Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-08-06
One of Tennyson's Noble Six
Hundred.
Evening Wisconsin.

One of Tennyson's Noble Six
Hundred.
Evening Wisconsin.
James Watt, who has charge of the
passenger elevator in the Iron block,
was member OF the famous light brig
ade-Tennyson's 'FNoble Six Hundred"
which made the terrible charge at
the battle CT Balaklava during the
Crimean war. In q talk with Wis
consin reporter, Mr.. Watt gave q brief
history OF his life, which, previous
to his coming to this city, fourteen
years ago, was quite eventful. He en-
tered the British army at the age
OF II years, enlisting for u
period of twenty-one years.
The young soldier was assigned to the
Seventh dragons, and served a year
and a half in the East Indies. He re-
turned to Edenburg a few months be-
fore the breaking out OF the Crimean
war, and, with three Of his old COM
rades, volunteered III the Seventeenth
lancers, which was afterward better
known as the light brigade. Heserved
two years and nine months in the lam
GERS, and participated in many battles
and skirmishes during the Crlmean
war. The famous charge OF the six
hundred was made about nine o'clock
on the morning of October rs, 1854.
The order was given by Lord Cardi-
gan, the commander of the brigade. As
to the claim afterward made that the
order to charge was the result OF a
blunder or the misinterpretation of the
purport OF q dispatch alleged to have
been received by Lord Cardigan from
his superior general, Lord Lucan, Mr.
Watt knows nothing except what has
been chronicled by the German histo-
rians. "We got the order to charge the
enemy's works, and we obeyed,' he
said, land q mighty hot charge it was,
too. The distance was about half a
mile. Men and horses fell by the
score, and still we kept on, under a.
most terrible fire from the Russian
batteries. The slaughter finally be-
came so great that the brigade, or as
many as there were left of US, turned
and ran, many more falling during the
retreat. | have seen it stated that
Lord Cardigan accompanied the 600
on the charge; that is not true. He was
standing back Of us when the fatal or
der was given to charge, and l never
saw him again until everything
was over. am sure he did not 20
with us. OF the 600 men only eighty
four survived the charge. l was shot
through the left leg, but did not dis
mount from my horse until night. My
boot was full OF blood, and l suffered
greatly from the wound during the re-
mainder of the day" Mr. Watts
statement regarding the number Of
survivors of the brilliant but useless
exploit varies somewhat from that
given by the historians, some of whom
place the number as high as $50. The
veter all says he entered the charge
with many misgivings, but he and his
comrades never faltered until only a
handful we're left, "and we were glad
to get out of it. l can tell you," he add
ed. Mr.. Watt remained in the army
until the close OF the war, when he
claimed and received his discharge,
after having served just eight years
and seventy six days in her majesty g
service. Mr.. Watt exhibits with pride
three silver medals presented to him
by the British government for merito-
rious service. The medals are a, little
larger than a silver dollar, and appro-
priately inscribed with his name and
the names and dates of the battles in
which he engaged. One OF the medals
commentaries his bravery in the
"Charge of the Light Brigade" He
came to the United States in 1857 and
enlisted in the One Hundred and
Sixty ninth New York volunteers at
Troy, N. Y, in 1862, and
served for three years. Mr.. Watt
participated IN twenty-three bat
ties and skirnlishes, and was only
wounded once, and that but slight
wound in the hand, caused by the
bursting of a shell. He says he was
in several charges during the late war
| which were just as severe as that at
! Balaklaya, particularly that made at
| the battle of Cold Harbor, when every
line and commissioned officer, with
| the exception of one captain of the
gallant One Hundred and Sixty-ninth
New York regiment, was killed. Dur
ing this charge Mr.. Watt had FIVE bull.
let holes shot through his clothes, but
miraculously escaped injury. He came
to Milwaukee in 1872, and is now in
his 57th year. Mr.. Watt is slight
ly lame from the effect OF the wound
received at Balaklava. He informed
the reporter that there was a gentle
man living in Milwaukee named Miller
who was member OF the crew of the
! transport which conveyed the Seven
tenth lancers to the Crimea early in
the '5Os. "lf you could find him, -
Mr.. Watt remarked, che could tell you
more about the charge at Balaklava
than can, for he was an eye witness
from distance and saw it ALL" The
old gentleman concluded the interview
| by quietly saying: "Although cannot
stand as much knocking about as when
was young, vigorous and ambitious,
yet would do my duty again ifcalled
upon to serve my country
King Lldwig's Heart.
A curious ceremony, recalling to
! ones mind the customs OF the Middle
Ages, took place short time ago at
1