The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-01-28
THE JAWS OF DEATH
A Charge That Amazed the World
Thirty Years Ago.
Tho Heroism OF the Light Brigade at BAL
aklaya Described by One Who Saw
Them DO and Dic-"MagniH.
cent, But Not War"
Pittsburgh pIspatch.l

Balaklaya, near Sebastopol. A gentleman
who was on the staff of an English General,
and who witnessed the charge, gives Us
this description of 1t:
"On October 25th, 1924, our eyes turned
to the heights of Balaklava, on the posses.
sion of WHICH depended the very existence
of the allied forces. On that day the Rus.
slams made desperate attack on our lines,
to be as desperately repulsed. Word was
sent to headquarters that the enemy, under
cover Of heavy fire from the forts, had
left Sebastopol in force and was massing
himself so as to threaten the safety of the
heights. Twas at once sent with an order
for the cavalry and horse artillery TO move
and be ready TO assume the offensive. They
had not to wait long. The Turkish lines
were swept as by a whirlwind, and with
our Mohammedan allies the wcrd wat
sauve Qui peut. The heavy cavalry on the
right and the light brigade on the left wer,
advanced, with the artillery in the centei
playing game at long bowls. Meanwhile
a Russian battery was ostentatiously
moved forward, whose well-seryed gum
promised to be embarrassing.
"Lord Raglan, who did not know the full
strength of the foe, saw that this obstacl,
must be removed; but whether or not HI
also foresaw the necessity OF first looking
before the leap was taken must be forever
mystery. The commanders Of the cav
airy brigades, Lords Lucan and Cardigan
brothers-in-law, between whom no low
was lost, were waiting the word to en-
gage, Lord Lucan being the senior officer
To them sped Captain Nolan, a dashint
hussar. Saluting the General, he said h'
bore an decentralization Lord Rag
Ian that the battery must be silenced and
the guns captured. Lord Lucan, man 81
cautious as TO have earned the hickman,
Lord Look-on,' fearing 10 exposehis small
force TO any ambushed dangers, asked fol
more definite orders. With slightly con.
temptuous turn of his handsome lip, the
aid-de-camp pointed in the direction Of the
battery, and said:
"'You see your enemy, my lord'
"Even the Earl of Cardigan, impetuous
us he was, generally speaking, looked at
his commander in doubt as to the words.
But owing to the unhappy enmity existing
between them, neither would speak his
thoughts, and once more Nolan, impatient.
ly waving his sword, which he had hercely
drawn from its scabbard, and pointing II
TO the artillery, cried:
"Take the guns: these are your or
dersp
"'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 { lighn. Light
Division, forward, charged breaks from his
lips. An echoing cheer is the reply from
GO7 throats, as with clang Of scabbard and
fattle Of bridle and bit, and the braying Of
the trumpet, and the ringing cheer Of the
Heavens the Fourth and Thirteenth
Lights, the Eighth and Eleventh Hussars,
the latter Lord Cardigan'S own corps, con-
spicuous In their cherry -s2ored trousers,
and the Seventeenth Lancers, with ranks
closed up and squadrons dressed as evenly
as II at march past, trot forward down
the slight declivity. At their head ride the
gaSnt Nolan and the dauntless Cardigan
-even In this supreme moment with
reckless laugh spon 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 gallop, the galIop into fu-
rious, headlong charge. Already Nolan
oas fallen, cut down by grape shot, the se-
ret OF the fatal day dying with him. The
,erried ranks show frequent gaps as sad
lie after saddle is emptied. CLOSE upi
Close upl Chargep is the unceasing
ny, and In a shorter time than ii
akes to tell the opening ranks Of
ihe foe disclosed to the doomed,
put indomitable few, cannon to right Of
hem, cannon TO the left Of them, cannon in
ront Of them-and now cannon behind
hem. On through the broken Russian line
pressed the noble army Of martyrs, their
,riHamme, their brave leaders fash.
ng saber, their support.
"With wilder cheer and q wilder leap,
lhe cherry -clad heroes fly over the guns as
tightly as they would over fve-barred
gate on the hunting field, sabring the gun.
aers as they leap. A benrdless boy, moi
yet seventeen, holds fast TO the colors he
has sworn TO carry to death or victory and
falls with the cry. MY mother will hear Of
thisp on his dying lips, still grasping thai
banner in his hand.
"Far away, char in front, with his aide.
de-camp and few choice spirits on his
right hand and on his left-none ahead OF
him, raging like lion, fights as with for
lorn hope, the leader and commander Of
the Light Brigade. He bears a charmed
nie, and his brawny arm Is endo we'd with
power OF slaughter that grows mlghtiei
every moment from the meat II feeds on
Further and further he dashes on, cleaving
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 infantry and
cavalry, with heavy artillery 10 the rear
sketches out back TO the clty's utmost has.
tion, he recognizes how useless II viii be
further 10 tempt the fntes and fight oni
against u thousand. Coolly and camly, as
II In Hyde Park, he takes In tho situation
at a glance, and gives word to the trum.
peter to sound first the assembly then the
retreat A bullet crashes through the
boys hand as he raises the trumpet 10 hi,
mouth, but .Stoic-like he makes no sign
Clear rings Nout the summons. A dozen
only answer the call. Not one, save Lord
Cardigan, but is wounded more or less
severely, and his clothing shows where
lance or sabre or ball had plowed their way
over his unscathed flesh. Right about the