Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1892-05-21
The Battle of Balaklava.

Who has not heard, or read, OF the bat
tie of "Balaklava," snd the charge of the
Light Bri zade?" One ofthe participants
in that battle now resides in Trego coun-
ty, Kansas, and his name is Charles +.
Shinquin. Mr.. Shinquin enlisted at the
age of seventeen and served for eleven
years, receiving several medals for his
bravery. He is now 55 years of age and
is engaged in farming. He is very foEd
of reading, is very intelligent and loves
to talk about his war experiences. The
following letter is in reply to an article
which appeared in the WORLD a short
time since:
WA-KKENEY, TREao Co., KAN, April
20, 1892.
MIR. ED1ToR:-In your issue of the 16,
inst. noticed an article headed, Zone of
the Gallant Six Hundred" Let me ask,
why has SO much been said about that
charge? Is it because it was performed
by the English? Now, sir, your humble
servant can say something about Sergt.
Levich and his honors.
l can give you something straighter
than Russell, of the London Times, would
give. The article states that Sergeant
Levich had a silver medal and four
clasps, the clasps being for engagements
at Alma, BalaKlava, lnkerman and Sebss-
tapol. Let me give you those battles in
rotation. l was one of Sir George
Cathcart's division, Cthe 4th) and Oh the
21st of September, 1854, the morning
after the battle of Alma, I do not remem.
Der of having seen a cavalryman, ko,y de
combat. suppose that they were ready,
should they be called upon. So much
for the Alma clasp. The second clasp
vas for Balaklava. They we're there; so
was l, one of Sir Georges division, and
We were under fire and had some wound
ed; but Tennyson did not care for the
infantry. He knew that the cavalry were
by aristocrats, Lucan and
Cardigan, which will account for his
portraying that charge so forcibly. The
third clasp was for Inkerman. Sir
George was there, and SO was I. Sir
George was killed, by shell, early in the
day. There we're no cavalry engaged at
Inkerman. No historian has recorded
the cavalry as being engaged. We had a
few light artillery rather late in the day.
The fourth clasp was for Sebastopol.
The regiment to which | belonged had
their camp about mile and half south |
Of Green Hill, which was the first trench |
that the fourth division made. never |
saw cavalryman between our camp and |
After the Balaklava charge |
the cavalry nabobs used all their influence |
to prevent the infantry from getting the
clasp. But it did not work in their favor !
Tor had these persisted in their scheme |
Lucan, Cardigan and the rest would have
mad to surrender. Alma, Inkerman and
Sebastopol for they never fred carbine
1t either place.
Why has not Sergeant Levich the
Turkish medal? 1t is not mentioned in
5he article. L had the Crimean medal
and four clasps, also the Turk; sh medal.
Every soldier entitled to the four clasps
should have the L irkish medal
do not consider the charge of the six
hundred to be SO bold and heroic az
Clusters last charge. Sir, if our young
'ters, and even the oldsters, would take
he pains to read II. Greeley's history of
he rebellion they will find several in
stances of heroism equal to, If not greater
han that of Balaklava. But the script
Tres saith, ga prophet is not without
honor save in his own country" Per-
laps the same rule is applicable to
soldiers and sailors 1 think it was lucky
or the Cavalry that they had little
,rnsh of some kind with "Johnnv Rust"
,r how could Lords Lucan and Cardigan
wagger in London with their breasts
adorned with honors, and net having
earned them. I was on the Crimea from
September IA, 1854, to April 6, 1857, ex-
,ept while our brigade was at Kinburn,
sixty miles above Odessa. We got no
clasp for Kinburn because it surrendered
o the feet. l was at Kertch, also, in the
lea of Azof, and it surrendered to the
ieet, SO that things look as if others did
is much, if not more, than the six
hundred.