The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1879-04-24
Charre II The Light Bris.ae.

Charge II the Light Brigade.
A survivor Of the celebrated ride into
the jaws of death gives, in the Boston
Commercial Bulletin, the following
graphic picture Of the charge:
"Lord Cardigan's eye Glanced rs over;
then squirting bis horse forward q few
PAGES, he said:
":My mon, We have received orders
to silence that battery
".My God I! my brother calculated.
Then grasping my hand he said:
"'Fred, my dear fellow, goodbye; We
don't know what may happen. God
bless you; keep close to me-
"What more no might have said was
lost in Lord Cardigan's ringing shout of:
"'Chargo"
"Into the jaws of death We went in at
q trot: tho trot changed into . canter,
and the canter to . gallop. Through
the line could SEQ Lord Cardigan sew
eral horse-lengths ahead riding as stead
lily - If he WAS on parade. Now to
tell the plain truth, whom We had ridden
. short distance, cay one hundred PAGES,
l felt terribly afraid. The truth flashed
upon me IN moment that We were II
ding into . position that would expose
% to fro on both tanks, a. we'll as the
fire from the battery in front of rs,
which We had boon instructed to silence.
1 said 70 myself. This is . ride to
death but 1 said it loud enough for my
brother to hear, and he answered and
said:
"There goes the frstv
"The first was Lord Lucan's aid-de-
camp, Captain Nolan, who, after making
q slight detour was crossing our lett to
join us in the charge. A cannon ball
had just cut him in two as my brother
spoke;
"My heart leaped into my mouth and
I almost shrieked with fear, but l re-
strained myself, and setting my teeth
hard rode on. A moment later the
rife bullets from the sharp shooters on
the hillside began to whistle about our
ears. Saddles were emitted at every step.
Then came the whistling shot and the
shrieking shell, which tore through our
squadrons, managing men and horses,
blowing bloody burrows through and
through our ranks. Then my fear left
me. My whole soul became filled with
thirst for revenge, and l believe the
same spirit animated every man in the
ranks. Their eyes flashed and they
ground their teeth and pressed closer
together. The very horses caught the
mad spirit, and plunged forward as If
impatient to lead rs TO our revenge and
theirs. At this time there was not much
to be seen. A heavy denso smoke hung
over the valley, but the flaming mouths
of the guns revealed themselves to our
eyes at every moment ~ they belched
forth there murderous contents Of shot
and shell.
"Now shot tore through our ranks,
cutting . red line from flank to flank,
then . she'll plowed IN oblique and
bloody furrow from our right front and
our left rear; anon . ricochetting shot
rose over our front ranks, fell into our
center and hewed its way to the rear.
Horses ran riderless, and men barehead-
ed, and splashed with the blood of their
comrades, pressed closer and closer and
ground their teeth harder, and mental
" swore . deadlier revenge as their
numbers grew smaller.
"INTo THE GATES OF HEEL"
"Alone and in front rode Cardigan,
still keeping the same distance ahead.
His charger was headed for the center of
the battery. Silently We followed him.
Up to this time my brother nor myself
had received the slightest scratch, al
though we were now riding side by side
with comrades who at the start were sep
arated from US by several flies. We
reached the battery at last. Up to this
timo We had ridden in silence, but what
yell burst from Us as We plunged in
among the Russian gunners. Well
would il have been for them If they had
killed Us all before we had reached them.
They had done too little and too much.
They had set US on fire with passion.
Only blood could quench our thirst for
revenge. We passed through tho bat
terry like q whirlwind, sabering the gun
ners on our passage. don't believe
one OF them lived to tell of that ride.
Out of the battery ard into the brigade
AN army it was of cavalry. Our
charge was resistless.
"The Russians fell before our sabers
As corn before the reaper. They seemed
to have no power Of resistance. And
there was ne lack of material to work
upon. They closed In upon US and sur,
rounded us On every side, but we hewed
our way through them as men hew their
way througha virgin forest, and only
stopped when We reached the bank OF
the Tchernaya River.
"Wheeling here We began to cut our
way back again. On the return ride
was assailed BY gigantic Russian troop
er who made . strike at me with his
sabre. Ipartially guarded it, but not
wholly, and the next moment felt .
singing pain in my neck. 1t passed in
. moment, however, and was about TO
make short work Of the trooper, when
[ heard my brother cry.
"Ah! you would, would you ?" and
the Russian fell, cleft to the chin.
ave cut our way through and once
more entered the fatal valley. When
half way back to our starting point o
cannon shot struck my brother and be-
headed him.
"When We formed up on arriving at
our starting point, Lord Cardigan, with
the tears streaming from bis eyes, SAID:
alt was not my fault my men,