The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-12-22
NOBLE SIX HUNDRED.
"reminiscences of Colonel John
Shakespeare.
NEW POINTS FROM = SURVIVOR.
ns Tells Hsw tss Light Brigade Walked
Tnto the VERY Jaws Of
Deas1s.


Colonel John Shakespeare, retired
officeFof the British army. writes az follows
The charge Of THE Light Brigade,
called 1.-THE SIX Hundred. took place
Oraofer 3. fsys, and Is still household
memory with a.. though many years have
slipped By. and have been asked hy many
10 place on record some occurrences other
than mere gaIloping. cutting. shYusting and
strong language, al Of which are very
simiIar On like occasions. and are often
told Ia prose aud verse Short and % the
point "A best suited 20 Whist Is required OF
me. 50 70 begin my story:
Mande's horse artillery, with nee second
IN command. opened FIRE At daylight and
kept IN action until its ammunition was
exhausted, when il retired few yards
down bin ard remained there for awhile,
screened from the Russian shot and shell.
with the hope os giving confidence 70 some
waveFinz Turks. Mauds was seriously
wounded by shell bnFxtlne under bis horse,
and there were also several casualties
among officers, men. horses ard gun
wheaEs. Some Of our field batteries soon
arrived and continued the cannonade-
In the course Of an hour or 80 our two
brlgades OF cavalry and horse artillery
formed columns near the heights Of the
plateau Of sebasiop0l. when suddenly
line Of cavalry. with supports in column,
probably $500, poured down the grass
Slopes toward BalakIava. and were gior-
ionsly defeated By our heavy brigade Of
cavalry nader General Scarlet
Ia the pause that followed / deemed IL
desirable 10 learn what the Russians were
doing. and A. the horze had ridden was
49, ~ Z
mounted baggage pony and rode Hp the
grassy slope 20 near the crest 81 the now
famed valley, where I tethsred him 90 q
tent-peg and crept on through the long
grass until my telescope cautioned: Be
ware The brnshwood on the hills oppo-
fate was full OF guns, and down the valley
were troops BY thousands. Captain Char
ferris, one OF Lord LueaR's aides-de-camp,
now rode by but as he did not SEE me hailed
him with the information, when he re-
piled: "The Light brigade II ordered TO
attack and while we were speaking il
hove IN sight, advancing and deploying 1t
the Irot and canter. There was not
time for warning. so ! ran TO my pony,
and getting back 10 the guns "a fast as he
could carry me. brought them up at full
speed and placed them over the ridge.
where best able to aid the rem aims OF the
Six Hundred In their inevitable retreat.
At this time Lord Cardigan reined Nd
and ttad me what had happened. at the
same time pointing to q long rent in bis
cherry overaIEs made by = Cossack Lam
Ger who had otherwise missed his aim.
Others rode or ran UP TO the guns.
Among the last was Captain Godfrey
Morgan, Seventeenth LaneeFs, now Lord
Tredeger, whose horse had been killed
and his helmet lost. However, he came TO
me, sword in hand, and, speaking as cool
~ on parade. said: - Il not this an awful
business, Shakespeare What shall do %
Ny reply was Quick; jump on a gun,
timber and 20 to the rear with Us, or 70 the
front u We so IN action when you may
help fight q gun. "
We must not forget the volley from the
Ninety -tkird Hirhlanders, which emptied
many Russians saddles near the entrance
TO tie VILLAGE Of Ralaklava; nor their az.
task on the Russian artillery In the brush
wood by the French cavalry on white
horses. l car See them now, so conspicu.
oUs were they on the hill. So keen Il
memory formed on the battlefield thai
even nos | fancy / see Nolan and his horse
lying dead, Ike many others whose names
] aid not know.
OF my friend Charters have q reniark :
able ioFeshasiowing Of fate TO relate. ou
the evening previous he aud |. while taking
a quiet rice, saw signs of q fght on ths
morrow. when he spoke very gloomily oi
il being bis last Ny saying. Wen, We
aave been under fire together pretty often
and yet here We are again did not cheer
htns. No. IL would 10 his last" round
shot killed him directly we parted on the
ridge before named, As the spot was de.
hasahle ground nay guHners buried hin
then and there.