Sharp County record., 1881-05-05

sian cavalry, now reunited IN SIX mas
sive divisions, 5000 strong. Before the
light brigade, squarely in front OF them'
frowned thirty heavy guns along reg.
ular line of six enormous battallOns OF
infantry, over whose heads in the rear
thundered the great position batteries
from the hills-a whole army, IN short,
of 80, 900 men, impregnably posted, and
holding perfectly in hand everything
which the 500 could attempt to take or
assail. Before the little band could
make one stroke of the sabre, or Ole
thrust of the lance, they had to clear a
mile and a half of ground.
The troopers broke away upon their
APPALLING errand. their comrades and al
lies on the nights watching the move
ment-tirst with wonder and even IN
credulity, then with absolute cOnsterna-
ton and boundless horror. Cries OF as
tonishment and dismay rose throughout
the whole camp. The two Command
ers-in-chief were lost in awe. None
could cooperate with those horSemen
or protect them now; they were past
help.
He then described how the storms OF
musketry and cannon, from redouOtS
and batteries, broke upon the charging
horsemen, thinning their ranks and
breaking their line, but not turning
them aside, nor " hindering them from
carving a charge which swept down
the whole of these defenSes, and fell
like a spent thunderbolt on the further
side. shaking the enemys entire force
to such degree that had it been prop
erlv supported. the Russians would
have been annihilated that day" Then,
in turning to retrace their steps, they
were met by /" double hurricane OF
shot, which, coming from opposite
quarters, seemed to meet in their per-
sons, and half the remaining force van
ished On the spot" Their way was in
tercepted by cloud of CosSack lancers,
partly hidden by the smoke " Strong,
swift and sudden was that terrible
crash, which, as with battering ram,
swung open the center of the Cossack
line and flung its folds in shivered frag-
ments on either hand. Thus did the
remnant of the Light Brigade cut an
avenue through their foes and bring
their perilous ride to an end. 1t was
indeed the remnant of the British corps
which had looked so magnificent few
minutes before. All bloody, lacerated,
grim with sweat and smoke OF battle,
they came struggling into camp"
In the face of such terrible odds,
said reporter, " and the almost GER
tainty of annihilatiOn, how did you feel
as YOU went IMP
40, we didn't care a - snap; it
was all glory then"
"You were single man with only
your horse to care fOr?"
"Yes, and | had one well worth it,
We were all well-mounted. In coming
out nv horse was killed by piece Of
shell, and l had my left foot laid open
with the same piece. Ifell with my
horse"
amid such terrible slaughter how
did you escape?"
81 was fortunate enough to eaten
another horse, as he dashed by me. He
had lost his rider. caught the bride,
which was flying loose, and checked
him, and somehow got into the saddle
Some others did the same. There were
:, good MANY ho"sas thnt oan,n in with
out riders. | went home on crutches,
hut afterwards served in India. No, l
did not serve in the war of therebellion.
l did not get here early enough. have
been here ten years"
The losses in that charge are given
officially as follows: Fourth Light Drag
oons, 70 out of 118 men, Eighth Hus-
sars, 66 out of 104; Eleventh Hussars,
So out of 10; Thirteenth Light Drag
oons, SO out of 130; Seventh Lancers,
10 of 145. Total, 400 out of COZ men,