Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-10-07
Charge Of the Six Hundred.
of the Famous Battle Made Immortal by Ten
nyson Which Will be Read With Interest.

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The Earl Of Cardigan was an Irish
peer, 81 years old, rich, reckless and
popular, notorious for his love affairs,
famous as a sportsman and as a rider
to hounds, resolute in purpose, a dare
devil with a terrible temper, and en-
tirely without military experience.
He owed his rank and prominence In
the army to the purchase system and
to the favor of the Duke of York and
although he had a passionate love for
military affairs, unfaltering courage
and a strong sense of duty, his mex
p%erience alone would have untitled
him for any responsibility.
He had fought two duels. One Of
the quarrels was over the color Of a
bottle: the other was over the size OF
a teacup. At the time OF the famous
charge although a brigade commander
of troops in the field, be was living on
board a yatch in the harbor of Bala-
klava by permission of Lord Lucan, his
brother-in-law, commander of the cav-
airy, while the officers and men under
him as we'll as his %superiors, were
cheerfully bearing the hardships and
privations of camp life.
Thus the Earl Of Cardigan had
nothing to recommend him for his
command, but his courage and horse
manship.
MISTAKE IN ORDERS.
The Light brigade had seen their
comrades of the Heavy Dragons
achieve n of the most brilliant cav
airy victories ever recorded, and we're
naturally impatient to emulate their
example, when an order was brought
to Lord Lucan by a young lieutenant,
named Nolan, which read as follows:
Lord Raglan wishes the cavalry to
advance rapidly to the front and try
to prevent the enemy carrying away
the guns. Troops of horse artillery
may accompany. The French cavalry
is on your left. Immediate"
From the spot where Lord Lucan
received this order no Russians were
visible, and he asked sharply:
"Attack, sir! Attack what guns?"
Nolan replied with an insulting
tone, pointing in an easterly di:ec-
, ton:
There, my lord, is your enemy,
and there are your guns"
Lord Lucan rode across to where
the Light Brigade was impatiently
waiting, and communicated the order
to Lord Cardigan, who gave the COM
mand and led his troops down the
valley at a slow trot. Shortly after
the advance began Nolan, the aide
who had brought the order, galloped
across their front, shouting and point
ing with his sword.toward a Russian
battery in a hollow a mile and a half
distant. Lord Cardigan understood
that Nolan was Indicating the object
OF the charge, but the latter was un-
able to give any further information
for he was Instantly struck by a shell
which tore away his chest. His horse
continued on a gallop and his body
remained for some seconds erect in
the saddle.
The floor of the valley is as smooth
as a race course; there is a gentle
slope the entire distance, which Is
about a mile and a quarter, but on the
west and south sides were masses of
Russian troops and in front a battery
of twelve guns, SO that the brigade
was subjected to a cross fire of
musketry and direct fire Of artillery
the entire distance.
TWENTY MINUTES Of SLAUGHTER.
It IS estimated that the entire
movement lasted but twenty minutes
and that Cardigan rode at the rate Of
seventeen miles an hour. His troops
were composed of the flower of the
army, life guards, lancers, hussars
and light dragons. Most of them
were English and Irish men, and
several noblemen we're among the Of
fcers. The command kept It's forma-
ton with remarkable skill consider
ing that SO many OF their comrades
fell from their saddles, but nearly all
the riderless horses maintained their
positions until the battery was reach
ed. The gunners were sabered, the
guns were turned upon their owners
and the greater part of the light bri-
gade threw themselves furiously upon
a line Of Russian cavalry which was
supporting the battery in the rear.
The French Chasseurs d'Afrique,
which had observed the movement
with establishment came to the rescue
Of the Englishmen, and the latter
made their way back singly and In
squads to headquarters.
Out of 673 officers and men who fol-
lowed the Earl OF Cardigan down that
valley only 1876 came back.
General Sir Evelyn Wood says: sit
was a glorious failure, as the charge
Of the heavy dragons was an astound-
ing success, but Lord Tennyson's en-
thusiastic pen blinded the public to
the military value OF the two exploits,
and thus the determined gallantry
shown In the attack of the three
squadrons Of the heavy brigade has
remained comparatively nnappreciat-
od -