The herald., 1896-02-16

TO readjust my mental furniture and put
the robust, though prostrae e, figure into the
midst of that daring band. His name was
Thomas German.
"Were you really there?'' was the ques-
tion that came to me as naturally and in
ailely as til s'Where am I:' of returning
consciousness.
"Yes, we had been camped there long
time, trying to drive tue Russians from
their position said the old man.
''Wha. sort of soldiers did they make?
Were they brave:'
''They were just lot of filthy, uudsci-
plined savages, formidable only because of
their numbers. AS fast as we killed one
of another was showed into his place. Talk
about your digger Indians. For dirt they
who sit around in the street aud let the ver-
min crawl over them.'
"What was your regiment"
"The Eleventh, under Cardigan" There
we're besides men from the thirteenth Hus-
sars, the Seventeenth Lancers and several
others"
"When the command for the charge was
given. what did you think about it, that it
was mistake. and sheer madness to make
the attempt? We're you atraid:"
mo never thought of fear. The order
was to drive the Russians back and take the
battery. The only thing TO do was to start.
There was rush forward, a glimpse of the
oncOming Russian cavalry, then dust and
smoke, the wounded falling on every side,
then the signal for the retreat, and it was
all over before we had time to think at
ALL
''Did you see anything to make you be-
lieve that your commander either lnisin-
terpreted the order in the fest place or
abandoned his comrades after he had
started:''
Never, there never was a batter or
brayer man. He did everything he GOULD.
q h,,r, frrr tbor n
vance. he gave the signal to retreat
"Were you wounded?''
"Was /? Well, / had seventeen wounds
on me after that engagement. l have a
bullet in my neck yet. Here, you can feel
it, said he, placing the visitors fingers on
doctors wanted to extract it, but others told
me to let it alone as long as it made me no
trouble.
IL was four months in the hospital at
Scutari, petitioning the doctors every day
to let mo 60 back to my reg ment. Finally
was shipped home with a lot of others in
the same fix. and pensioned off.
mo, have never done any fighting since.
1 had served Tor several years in India in
the Maharatta war, and the Balaklava
campaign was plenty to last me all my
''Do you ever meet any other survivors
OF the regiments which composed the Light
brigade?''
.sSometimes. also find many that like
to talk big about having been there, who,
upon being questioned about their reg-
ment or or-commander get very hazy. There's
lots OF men who like to share in the glory
after all the fighting is done. But it's easy
enough to tell who was there and who
wasn't after hearing them talk a little.
There are some things a man does not for
get about the service, if he has every seen
any. 'tn'
Zone day / was drilling the militia in
the public square of small English town,
when handsome. venerable gentleman
stepped up to me and touching the trink-
cts ON the breast of my uniform said: Il
would give all possess to have earned the
right to wear those as you have done.'
After some further conversation he invited
me to dine with his family that evening.
During the course of the meal he made the
same remark, when one of his daughters
retorted:
f"sAnd imagine just about the time the
medals were won you would have given all
you possessed to have been thousand
miles away
".very true; it's quite likely admitted
her father.
'.How did you happen to come to this
country:''
'.Oh, heard about the golden California,
- sold my pension and came over. am
- much American as anybody now. I
lave been here since 1872
'Do you know how many are still living
who belonged to the Light Brigade?"
"Sone two years ago there was an esti-
mate made, and twenty-five were found.
But of course they were all old men and
doubtless many of them are now dead. A
large proportion of them were discovered
to be inmates of warehouses; and asylums,
and liberal purse was made up to be di.
vided among those who could produce
their discharges and other papers in proper
shape. sent mine and heard nothing
more. Then went to the British consul
Here, but he had no uhority to hello me
ia any way. thought that very queer as
] supposed that was just one of the things
" was here for.
Finally my papers were returned upon