Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-01-02
THE NOBLE SIX HUNDRED.
Some New Points of a Different Natur
Given by a Survivor.

Some New Points of a Different Nature
Given by a Survivor.
To THE EDITOR OF THE LONDON STAN
DARD. SIR:-1he charge of The Light
Brigade, called THE Six Hundred, took
place Oct. %, 1854, and is still a house
hold memory with us, though thirty-fve
years have slipped by, ard l have been
asked by many to place on record this an
niversary some occurrences other than mere
~gailoping, cutting, thrusting and strong
language, all of which are very similar on
like occasions, and are often told In prose
and verse. Short and to the point is best
suited to what is required of me. So to
begin my story.
Maude's horse artillery, with me second
in command, opened fire at day light and
kept In action until its ammunition was
exhausted, when it retired a few yards down
hill and remained there for a while, screen
ed from the Russian shot and shell, with
the hope of giving confidence to wavering
Turks. Maude was seriously wounded by a
shell bursting in his horse. and there were
several casualties among the officers. men,
horses, and gun wheels. Some of our field
batteries soon arrived and continue the can
nOnade.
In the course of an hour or so our two
brigades of cavalry and horse artillery form
ed columns near the height of the plateau
of Sebastopol, when suddenly a line of
cavalry, with supports in column, probably
five thousand, poured down the grass
slopes toward Balaklavn, and were glor-
iouly defeated by our heavy brigade of
cavalry, under General Scarlet.
In the pause that followed | deemed it
desirable to learn what the Russians were
doing and as the horse | had ridden was
wounded by the splinter of a shell, | mount
ed a baggage pony and rode up the grass
slope to near the crest of the now famed
valley, where | tethered him to a tent peg.
and crept on through the long grass until
my telescope cautioned: Beware! The
brushwood on the hill opposite wa full of
guns, and down the valley were troops by
thousands. Captain Charters. one of
Lord Lucan's aids de camp, now rode by,
but as he did not see me | hailed hin with
the information, when he replied: THE
Light Brigade is ordered to attack" and
while we were speaking it hove In sight.
advancing and deploying at the trot and
center. There was not time for warning,
so | ran to my pony, getting back to the
guns as fast as he could carry me, brought
them up at full speed and placed them
over the ridge. where best able to aid the
remains of the Six Hundred in their
inevitable retreat.
At this time Lord Cardigan rained up
and told me what had happned, at the
same time pointing to a long rent in his
cherry overalls. made by a Cossack lancer,
who had otherwise missedhis aim. Others
rode or ran up to the guns. Among the
last was Captain Godfrey Morgan, Seven
teenth Lancers, now Lord Tredegar, whose
horse had been killed and his helmet lost.
However, he came to me, sword in hand,
and, speaking as cool as he would on par
ade, said: is not this an awful business,
Shakespeare What shall do?" Myreply
was: Quick; jump on a gun Timber, and
go to the rear with US, or to the front If
we go INTO action, when you may help
fight a gun"
We must not forget the volley from the
Ninety-third Highlanders, which emptied
many Russians saddles near the entrance
to the village of Balakava; nor the attack
on the Russian artillery In the brushwood
by the French cavalry on White horses. |
can see them now, so CONSPICUOUS were
| they on the hill. So keen is memory fomr-
ed on the battlefield that ever now
fancy | see Nolan and his horse lying dead,
like many others whose names [ did not
know.
Ofmy friend Charters | have a remark
able for~eshadowing of fate to relate. On
the previous evening he and I, while tax
ing a quiet ride, saw signs of a fight on
the morrow, when he spoke very gloomily
of it being his last. Ny saying, well,
we have been under fire together pretty
often, and yet here we are again" did not
cheer him. No; it would be his last.
A round shot killed him directly we parted
ON the ridge before named. As the spot
was debatable ground, my gunners buried
him then and there. lam, sir, your obedi
ent servant.
JOHN SHAKESPEARE. Colonel, late r. 4
Balaklava Day, Oct. 25.