The British Army and the Turkish Infantry were in the south valley. The
Russian General, not seeing the enemy in his front, thought he had a
clear road to Balaclava Harbour. He began to advance his army toward it.
He sent four strong squadrons of cavalry from near number 1 redoubt which
he had just captured to reconnoitre, and they advanced toward Balaclava
Harbour. Sir Colin Campbell commanding the Infantry, had taken up his
position on a knoll and ordered his command to lie down, the commanding
officer of the four squadrons of Russian Cavalry could not see them
because of the long grass and brush. Sir Colin Campbell was between
Balaclava Harbour and the Russian Cavalry. When they arrived within
firing distance Sir Colin ordered his command to form a single line two
deep and from that position they fired a volley into the four squadrons
of Russian Cavalry advancing. It took them by such surprise that it
seemed to paralyse them by the sudden shock. They all wheeled about and
retired in a kind of circle back to the point from which they advanced.
Their loss, however, was but slight. The British Cavalry was on the
slopes of the Causeway heights in the south valley, looking on at Sir
Colin Campbell, and his few Highlanders instead of assisting him with our
Horse Artillery. We had a sailor’s battery near the Harbour on the
hills. They fired at the Russians, but I could not see at whom. The
British Frigate lying across the harbour of Balaclava also opened fire on
the Russians. After this for some time everything seemed to be quiet.
Sir Colin Campbell’s command and the Turkish Infantry were ordered to
take position at Kadikoe, to defend the approach to Balaclava Harbour.
The Heavy Brigade’s camp was situated between the 5th redoubt and the
Vineyard on the slope of the Causeway heights in the south valley.
The camp lying in a very exposed position, Lord Lucan ordered it to be
removed in great haste to the south side of the vineyard for safety.
At the same time the Light Brigade took up position at the top end of the
South Valley about five hundred yards from the vineyard.
The first line consisted of the 17th Lancers on the right, the 13th Light
Dragoons and the 8th Hussars completed it, and remained mounted commanded
by Lord Cardigan.
The second line were the 4th Light Dragoons and 11th Hussars commanded by
Lord Paget—they were dismounted. Lord Cardigan was ordered to watch the
enemy and attack anything but columns of Infantry. No one could see the
enemy and the enemy could not see the Cavalry Division, and not a single
picket or sentry was posted to give warning. The Heavy Brigade was
allowed to go to the back of the Vineyard to hunt up their camp
equipments, while parts of regiments began to water their horses. The
Horse Artillery being in some hidden place I never saw them again after
clear daylight. Lord Lucan being absent from his command made things
worse at this critical time. Lord Raglan and staff, and a French General
and staff assembled on the height at the top end of the two valleys which
had to be ascended to get to Sebastopol.
Both commanders-in-chief could observe all the movements of the Russian
Army, their Infantry massing and a large column of cavalry marching up
the valley of death. Lord Raglan could see the Light Brigade part
dismounted, yet he could not see the Heavy Brigade, most of them being
back of the Vineyard. He sent one of his staff officers to inform Lord
Lucan that a large force of Russian Cavalry was advancing up the North
Valley, but he could not be found with his Division. General Scarlett
assumed command in Lucan’s absence, and sent staff officers to hunt up
the Regiments. General Scarlett tried to assemble his Brigade at the
east end of the vineyard, the Light Brigade camp standing in front of
those he assembled. The Russian General had military sense enough to
advance a line of mounted skirmishers half a mile in advance of his main
body up the North Valley. Neither Lucan, Cardigan, nor Scarlett knew
anything of this force marching up the North Valley till informed by the
commander-in-chief’s aide-de-camp. When the Russian skirmishers arrived
near the top of the North Valley, about 30 rode over the Causeway height
and came within thirty yards of the Light Brigade position. A Russian
officer who was directing that part of the line of Russian skirmishers
was killed, sword in hand, in front of the 13th Light Dragoons by one of
their officers. Lord Cardigan did not trouble himself to go or send one
of his staff officers 30 yards—had he done so he would have seen the
Russian column marching up the valley. The Russian General found out
from the commander of the skirmishers where the British Cavalry was in
position. He immediately marched his column to the top of the Causeway
heights, advancing toward the Light Brigade. The Russian General saw the
Heavy Brigade assembling at the end of the Vineyard, which was nearer to
his command. He made an oblique movement at a trot toward General
Scarlett, advancing down the Causeway heights through the camp ground of
the Heavy Brigade that had only just been removed out of danger. I
believe Lord Cardigan never saw the Russian skirmishers or the Russian
columns crown the heights. But Captain Morris commanding 17th Lancers
did, and like a flash he ordered the 17th forward. As we were advancing
toward the Russian column, Lord Cardigan saw the 17th Lancers moving,
halted us, and ordered us back, wishing to know where we were going, and
who ordered us to move. The consequence was, we never did attack the
Russians. When the Russian column arrived within 50 yards of the
vineyard, the Russian General saw he had to cross a large ditch,
extending on the side of the vineyard, and that he had also to advance
through the Light Brigade camp, with picket ropes standing with sick and
lame horses tied to the ropes before he could attack the heavy Brigade.
The Russian General thought he was being led into a trap. He then halted
his column with his right flank exposed toward the Light Brigade. Then
Lord Cardigan had the opportunity to attack and cover himself with glory.
No General had or ever will have a better or more favourable opportunity.
He had the ground in his favor, and not 500 yards to advance to the
Russian Cavalry column, and part of the Heavy Brigade mounted only 50
yards from the Russian column to assist. But no, he would not attack,
and how he could sit on his horse, and see the Heavy Brigade fight such
great odds, and never attempt to give them a helping hand, passes
understanding. The Russian column, and not more than 50 yards away
General Scarlett’s few hundred in line of battle, stood looking at each
other. Kinglake says, Lord Lucan told Scarlett to take the four
squadrons to attack the Russian column (it was only three squadrons
however.) General Scarlett ordered all he had assembled under such
trying circumstances to advance to the attack. In passing through the
Light Brigade camp, standing together with sick and lame horses still
tied to the picket ropes, two officers’ horses fell over the ropes and
camp utensils, one being seriously hurt, to say nothing of a trooper
falling in clearing the camp. The command had to jump a wide ditch at
the end of the vineyard which so scattered them that they were nearly in
single line, and not more than 30 or 40 yards from the Russian column.
In five seconds officers and men were in their places. General Scarlett
then ordered his trumpeter to sound the charge. It was repeated by the
other trumpeters. They had to advance up the slope of the Causeway
heights. The consequence was they never arrived at a charging speed.
The command began to cheer and could be heard all over the South Valley,
the Light Brigade helping them to cheer with faces pale with rage at
having to sit on their horses and not be allowed to give their brave
comrades a helping hand. General Scarlett led his command about the
centre of the Russian column, going straight through it, and re-found
what was left of his command the other side of the column. Just as
General Scarlett was entering the column, Colonel Hodge advanced around
the east end of the vineyard with the 4th Dragoon Guards in column of
troop at a brisk trot. On they advanced, clearing the Russians column
right flank 40 yards. Colonel Hodge then gave the word of command “right
wheel into line” and ordered the charge to be sounded. Already at a
trot, they got into charging speed at once, going through the Russian
column, scattering them in all directions, the Light Brigade cheering
with them till the 4th Dragoon Guards came out of the Russians left
flank. General Scarlett’s command had rallied and charged back through
the Russian scattered column. After receiving these three charges in
rapid succession the Russian column was so disorganised that we could see
them wheeling about, and almost before General Scarlett’s command had got
through the Russian column a second time it began to retire at a trot
back over the Causeway heights leaving their killed and wounded.
Kinglake says, 78 of the Heavy Brigade were killed and wounded all by the
sword. I consider Colonel Hodge proved himself the best cavalry officer
in the division. Had Lord Cardigan assisted with the Light Brigade, the
balance of the Heavy Brigade not engaged would have given a helping hand.
It would have been one of the most crowning victories in the annals of
Cavalry History.
When the Russian column had retreated over the Causeway height and down
the North Valley, Lord Cardigan mounted Lord Paget’s command, advanced
the Light Brigade in column of troops from the right at a trot, making a
circle of a mile in the South Valley below the battle ground, arriving
back at the Light Brigade camp. We were then dismounted.
Lord Raglan saw the Russians trying to remove the guns out of the
redoubts they had captured from the Turks, and also making a different
disposition of their army. Raglan also saw the inaction of his cavalry,
the Light Brigade being dismounted. He sent some of his staff officers
down to it, and we were ordered in great haste to mount. The first
regiment mounted was the 11th Hussars, and was led by a staff officer of
Lord Raglan’s to the North Valley. The next regiment was the 17th
Lancers, and we were formed in line on the 11th Hussars. The next
regiment was the 13th Light Dragoons. This completed the first line of
the Light Brigade in the new formation. The second line consisted of the
4th Light Dragoons and 8th Hussars, commanded by Lord Paget. Lord
Cardigan never knew that the formation of his brigade was altered. He
did not know that Lord Raglan ordered the Light Brigade to the North
Valley till informed, and this is the only time Lord Raglan ever
interfered with the Cavalry—then he could not find any leaders. Our
formation before this was the 17th Lancers on the right of the first
line, the 13th Light Dragoons and the 8th Hussars completed it, commanded
by Cardigan. The second line was the 4th Light Dragoons and 11th
Hussars, commanded by Lord Paget.
In his book Lord Paget states that he could never understand how the 8th
Hussars got into his command in place of the 11th Hussars. The reason
was, that he and Cardigan were with the Heavy Brigade taking some
refreshments and congratulating the leading officers. When Lord Cardigan
joined his Brigade in the North Valley, he wanted to know by whose
authority they were placed there. He was informed by order of Lord
Raglan.
The Russian General seeing the allied infantry marching down from
Sebastopol knew then he could not take Balaclava, so he began to remove
the guns he had captured from the Turks, out of the redoubts. Lord
Raglan and the French Commander-in-chief came to the conclusion to bring
on a general engagement, and try to take back the guns that the Turks had
lost, and also regain the redoubts and key to Balaclava Harbour—our good
military road we had lost which was the cause of the suffering of the
British Army in the winter of 1854. Lord Raglan ordered the cavalry
division to attack the Russians to prevent them from carrying off the
guns. Lord Lucan did not understand the movements of armies or orders.
Order after order was sent to him, and, during the delay the Russians
were making additional alterations in their Army. The third order was
for “the cavalry to advance and take advantage of any opportunity to
recover the Heights, and they would be supported by infantry which had
been ordered to advance on two fronts.” Lord Raglan ordered the Duke of
Cambridge to advance his division of Infantry and Artillery down the
South Valley, which he did some distance in line of battle. Sir George
Cathcart was ordered to advance his division of Infantry and Artillery
down the North Valley. Every soldier in the Cavalry Division knew what
heights we had lost. The whole Cavalry Division saw the Russians take
the heights, and redoubts, with guns in them.
After Lucan received the third order, he must have read it backward, for
he thought he was to support the Infantry, and prepared the cavalry for
it without seeing the Infantry or knowing where they were, which he
states, and never made any attempt to advance.
Lord Raglan then selected Captain Nolan to take the fourth and last
order, but during all this delay of 40 minutes, the Russians, seeing the
allied Infantry taking possession of both valleys, concentrated their
Army and removed the captured guns which Lord Raglan wanted to prevent
them from doing. Not one of the four orders suggested that the cavalry
should charge. Lord Raglan knew it would be annihilation for them to do
so with the Russian Army in such a strong and commanding position. At
the end of the North Valley the Russians put in position their best
Artillery, supported by five or six thousand Cavalry, their Infantry also
being in position on all the commanding hills. The three redoubts they
captured were full of Infantry and Artillery, with riflemen on the
commanding positions near the redoubts on our right. On our left they
had six guns placed in position supported by Infantry and riflemen armed
with needle guns.