The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1898-04-09

l@I& survivor of the Light Brigade
Is Jeremiah Ryan. He enlisted Mt Linn
erick, Ireland, In the Fourth Light ORA
goons and went with his regiment to
the Crlmea, where England and
France were supporting Turkey against
Russia.
In speaking OF the battle of Bala-
klava, fought Oct. %, 1851. Mr.. Ryan
says; THE battle of Balakava was
brought on by the Russians on Oct. %,
when they tried to drive US from the
heights We occupied. 1t was good.
hot fight, and the cavalry did most of
the fighting on our side. and as | was
In the cavalry l got my share. l re-
member the charges of the Light Bri-
gade best, although Ii did not seem
much at the time. The Light Brigade
consisted of COZ men. They We're picked
from the various regiments, all young
and energetic men and good fighters.
I'm his poem Tennyson, with the IL
cense of a poet, makes 1t appear that
We all knew we were going TO certain
! death. As a matter of fact, we knew
nothing of the kind. We did not have
the slightest Idea what we We're going
to do. We merely obeyed orders and
had no thought that we We're about to
charge the whole of the Russian army.
There had been a heavy fall ofJense,
damp snow. and the ground was hard.
Under Capt. Nolan we charged in two
lines at quick pace. We did not know
where we were going, and the enemy,
being behind bluff. were not In sight.
We had not gone more than 1.200 yards
before the whole line of the Russians
| opened a flood of smoke and flame upon
us from the months of thirty cannon.
! Then we could not have fallen back II
we wanted to. Men and horses fell un-
der the fire. One-thlrd of us fell to the
! front. dead or dying. Another third of
the men We're wounded. The horses,
well trained, huddled together and car
rled us onward toward the Russians.
Another battery opened fire upon US,
and to the obllque fire of the cannon
was Joined Il yolley of musketry from
the Russian infantry.
with sabers drawn we kept on to-
ward the Russian guns. We could not
fight much, for we We're huddled close
together In a solid mass for our protec-
don. The men IN the middle of the
ranks dared not draw their sabers, for
they could not tell friend from foe.
Those on the outside fought and cut
down the Russians In our way. Then
the order was given TO return, and we
retreated as best we could. Some of
! the horses broke with their riders and
carried them back to our lines. Slowly
We fought our way back surrounded by
Russian infantry and soldiers.
But while we were fighting to re-
gain our own lines the Russian gunners
returned 10 their guns, and, angry that
we had only just ridden over them, and
thinking of nothing but revenge. they
fired at the mass of fighting soldiers,
and this time they killed more Rus
slams than Englishmen in front of the
| guns. Meanwhile the Eighth Hussars
and the heavy brigade came to our res
cue and helped us cover our retreat.
"A wretched lot we We're when we
returned. They made heroes of the
survivors. but the dead and dying were
left where they fell There were COZ
of us when we followed Capt. Nolan In
the charge. or these 1913 came back.
and some of these received wounds
from which they died shortly after
ward. ! myself received two cuts In
the hand and another just above the