The Washington herald., 1911-04-16
STORIES OF FAMOUS POEMS
CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
By ALFRED TENNYsON.

, mine can add to the glory they have
| acquired in the Crimea, but If what I
| have heard be true, they will not be dis
pleased to receive these copies from me,
and to know that those who remained
| at home love and honor them
The following tribute to the poem was
received from Scutari:
I'VE had in the hospital a man of the
Light Brigade one of the few who
survived that fatal mistake, the Bala-
klava charge; but which, deplorable as
| II was. at least tended to show the high
state of discipline attained in the British
army. / spoke to several Of those en-
gagged in that deadly conflict, and they
could describe accurately the position OF
| the Russian cannon; were perfectly
aware, when obeying that word Of COM
| mand, that they rode to almost certain
death. This patient had received a kick
in the chest from a horse long after the
battle of Balaklava, while in barracks at
Scutari. He was depressed in spirits
which prevented him from throwing or
the disease engendered by the blow.
| The doctor remarked that he wished
| the soldier could be reused Among other
remedies leeches were prescribed. While
! watching them I tried to enter into a
| conversation with him, spoke of the
| charge, but could elicit only monosylla-
BILE replies. A copy of Tennyson's poems
| having been lent me that morning,
| took 1t out and read 1t. The man, with
| kindling eye, at once entered upon
spirited description of the fatal gallop
| between the guns mouths to and from
I the cannon-crowded height. He asked to
| hear 1t again. but. as by this time a
| number of convalescents were gathered
around. slipped out Of the ward.
| The chaplain, who had lent me the
poem, understanding the enthusiasm with
| which it had been received. afterward
| procured from England a number Of
| copies for distribution. In a few days
| the invalid requested the doctor to dis
| charge him from duty. being now In
| health: but whether the cure was ef-
fected by the leeches or the poem II Is
! impossible to say. On giving the card.
the medical man murmured, Well done.
Tennyson,'
On one of the anniversaries Of the
Balaklava charge, a banquet was given
| in London, and Tennyson was pressed
to attend. Being unable to do so. he
sent the following letter to the chairman
| of the committee:
"Sir: / cannot attend your banquet
but I inclose s5 to defray some OF its
I expenses or to be distributed as you may
think fit. among the most INDECENT Of the
survivors of that glorious charge. A
blunder II may have been. but one for
whlch England should be grateful, hav-
| ing thereby learned that her soldiers are
| the most honest and most obedient under
the sun. 1 will drink a cup of wine on
the 9th to the health and long life OF
all your fine fellows; and, thanking your
] self and your comrades for the cordial
| invitation sent me, / pray you all to be-
| lieve me, now and ever, your admiring
| ellow-countryman, A. TENNYSON."
Tennyson intended to write a poem on
| the soldiers battle Of Inkerman. but
! only got as far as the first line: Strong
| eight thousand of Inkerman."
The charge Of the Light Brigade did
nothing toward deciding the battle of
Balaklava or toward Fastening the cap
| ture of Sebastopol. Yet, thanks to Ten
nyson's poem, and to humanity's love
| for deeds of reckless bravery, that charge
| is remembered to-day by millions of peo-
pie who have forgotten every other event
IN the Crimean war.
Lord Tennyson and time hare sancti-
fed the ''blunder,' and. notwithstanding
the folly of the act and the awful vast
age of human blood, the charge of the
Light Brigade stands unparalleled as an
exhibition Of soldierly discipline and dar-
ing.