Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-10-29

MEETING IN LONDON OF THE SURVIVORS OF THE
CHARGE OF BALAKLAvA-THETR REMARKABLE
HISTORY.
From the London STANDARD, Sop. %.
The old soldiers Of the Light Calvary Bri-
gade, the men who erode into the Valley
of Death on that fatal October morning
one and twenty years ago, were invited to
attend a meeting last night to make arrange
ments for dinner in celebration of the ami
yersary of the Balaklaya charge. The tryst-
ing-place was the Prince of Wales Tavern,
Villiers street. Strand, and the hour fixed for
the muster was o'clock, to enable those
engaged in business to put in an appearance.
In consequence Of the disagreeble drizzling
rain not 50 many came as were expected,
bat respectable contingent, in every sense
OF the word, Of war-wOru veterans answered
to the roll-call all the same. Hale, hearty
men they were, the most of them but so
portly of build that they set one wondering
what sort of light cavalry that must have
been where the weigh. in the pig-skin ran
up to eighteen stone Of living flesh in sundry
instances. Jovial Of manner and neat of ad-
dress, they discussed the matter before them
as one might have expecte1-in brief, soldier
ly, and most harmonious manner. 1t was
agreed that dinner should be solemnized
in the Charing Cross Hotels not sOlemniZ-
ed the correct word, for has not Charlie
Lever defined a dinner as a social sacrament
on the 25th Of October, and it was stated
that many officers who had helped to write
one Of the most brilliant pages in our mill
tary annals had promised to give the event
the sanction OF their presence. The greater
part of those in the room had belonged to
the Eleventh Hussars, that distinguished
corpse having been principally recruited in
London. One warrior had served his ap
premiership to arms under De Lacy Evans
in Spain another was remarkable ~ having
borne the flag OF truce to the Russian lines
the day after Bllaklava a third was never
tired Of celebrating the hauts talts of his an
cient Captain, Sir Roger Palmer, who led
the L Troop of the Eleventh into action, and
did his slaughter with cold steel, having
forgotten his revolver in the hurry TO Jump
into the saddle After the formal proceed
mgs were over there was some rare gossip
over former campaigns, and the nOn-nilitary
observer was enabled to pick up some in
teresung "reminiscences.
Ii is curi0us circumstance that every
man but one who Won that supremest Of all
military distinctions, the Victoria Cross, in
the magnifcenlly mad ride immortalized by
the laureate. had his horse shot under him
There was Trooper Samuel Parkes, Of the
Light Dragon, who stood on the ground
with his charger writhing in the death agony
beside him Trumpet Major Crawford flash
ed by his good steed stumbled, the rider
was dismounted. aad his naked sabre sent
whirling out of his grasp. A pair Of Cos
sacks saw their opportunity and spurred
upon the delenseless Crawford, but Parke~
confronted them and kept them at bay.
When the retreat came the two brave tel
lows followed their comrades, and were pur-
sued by six Russians, but Parkes, with his
single sword, held them at arms length and
retired slowly, fighting and defending the
Trumpet Major until deprived Of his weapon
by shot. This Is no rhodomontade, but
plain fact, As recorded in the Gazette Lieut..
Alexander Robert Dunn, of Cardigan's boys,
was another hero Of that day, fruitful in
heroes. Hesaved the life Of Sergt Bentley,
Of his own corps, by cutting down two OF
three Russian troopers who were attacking
him from the rear, and afterwards hewed to
the chine Russian hussar who had fallen
AlFVu 44AAlt AtAtlL. lu41 DAlls Il W III
be remembered, afterwards commanded the
Thirtythird, being the youngest man Of his
rank in the army, and perished in the AbYs-
sinian expedition. Riding master Joseph
Malone had his horse shot in the charge,
but, properly speaking, his bit of glorious
gun-metal was gained the day previous,
when be volunteered with three troopers, on
the march to Balaklaya, and captured an
escort Of the enemy's cavalry and the bag
cages they were conveying to Sebastopol.
Troop Sergeant Major John Bergman. OF
the old Death 's-head and Cross-bones," "
the same sturdy cavalier who took prisoner
three Russians while they were within reach
OF their own guns at MackenZie's Farm. be-
hayed splendidly at Balaklara When his
horse was shot under him he stopped On the
field with Capt. W ebh, who was surrounded,
amid shower of shot and shell, and al
though repeatedly told by that officer to con
suit his own safety, and leave him, he re-
fused to do 20 and Serg. John Farrell coming
by, the two faithful fellow carried Capt.
Webb out Of range Of the guns. The cour-
ageous lrishman Farrell who had lost his horse,
like the majority Of his pluekY companions
and had gone near to losing his life, was
awarded the envie1 honor, bur did not long
survive to wear il. Charles Wooden, now
a Quartermaster in the One Hundred and
Fourth Foot, was another of the Seventeenth
Lancers who earned the Cross on the 18th
Of October, 1854, and he too had had his
charger killed in the wild melee Assisted
by DR. Mouatt, of the Inniskilling Dragons,
he succeeded in carrying Major Morr IS, of
his own regiment, who lay dreadfully wound
ed, to place Of safety. In chatty recol-
lections, such rs those we have tried TO pen,
and in tales Of hairbreath 'scapes in the hard
days gone by, the time was pleasantly pass
ed and shortly before midnight the survivors
Of the "Six Hundred" separated, looking
forward with joyous anticipation to a merry
meeting on Balaklaya Day.