,
and pointed to the Causeway Ridge, where
the Russians were busily at work trying to
haul away the captured guns. The group
was standing at the right of the entrance
of the north valley.
"ThereH my lord, is your enemy" he
said, "and there are your guns"
The captain forgot that he was talking
to an excited and impracticable man.
he pointed to the end of the valley, and
with all the obstinacy of his nature, he
kept to the error.
livery well, sir, very WE'LL" he said an
grly. "The order shall be obeyed. I
wash my hands of it,"
where Cardigan sat in front of his brilliant
lines, gnawing his gray moustache and
chatting over his inactivity.
Then said wrong headed Lucan:
"Lord Cardigan, you will attack the
Russians in the valley"
"Certainly, my lord but allow me to
point out to you that there is battery in
front, q battery on each flank, and the
ground is covered with Russian ri1emen."
~ can't help it," said Lucan snappishly,
tit is Lord Raglan's positive order that
We have no choice but to obey."%
Then Cardigan bowed his head.
every we'll, my lord" was all he said.
Then turning to his staff, "the brigade will
ADVANCE" he said quietly.
Meantime Nolan, after his sharp passage
of arms with the division commander, had
ridden off to the Light Brigade himself,
where he was cheerfully talking to his
sworn comrade and friend, Captain Morris,
of the 18th Lancers. Now that he had
maintained his position as mouthpiece of
the commander-in chief, against the i'm
happy. His beloved cavalry was to be
launched at last on this glorious mission
against the causeway Ridge, and already
D'Allouville was preparing to assault the
other flank the Russians.
Who can wonder that enthusiastic Nolan
told Morris that he was going to see the
brigade through the charge 1t was his
privilege to do SO, and his heart beat
high with hope. Little did he know of the
extent of pig-headed stupidity natural to
the two members of the En- glish 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 around to
the rear of the left of the brigade as the
sharp voice cried:
"Light brigade, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT :"
In moment the front line was away, as
steady as if on parade, at rapid trot, fol-
lowing an erect gentleman, mounted on
chesnut thoroughbred and wearing tight
scarlet trousers and a blue fur-trimmed
jacket, the front perfect maze of gold.
The erect gentleman WIS as slender'In
fpure as alert n gesture as bow of twenty,