Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-20
THE LIGHT BRIGADE
The Famous Charge at Balaclava Described
by Participant.
Thrilling Account of an Omcer's Re.
yivors Celebrate Anniversary.

Morgan who found himself in charge Of
| the 18th Lancers at Balaclava when all his
senior officers were either killed or wound
ed in the famous charge of the Light Bri-
eade-has been induced by the Western
Mail to describe what he did and saw on
that memorable day. His lordship's narra-
tive, which is published today 0he forty
clava). is as follows:
My first recollection on the eventful
morning of October 25. 1854. was turning
out before dawn very cold and uncomfort-
able. but soon after forming up in front of
| our camp unusual movements were cbserv-
ed in the redoubts held by the Turks on
! the rising ground en- our left front. and 1t
was not long before we felt that something
out of the common was going to happen
en- that side of Balaclava. We had not
long to wait, as we saw shots striking the
redoubts from an invisible enemy the other
side Of the hill. Soon after this the lances
of the Cossacks or other Russian cavalry
appeared over the brow surrounding the
redOubts, out of which the Turks came
| running, leaving them in the possession of
the Russians. I then saw the Highlanders
forming into line in front of Balaclava,
and almost Immediately they were attack
ed, but they stood their ground, and the
Russians did not get very near. At the
same time large body of Russian cavalry
came down the hill at the charge. and the
| heavy cavalry brigade formed at once in
line and advanced to meet them. 1t was a
curious sight.
They had hardly time to get up a trot
when they met the Russians coming down
hill. There was kind of shock they
met. and then the heavens appe lred
through them. A hand-to-hand fight con-
| tinued. and then the Russians turned and
galloped back. At that moment Captain
Morris. who was in command of the 18th
Lancers, said or shouted: Now is our
to Lord Cardigan, our chief, who was
Just in front Of US, that I'VE ought to
follow up the success and complete the
| rcut." He was told it was not his business,
or words to that effect. Captain Morris
| then turned to the 18th and said: THE 18th
shall do it themselves. Seventeenth Ian
GERS advanced! We advanced about a
hundred yards, when Lord Cardigan gal
Ioped up and ordered back into line.
We were shortly afterward moved up over
| the hill and formed up at the head of the
valley When We got there we saw the
army, which we afterward knew was that
OF Liprandis masses, at the head of the
valley and on its hills to right and left
Some of them were at the redoubts vaca-
TED by the Turks About IL o'clock an or
DER came to Lord Lucan to prevent the
enemy carrying off the guns. While stand
ing In position l remarked to poor Webb:
we are In range of them now from that
battery on our left
At that moment we were ordered tn I'D
vance, and puff of smoke from the bat
terry alluded to told me that the Russians
tthought as did That first shell burst
| IN, IN me ar about 100 yards in front of us.
The next one dropped in front of Nolan's
morse and exploded on touching the ground
He uttered wild yell as his horse turned
| round, and, with his arms extended, the
trotted toward US. but in few yards
dropped dead off his horse. 1 do not i'm
/ aS1ne that anybody except those in the
front line of the 18th Lancers Q3th Light
Dragoons) saw what had happened. We
went on. When we got about two or three
hundred yards the battery of the Russian
Horse Artillery opened fire. 1 do not rec
/ ollect hearing word from ANYBODY as we
gradually broke from trot to a canter
though the noise of the striking of men
ana horses by grape and round shot was
deafening. whilst the dust and gravel
struck up by the round shot that fell
short was almost binding, and irr;tated
my horse SO that I could scarcely hold
him at all. But we came nearer 1 could
about hundred yards from the guns. 1
| appeared to be riding straight on to the
| muzzle of one of the guns, and 1 distinct
| ~ saw the gunner apply his fuse. 1 shut
the question as far as l was concerned.
But the shot just missed me and struck
| the man on my right full In the chest.
In another minute 1 was on the gun, and
suppose. with a. pistol by somebody on nv
right, fell across my horse, dragging it
over with him and pinning me in between
the gun and himself. A Russian gunner
| en- foot at once covered me with his car
b1ne. He was just within reach of nv
tsword and I struck him across his neck
The blow did not do him much HARM but
1t disconnected his aim. AT the same time
| mounted gunner struck my horse on the
forehead with his Saber. Squirting s.Sir
Briggs" he half jumped. half blundered,
over the fallen horses and then for a short
Ilme bolted with Inc. l only remember
finding myself alone amongst the Russians
trying to get out best 1 could. This
by some chance, 1 did, in spite of the at
| tempts of the Russians to cut me down.
When clear again Of the guns 1 saw two
or three OF my meE making their way back
and as the fire from both TANKS was still
neavy IT. was matter of running the
gauntlet again. 1 have not sufficient rec
objection of minor incidents to describe
them, as probably not two men who were
In that charge would describe it in the
same way. When 1 was back pretty near
ly where We started from 1 found that 1
| Was the senior officer of those not wounded
and, consequently. in command. there be-
ing only two others, both juniors to me,
| in the same observation-disclosures WombwelI
and Cornet Cleveland (afterward killed at
Inkerman). We remained formed I'D until
the evening, when, as the enemy made no
further ATTEMPT to advance, we returned
to our tents, not very far off.
The dinner given annually by the Bala-
clava Society in commemora ton of the
| charge of the Light Brigade was held at
st. James Hall on Monday, Mr. H Her.
bert, the president of the society, being in
the chair. The company, numbering 10.
included sixty Of the survivors of the Bala-
| clava Light Brigade charge The chair
man, in proposing 1.-THE Friends of the
Light Brigade" mentioned that Mr. T. H
Roberts had instituted fund for the re
lief of the survivors. many Of whom were
in extreme old sge, and were without
nf C1lnr Ir ooh tn,
Spouse, said that the subscriptions to the
fund which he had inaugurated now
amounted to over $780, and 20 of the sur
vivors were at present in receipt of week
iy allowances He thought It would be a
national disgrace to allow men who had
taken part in such a glorious charge TO
remain in want.