Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-12-03
"Left wheel into line,"

Left wheel into line!"
And h 200 Scotch and Zoe Irish
Dragons swung into a trot to meet q
charging body of $500. General Scar
lett rode well in front of his men. with
MIN rode Lieutenant Elliott. an aid,
his trumpetcr and Privte Shegog, an
orderly. The four horsemen were SO
yards ahead of the 300. Such intrepidity
confused the Russians. General Ry-
1off, their commander, believed it i'm
possible that so few men could ride
az his thousands without feeling sure
OF support The Cossack ines halted.
General Scarlet never wavered, his
o n gray mustache and waving cloak
making hin a prominent figure as he
dashed at the Russian lines. The charge
was necessary. he believed. to keep the
Russians from raiding the English
! camp. He hoped to halt the enemy
long enough to enable the English in
fantry to form. Straight into the mass
he rode. Elliot sabered the Russian
advance officer and followed. The
trumpeter and orderly galloped after.
Their red jackets disappeared into the
sea of gray overcoats. A minute later
the 800 struck.
To spectators in the English lines 1t
seemed that every man was lost. But
a shift in the line disclosed a different
scene. The very strength of he Rus
slams made the weak. Their lines were
81 iIIdSSSu litt tuetE ldllCGS were ilS
fectual. The Scotch horsemen, with
their long fiat blades We're or the ad-
gre.
A dozen Cossacks surrounded Elliott.
His saber whirled in a continual mou-
l%ineaux. The crowding of opposing
horses angered his mount, which began
to kick, and thus, on a %plunging, buck
several lines. The heels of his horse
kept his rear free from attack. AL
though cut II times he was registered
as slightly wounded" after the fight.
The English line lost its entity in the
Russian mass. The charge developed
into a series of individual fights, never
more than three or four redcoats in
one body. Swirling. turning and twist
ing the gallant 300 cut and slashed. The
circles of fighters were like eddies in a
surf.
After the first minute or two of
whacking, the Scotch and Irish saw
their sabers had the advantage of the
Russian lancers. Then, calmly and
coolly. they began to toll their way
through the mass. A powerfully built
officer rose in his stirrups and yelled
above the din: I'm front of me! Rally!'
The individual units of the fight turned
in his direction. Some sen1blance of
order WAS attained
Then, when all hope of the 800 re-
turning alive seemed gone, the first
squadron of the Enniskilins and the
Fifth Dragons charged up the hill.
The impact of their strike caused the
Russian mass to waver. 1t gave
ground. Victory! Scotland forever!"
a huge Scot cried out. The Fourth
Dragons arrived now and the Rus
sian back swirl gave way to retreat
before the too heavy calvarymen. AS
one man.. the 1900 out of the $500 left,
turned their horses and rode, without
any formation. oye the hill, The
Heavy brigade chased them a few
hundred yards n then, bloody M
painting, rode back to reform. A hasty
count was made. showing only IS killed
and wounded 50 seriously that they
must leave the ranks
During all this fight the Light bril-
gade stood Only a few hundred yards
away without moving to the relief. 1t
was censured severely, and probably it's
wild ride at the guns later in that day,
was all the more daring because it
wished to wipe out the stain of failing
to support the "heavies."