The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-07-05

from seeing any distance, and the noise
from hearing, so 1 never heard an Off
GERS voice.
THE Russian gunners were we'll
drilled; all the cannon went off at the
word of command; all together. One
tremendous Volley was heard, with
flashes of fame through the rolling
smoke.
There were probably twenty can
non at our right firing at US, and two
batteries-twelve guns-in front.
If we had been moving on uneven
ground we should have had some slight
protection, in the necessary uncertain
ty OF aim of guns, but moving as we
did in compact bodies on smooth
ground directly in range, the gunners
had an admirable target and every
volley came with terrible effect.
How the Guns BeIched.
There is natural instinct to dodge
cannon balls. In such fire as we were
under, it changed into an impulse to
hurry. There was no time to look
right or left, and the guns in front
were what l looked out for.
The were visible as streaks of fire
about two feet long, and a foot thick
in the center of gush of thick white
smoke marking about ever 300 yards
of the way, as they would reload in
thirty or forty seconds.
THE last volley went off when we
were close on them The fame the
smoke, the roar were in our face. 1t is
not an eXaggeration to compare the
sensation to that of riding into the
mouth of a volcano; but those who did
not fall were through the guns in an
instant and full of fight.
Our arrival at the battery silenced
it instantly. My first thought after we
were through the line was to look for
an officer to see what we were to do.
saw Lord Cardigan at first, but had
no impulse to join him. 1 think no
British soldier ever had.
They Fired to Get Back.
Then we tried to get back. The Jer-
opkine Lancers (Russian) had formed
in closed lines across the valley, cut
ting off our retreat. 1 turned back to
my scattered comrades who were rid
ing about like myself in all directions,
and 1 hastily formed them in lines,
putting those with lances in front.
|, THE Russian Lancers were not more
than forty yards from us when l or
dered my men to cheer and charge. The
Russians must have thought we were
assembling to surrender, and when we
yelled and charged into the center of
their line they seemed to be paralyzed
I'VE broke through and galloped off
on our way Ddck, pursued by COSSackS
firing at US, until we came to a square
of infantry on rising ground with mus
kets and fixed bayonets pointing at us.
They yelled something in Russian. 1
suppose calling us to surrender.
when they saw we were not going
to surrender, they fired a volley point
blank at us, and at the shortest range
This was fearuflly destructive. and
only few of my little squad were left.
'Weightman and Marshall, together
with others of the Seventeenth, were
captured here, one with thirteen
wounds and the other with nine. We
found the guns again renamed and in
position across the valley, and after
we had charged through them from
the rear they opened fire on us again.
as well as the infantry.
I'VE made the best of our way Ilp
the valley, after had ordered the men
to separate. We were the last squad to
return. and the only squad that had
rallied through the guns"
Served in the CivaI War.
So far Morleys story.
He had formed his men. and re-
charged through the guns, and vet,
when he applied for a Victoria. Cross.
it was denied him
Morley subsequently came TO the
United States, and saw service in the
Civil War.
AS to the actual blunder OF Balaclava
the blame is fixed upon the Earl Of
Lucan in correspondence which passed
between Field Marshal Lord Raglan
and the Duke of Newcastle, English
1 Secretary for Wan