Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-09
A FAMOUS bLUNDER
Celebrated Charge OF the
Light Brigade Recalled.
DARING BUT FUTILE ACT
Result of q Misunderstanding of
Orders.
RARE DISPLAY OF DISCIPLINE
Battlefield Of Balakrava Now Car
peted, Knee-Deep, With Flowers
and Enclosed by Hedge Of Roses.
DARING BUT FUTILE ACT
RARE DISPLAY OF DISCIPLINE
RY WILLIAM r.. CURTIS
Special Correspondence of The Star and the
Chicaeo Record Herald.
he Criupea

RY WILLIAM r.. CURTIS.
Special Ccrresooudenes Of The Star and the
Chicsso Record Herald
RALAKLANA, the Crimea,
August 8. 1910
The battlefield OF Balaklava is carpeted
with flowers, knee deep. today, and the
pcppies are so thick upon the meadow
where the charge of the Light Brigade
vas made that IL looks like a field OF
blood There are patches of purple flow
ers whose names | do not know. and the
road which winds around the battlefield
has a hedge OF sweet briar roses, which
are covered with pink blossoms. You can
not imagine a more peaceful landscape
than the gentle slope of that beautiful
valley lying between two low ridges which
the morning OF October -. 1850. were COW
cred with forty thousand spectators-En-
glishmen. Frenchmen, Russians, Sardfn-
ians and Turks-involuntary and as
tonished witnesses of one Of the most
reckless exhibitions of human courage
ever seen, and one of the most useless
sacrifices of human life. No arena could
have been arranged for better view OF
the spectacle. And today the landscape is
precisely as il was then. except that the
valley is now dotted with several farm
houses surrounded by groves Of locusts
and shrubbery.
The spot where the dragons started,
where Earl Cardigan, the impetuous
Young Irishman who commanded the
Light Brigade gave his one and only
word of command during the charge. is
marked by a marble shaft and the pedes-
tai Is inscribed:
Erected by the British army TO the
memory OF their comrades who fell at
Balaklava.'
That word OF command was: Left
wheel into line. forward. march, Not a
word was spoken after that
Where stood the battery which was the
object Of assault is now cherry orchard,
Water is very scarce upon the battle
field of Balaklava, all the farmers have
is pumped up by Chicago windmill and
hauird in casks to the neighboring houses.
Every drop used 10 water the English
cemeter. is hauled half mile.
There were two splendid cavalry
chrges at the battle of Balaklava, one
by the 30 heavy dragons under COM
mand of Maj. Gen. Scarlet, ana the
other by the light cavalry under COM
mand of the Earl OF Cardigan. The for
mer. from a military standpoint was
remarkably successful. because three
sQuadrons OF Englishmen surprised. de-
moralized and practically put to rout
two brigades Of Russian cavalry. num-
herring nearly 1900 men. The latter, al
though one of the most spectacular dis
plays of human daring in all history.
was or comparatively no effect and was
the result OF a misunderstanding OF or
ders.
The scene of these two cavalry charges
- n wide and beautiful valley between
two low ridges about two miles south OF
the picturesque little port OF Balaklava
The British troops had taken possession
or the ridge north of this valley. were
throwing up earthworks and completing
their camp when. on the evening of DC
tobsr D. 1855. Rustem Pasha. in COM
Inand OF the Turkish contingent. sent
u Ia. q v1d n
British troops. that the Russians were
preparing for a surprise attack the next
morning. As there had been already more
than one false alarm, Lord Raglan con-
tented himself with asking for an tmme-
diate report of any further news and no
extra precautions were taken.