The record-union., 1898-03-05

pavements. Preparations were made
for an attack on Sebastopol. The at
tempt began on October 18th, but it
failed, although we fought hard, but the
ships could not get near enough to make
their guns effective.
BATTLE OF BALAKLAvA.
The battle of Balaklava was brought
on by the Russians on October 25th,
when they tried to drive US from the
nights We occupied It was a good,
hot fight and the cavalry did most of
the fighting on our side, and as / was
in the cavalry l got my share 1 re-
member the charge Of the Light Bri
gade best, although 1T did not seem
much at the time. This Light Bri-
gade consisted of GOT men. They were
picked from the various regiments, all
young and energetic men, and good
fighters. There were 11S men from
the Fourth Light Dragons, 104 of the
Eighth Hussars, 130 of the Thirteenth
Light Dragons, and 145 of the Sew
enteenth Lancers. was among those
from the Fourth Light Dragons.
cense of a poet, makes it apparent 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 were going
to do. We merely obeyed orders, and
had no thought that we were about to
charge the whole of the Russian army.
There had been a heavey fall of dense,
lo,, u +l,1 o-J
Under Captain Nolan We charged in
two lines at quick pace. We did not
know where we were going, and the
enemy, being behind a bluff, were not in
sight We had not gone more than
l 200 yards before the whole line of
the Russians opened flood of smoke
and flame upon us from the mouths Of
their thirty cannon. Then we could
not have fallen back if we wanted to.
Men and horses fell under the fire. One
third of US fell to the ground, dead or
dying. Another third of the men were
wounded. The horses, we'll trained,
huddled together and carried us on
ward toward the Russians. Another
battery opened fire upon us, and TO the
oblique fire by the cannon was Joined
a volley of musketry from the Russian
infantry.
CHARGE OF THE BRIGADE.
With sabers drawn we kept on tow
ard the Russian guns. We could not
fight much, for We were huddled close
together in a solid mass for our protec
ton. 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 car
ried them back to our lines. Slowly we
fought our way back surrounded by
Russian infantry and soldiers.
But while we We're fighting to regain
our own lines the Russian gunners re-
turned to 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. for there were
more Russians than Englishmen in
front of the guns. Meanwhile, the
Eighth Hussars and the heavy bri-
gade came to our rescue 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 was 601
of US when we followed Captain Nolan
to the charge. OF these 1913 came back,
and some of these received wounds
from which they died shortly after
ward I myself received two cuts in
o1A hn
end Of my sock. But these We're light
wounds, and / escaped much better
than most of the men. There were
not more than a dozen who came
through that charge unscathed.
HOW THE MEN FELT.
I'VE did not know what was going
to happen when we went into the
charge But We We're rather sore
about it when we returned, though
those who got through were too happy
that they had escaped to make much
fuss about it. 1t has been written of
as a great expedition, and so I suppose
it was. But we do not deserve any
great credit for bravery. Almost any
man would have done the same. We
We're all daredevil fellows, caring lit
tie for our lives and fond of the ex-
citement of battle. And then, when
the band plays and everybody cheers
and yeIls you are so carried away by
the excitement that you think of moth
ing but the joy of fighting. 1t Is great
sport. Better than any other in the
world.
'Afterward we heard much about il,
when the world sung our praises. Some
Frenchman said that our exploit was
magnificent, but it was not war It
seems that it had been the intention
of Lord Raglan, our General. that the
cavalry should aid in regaining The
nights surmounted by the redoubts TAX
en- oy the Turks, or in default of this
to prevent the Russians from carrying
off the guns at those points. He had
no Intention Of having this work done
by 600 men. The Light Brigade was
to have been only a part of the forces
But Captain Nolan. who carried the
message, did not understand it, nor did
the Lieutenant General Lord Lucan.
The Earl Of Cardigan put the order into
execution and Captain Nolan himself
led rs and. died with my other COM
radss for his own mistake, or that of
others
AFTER THE GREAT CHARGE.
I'VE remained in the field and fought
other battles until the armistice of
September, 1856. The cold was the
worst foe with which we had to con-
tend. The Russians used to say that
their best Generals We're General jan
uary and General February. Many a
man who laid down 10 sleep on the
cold ground never got up. and / had
one IF my legs frozen. Pension? No,