National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-11-08
BALAKLAVA.
The Most Famous Light Cavalry
Charge I'm History Described by An
Eye-Eitness.


Eyewitness.
Piasburg Dispdtch.
II was thirty years ago that the Earl OF |
Cardigan's light brigade made Its famous
charge at Balsklava, near Sebastopol A
gentleman who was on the staff OF an
English general, and who with essod tho
charge, gives the Dispatch this description
Of IL:
ION Oct. 25 1854, our eyes turned to
tho heights Of Balaklava, on the posses
sion OF which depended the very exist
ehce Of the allied forces. On that day the
Russians made desperate attack on our
! lines, to be as desperately repulsed. WORD
I was sent to headquarters that the enemy,
under cover Of a heavy fire from the forts,
had left scbastopol in force, and was mass
ing himself so as to threaten the safety OF
the heights. was at once sent with an
order for the calvary and horse artillery
TO move, and be ready to assume the otien-
sive. They had not to wait long. Tho
Turkish lines were swept as by whirl-
wind, and with our Nohammedan allies
the word was sdure qti pem. The heavy
cavalry on the right and the light brigade
on the left were advanced, with tho artil-
lery in tho centor playing game at long
bowls. Meanwhile Russian battery was
served guns promised to be embarrassing.
Lord Raglan, who did not know tho
full strength of tho foe, saw that this OBJ
staclo must bo removed, but whether or
not no also foresaw the necessity of first
looking before the leap was taken must
be forever mystery. The commanders
of tho cavalry brigadcs, Lord Lucan and
Cardigan, brothers-in-law, between whom
no love was lost, were waiting tho word
a. ~ hoinU tba aaninr
officer. TO them sped Capt. Nolan,
dashing hussar. Saluting the general. he
said he bore an order-unwritton- from
Lord Raglan that the battery must be
silenced and tho guns captured. Lord
Lucan, man so cautious as to have
earned the nickname Lord Look on
fearing to expose his small force to any
ambushed dangers, asked for moro def
nite orders. With a slightly contempt
uous turn Of his handsome lip. tho aide
de-camp pointed in the direction OF tho
battery and said:
"You sec your enemy, my lord
"Even the Earl of Cardigan, impetuous
Is he was, generally speaking, looked at
,is commander in doubt as to the words.
But, owing to the unhappy enmity exist
Ing between them, neither would speak
his thoughts and once moro Nolan i'm
patiently waving his sword, which he
hae fercely drawn from his scabbard, and
pointing 1t to the artillery, cried: Take
the guns; these are your orders!
1.-THE crisis has arrived. No recourse is
left but to do as he bids. A cold nod of
assent from Lord Lucan. A profound
bow follows from Lord Cardigan. Light
division, forward, charged breaks from
his lips. An echong cheer is the reply
from 607 Threats, as with clang of scab-
bard and rattle Of bride and bit, and the
braying of the trumpet, and the ringing
cheer of the 'Heavies' the 4th and 18th
latter Lord Cardigan's own corps con-
spicuous in their cherry colored trousers,
and the 18th lancers, with ranks closed
up and sauadrUns dressed as evenly as If
at march past, trot forward down the
slight declivity. At their head ride the
gallant Nolan and the dauntless Cardi-
gan, even in this supreme moment with
reckless laugh upon his face, as he
argues some point of war with his
brother hussar.
"The unmasked batteries are already
belching forth shot and shell. The trot
breaks into q gallop, the gallop into q
furious, headlong charge Already Nolan
has fallen. cut down by grape shot, the
secret Of the fatal day dying with him.
The serried ranks show frequent gaps, as
saddle after saddle is emptied. Close up
Close up! Charge is the unceasing cry,
and in q shorter time than it takes to tell
the opening ranks of the foe disclosed &c
the doomed but indomitable few cannon
to right Of them, cannon to left Of them
cannon in front of them-and now cannon
behind them. On through the broken
Russian limo pressed the noble army of
martyrs, their orifamwe, their brave
leaders flashing saber, their supporta,t
with q wild cheer aud wilder leap
the cherry clad heroes fly over the gun:
as lightly as they would over five-barred
gate on the hunting field, sabring the
gunners as they leap. A beardless boy
not yet IL, holds fast to the colors he ha
sworn to carry to death or victory, ant
falls with the cry, My mother will heal
of this! on his dying lips, still graspinj
that banner in his hand.
Far away. clear in front, with his aid
de-camp and few choice spirits on hi
right hand and on his left-none ahead o
him, raging like lion-fghts, as with
forlorn hope, the leader and commando
of the Light Brigade. He bears charmed
life, and his brawny arm is endowed will
apower of slaughter that grows mightie
every moment from the meat it feeds on
Further and further he dashes on, cleav
ing his way with his blood stained sword
till he reaches the last of the guns.
Here when he sees the end is not yet
but that rank upon rank of in fantry an,
cavalry, with heavy artillery in the rear
stretches out back to the city's utmos
bastion, he recognizes how useless it will
be further to tempt the fates and fight on
against u thousand. Coolly aud calmly
as If in Hyde park, he takes in tho situa
ton at a glance, and gives the word to tn
trumpeter to sound first the assembly
then the retreat A bullet crashe
through the boys hand as he raises hi
trumpet to his mouth, but, stoc-like, h
makes no sign. Clear rings out the sum
mons. A dozen only answer the call. No
one, save Lord Cardigan, but is woundet
more or less severely, and his clothin
shows where lance or saber or ball haC
plowed their way over his unscathed flesh
Right about tho little band turns, leavin
the boy trumpeter dead on the groun
behind them.
The enemy, paralyzed by tho shock O
the charge, and fancying that the who'll
British army supports the handful o
braves, pauses in his murdcrous work l.
cheer tho 10s survivors who returne
slowly and sadly to the place from whic
they came, having from military stand
point, achieved nothing yet covered wit
deathless. fadeless wreath of glory. Il
was magnificent said Gen. Bosquet, 'bu
II was not war;"