The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-25
TODAY IN HISTORY
The Battle OF BaIaclaVa.
TUESDAY. OCTOBER IS, 1910.

The memory OF Baiaclava, the famous
battle in the Crimcan war, VIII ai"ays
pride; II Is true that the great event Oh
the day-the great central episodc-was
n blundcr. gigantic mistake, ana t ina.
lives. But the splendid courage OF those
who were sacrihcc0 and their unhcsitdt =,
ing unswcrving devotion 10 duty. VIII
always rank among the finest OF ~arlikc
achievements.
The battle OF Balsclava was fought on
October IS, 1854, and Lord Cardigan ana
his gallant light cavalry brigade MADE ~
one OF the most famous battles OF AL
history. Every ono is familiar with now
u handful OF horscmcn, only a few hun
dred OF them, headed by their chivsl-
rous loader. the last OF the Brudcnells.
gnlloped straight into the Jaws OF
death"
Into the jaws OF death. into the
mouth Of hell.
Rode tho six hundred
II was the order; that was enough.
To hear was 10 obey, even though the
chances OF survival were altogether
action as fine a body OF light cavalry as
the world has ever seen-pcrfect in every
point. precisely and beautifully arrayed !
the remnant rode back by twos and
threes. stricken and shattered. But they
had performed their task. they carried
out the commands given and had con.
in the attempt.
The Russian cavalry against which
THIS charge was made numbered more
dred' sending the Russians dying In
great disorder from the field. This "tru
~ magnificent charge as II was called
by a French general who was present.
the most glorious thing he ever saw. won
universal admiration,
The enormous odds. the unhesltating
promp'itndc OF the attack, the fierce,
enterprisins courage shown in the con-
hict, reused tho spectators-of whom
there were crowds OF both arnrer and
all srruS ahove-io enthusiasm. Sir Colin
Campbell clannish ever. rode a once
TO his dear countrymcn, and. uncoverug.
apostrophized them thus: "Greys. gal
liant GreSs, I am siNtyonn years OF age.
but IL | were young again 7 should be
proud TO serve In your ranks
Less than half OF the men who had so
gallsntly set forth on that death ride
returned safe. Cardigan. who had led
thousand bullets and the mark for count
less saber strokes, escaped unhurt-only
10 be killed n few years later by A fall
lane. The civilized world went wild with
enthusiasm over the wonderful charge,
Tennyson celebrated IT in deathless
poem But the stern fact remained 1,
was bunder!
Who was to blame for that bIunder2
Ihere lies the mystery that has for half
a century puzzled all military authorities
Nolan told I.ucan ESQ Bucan saId) that
the Light Brigade was TO charge the
Russian army and take the big guns. 1t
WIS idtcr denied that Nolan had re-
ceiNcd the message Alright from Raglan
YET Nolan's record did not make u prob
able that he would have lied Still less
was 1T likely that great a general as
LORD kagian would have given such a
Would Bucan purposeIy have
sent his own brother-in law to death?
w no. then. gave the order. or how was
IL distorted in transmlSsiono
Nolan alone could have explained Ri,
oeior" he could make explanation a stray
Russian bullet shot him dead thus ST. |
have hNcd the blame
neither the order was treachery. in |
competence or error can never be known, |
m m carly editions of Tennysons Charge |
n the Light Brigade occurs the line:
Nolan has blundercd But pressure
Nas quickly brought to bear upon tho |
poet forcing him To change the phrase |
%: Some one had Numbered 4" |
who Dlundered? Raglan? Lucan? No |
an! The sevcrest courts Of inquiry were |
lot able to answer the question.