The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-09
THE CHARGE AT BALACLAVA.
HOW BRITIsH CARELESsNEss IN
VITED RUSSIAN ATTACK.

Ninety-Third Alone stood Between
the Victorious Troops of the Gear
and FINAL Triumph-"Thc Most
Glorious Thing the French Gem
erals Had Ever seen-HOw the
Killed Privatcs stood Their
Ground While Greys and Innis-
billings Charged Ten Times Their
Number.
In the cold gray dawn of oct. %, 1854.
British cavalry general and three OF his
staff were riding toward Canroberts Hill,
the extreme eastern outpost held by the al.
lied armies. A quick-eyed aide-de-eamp
saw that above the redoubt two flags were
flying instead Of one. What does that
mean?" asked one. why" was the an
swer, that is the arranged signal that the
enemy is advancing" and as he spoke
there broke from the redoubt the sullen
roar of gun fired at an unseen object to
the east. The Russions were indeed advance
ing. Balaclava, the base of supplies for
the British army, lay temptingly open to
a Russian assault, and the open valley
that led to It was guarded by nothing bet
ter than six redoubts held by Turks-over
which a donkey might have scrambled
one battery of horse artillery, part of the
Ninety-third Highlanders. and the Light
and Heavy Cavalry Brgades numbering
about 1880 swords
And on these seanty forces in the chilly
dawn of that October day were marching
$4,000 Russian infantry, thirty-four squad
rons of Russian cavalry, and seventy-eght
pieces Of field artillery. Lord Raglan had
heen warned by spies the previous day of
the coming attack, bit took no steps to
meet It. News that the attack had act
ually begun was carried to the tent of tho
sleeping English general al 1880 a. M but
he did not turn out tin past O'Clock, nor
did he get a single British regiment on to
the threatened ground before 10 o'clock
Meanwhile the Russians were coming on
with more than usual decision.
Balaclava is a plain about three miles
long and two broad, girdled with hills
from 300 feet to 1900 feet high, while a
sort of spine of low hills. called the
"Causeway Nights" runs from cast TO
west across it, The valley is thus divid-
ed into two PARASITIC North valley, the
scene of the famous Light Cavalry charge
and the South valley where the charge
of the Heavy Brigade took place Canro-
bert's Hill. or No. l redoubt. stood in the
eastern throat of the South valley and
five other redoubts. known as Nos. 2. g.
4, and 6-an held by Turks-were scat
tered along the Causeway flights. The
unfortunate Turks in No. l redoubt-only
800 strong-on the dawn of that historic
day saw an entire Russian army marching
upon them! The Ninety-third Highland
ers were two miles TO their rear guarding
the immediate aptp,ann oh Of Tla1oo1axro. -
distance as great, at the western root
OF the Causeway Nights, whence they pro
Ject like an extended lance across the
valley, stood two brigades OF British horse.
Turks behind an earthwork can heht
etubbornly, but when the tiny cluster of
Turks in No. ] redoubt saw II 900 Russian
infantry and thrty-eight guns marching
straight upon them, with no support IN
sight, they might be forgiven If their nerve
failed. As matter of fact, they returned
with their five guns the fire of thirty
eight guns, and held their ground until
one-tourth of their number were killed
Then. as the gray-coated Russian bat
talions came tumbing clumsily. but in re-
sistless masses over their earthwork. the
Turks fled. The solid column of Russian
cavalry opened like fan, long sprays of
salloping skirmishers shot out. and soon
Cosacks and lanoers were busy Shaving
Soon the Turks were in full retreat: their
guns were in the enemy's hands; nothing
STOOD between the British ships in BaIa-
ciaVa and the Russian guns but some LOO
marines, the immediate garrison OF The
port. 400 men of the Ninety-third High
ianders. with 100 invallds on their way TO
hospital, a battery of light field pieces.
ana the British cavalry, apparently with
Drawn from the fight altogether.
fnTnnIf 1ra1
degree of resolution. and it cannot be
doubted that If he had thrust resoIutely
forward with his fun force. he must have
reached Balaklava. Just at this point
however, some spasm of doubt seems to
have crossed his mind, and his huge gray
pattalions halted in their march. Perhaps
the cluster of generals-British and
French-with their STATS and escorts
showing against the skyline on the crest
OF The western hills, gave him pause. But
the Russian cavalry continued its adj
vance, a dense mass, squadron after
squadron deployng on a front that widen
ca till il threatened to fiji the whole space
OF the valley, and all flowing steadily for
ward. The advance guard of the Rus
sian cavalry 1000 strong. swung over The
Causeway Ridge into the South Valley.
Nothing seemed to be between them ana
BaiaklaVa but the famous "thin red line"
Of the ety-thrd-by this time increas-
ed 90 $50 men-wth battalion OF Turks
on either flank who, at the sight of the
Russian lancers, dissolved into mere fu-
gidves To the spectators-and that a
British general and his staff could be
mere spectators in such a scene is very
wonderfully seemed as If that great mass
Of ordered cavalry could brush aside the
red fence Of men that barred is path.
But the horsemen were coming on fast
ana grim silence fell on the Highland
ers. Then, as the beat of the hostile
troops sounded deeper and louder, a Gu
rious culver ran down the long two-deep
line OF the Ninety-third The men were
eager to run forward and charge. mine
ty-third, Ninety-tbird," rang out the fierce
voice Of Sir Colin Campbell. ID all that
eagernessH He had previously ridden
down the line ana told his soldiers: RE
member, there is no retreat from here.
men You must die where you stand.
And from the killed privates came the
cheerful answer: "Ay, ay, Sir Colin: we'u
do that" The Russians were now with
~ range, and the fire Of the Highlanders
rang cut sudden and sharp. few horses
UNN men