Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-05-15
THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIG
AnE

THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIG
To correspondent Of the Cincinnati
Gazette Mark King, an iron worker at
Ironton, Ohio, gave the following de-
scription Of the charge at Balaklava, In
which he took part:
st was the servant of Col. James
Brown, and, though the servant OF an
officer does not have any picket duty to
perform while in camp or in a fort, he
has to take part in all the fights. The
British army were in possession OF three
batteries situated on bluff, one above
the other, and the brigade composed
part of their support. As we sat In our
saddles that morning, watching the
progress of the battle before us, and saw
the redoubts taken by the Russians, the
order came to advance. It was deliv-
cred by Capt.. Nolan. Being the SER
want of an officer I was near the com
mander when the order was delivered.
distinctly heard Lord Cardigan say,
my God how can we do it? Then
came the reply, There is the order,
there are the men, and there are the
batteries Nolan also said, I will 60.
We were then ordered by Lord Cardi-
gan. who led us, to charge. We had
to ride perhaps mile across marshy
ground, under fire all the time, before
we reached the bluff on which were the
batteries. But we went, I tell you, and
went like the wind, the mud from the
marshy ground flying up behind us in a
perfect shower. Not a shot was fred
until we reached the first bat
terry, which we rode right over,
firing our large horse-pistols as we
went. OF course we did not have time
to reload them, and we grabbed our
short swords, which we're made secure
by loop of leather over cur wrists. On
all sides we could see our men falling
Like grass before a moving machine, but
CD we went, not daring to show the least
cowardice. for we well knew that the
rule among the Britishers was to shoot
the first man who showed the white
feather. Reaching the second battery,
the worst part Of it came, for there it
was regular hand-to-hand fight with
knives. But we went through them,
cutting and slashing on this side and on
that. killing the gunners and other SOL
diers like SO many sheep, while the
blood flowed almost like water down the
slope. After taking the second battery,
we were going for the third, but our
ranks were so thinned out that It was
loo much for us, and we wheeled around,
retreating past the first two batteries /,
which were instantly manned by rei.l-
forcements from the Russians. Hastily
gathering our men together. the order
was given to charge again, which we
did, taking the batteries the second
time, but again failing to take the third.
| Then we were ordered to retreat, which
we did, riding down the hill at break
neck speed, trampling the dead and
wounded under the horses feet, and
killing all who came in our way. Reach
ing the place from which we had started,
what few men we had left were faced
about, and, raising their caps, gave a
cheer that could be heard for mile,
while the soldiers on all sides of us
cheered with all their might. When we
went into that charge we had about soc
or $50 men, and we brought out about
$50 or $780,"
"What was thought Of the order
when it was received, Mr.. King?"
"Well, everybody thought it was g
mistake. To us it seemed impossible te
even ride across the plain without all be-
ing killed, for the plain was being swept
| bv perfect hurricane of bullets"
! CHINESE BABIES.