The Light Cavalry Brigade in the Crimea. Extracts from the letters and journal of the late Gen. Lord G. Paget ... during the Crimean War. With a map

Preface

. The following Journal is principally composed of extracts from my letters written from the Crimea to Lady G. Paget.* It has no pretension further than to record such facts as came under my own observation, and the feelings with which I regarded the different events as they occurred. It was not originally intended for publication, it being obvious that mine was not a position to com mand any special information relating to the war, or to enable me to throw any new light on the subject. But inasmuch as any one who was on the spot must be cognisant of many local incidents observed perhaps only by himself, so each fresh account may have, in many respects, such an interest of its own, as to warrant the eyewitness recording it, provided that he confines himself to such, and does not * Agnes, daughter of the Right Hon. Sir Arthur Paget, Or .C.B., first wife of Lord George Paget. — Ed.

PREFACE.

. treat of matters which more properly belong to the historian. This course it has been my endeavour to pursue, whilst giving a detailed and carefully considered account of the several actions in which it was my good fortune to be engaged. ( v ) MEMORANDUM REGARDING MY JOURNAL IN CASE OF MY DEATH. 1, Farm Street, Berkeley Square, July 25, 1875. The history of my writing this Journal is as follows. In the autumn of last year, I read Mr. Kinglake's fifth volume on Inkermann, and I was so interested in it, that the recollection was forced on me that I had never read his fourth volume with equal care, a volume that was, of course, of so much more interest to me, being a history of the Battle of Balaclava. It may seem almost incredible that such should have been the case, but it is capable of easy ex planation.

When the fourth volume came out some years ago, I read only those portions of it which related to what more peculiarly concerned me, putting it then a ide, with the intention of carefully reading th -hole at some future time. If it sounds strange that I should not have read the whole at that time, it must be remembered that at that period the subject of the Balaclava charge VI JOURNAL IN TEE, CRIMEA. had been one of so much controversy, that it is easy to conceive one was weary of the subject. Therefore, after satisfying myself as to the general correctness of all that appertained to me, in very weariness I laid the book down. But some seven years, I think, elapsed between the publication of the fourth and fifth volumes, and when I read the latter, the subject of the Crimea was more a thing of the past, and was fresh to me again.

Being then so interested in the account of Inker mann, I turned with avidity to the neglected fourth volume, and when I came to read that over carefully, I found that there was so much in it, at least as regards two subjects, that was at variance with my own account, that I determined to amend what I had previously written, with the intention of having a limited number of copies printed for private circulation. The two subjects alluded to were the conduct of Lord Cardigan, and the operations of the 8th Hussars, to neither of which I had done justice. But before undertaking this I had to satisfy myself that Mr. Kinglake's account of the 8th Hussars, so much at variance with that of Colonel SlieweU, was the correct one, and I therefore went to Mr. Kinglake, and had many conversations with him, which satisfied me on this point.

I also satisfied myself that he was right as to the length of time that Lord Cardigan was beyond the guns, on which, in my opinion, the whole question of his conduct as regards the second line hinged. LORD G. PAGET AND MR. KINGLAKE. VII I hope I have now done justice in both these matters. But I must turn back again and say why I in tended to put this in print for private circulation. When I went out to the Crimea, it was agreed between my dear wife and myself, that my Journal of the war should be in the form of my letters to her, which were to be retained by her. After the war, therefore, I wrote a Journal, based on these letters, which are bound in three volumes. The second volume contained the account of the battle of Balaclava. This volume, during all these years, I have lent to many people to read (among others to Mr. Kinglake, who had it in his possession for two years, I think, and who was so complimentary as to say that he learnt more from it than from all other accounts put together), and the consequence has been that, besides that more than once I forgot who had it, the volume itself has become so knocked about that I cannot lend it out again.

Hence I determined to have it printed for private circulation, and to add to it the remainder of my Journal of the war, which deals with many subjects of interest. But having now completed it, my heart misgives me as to carrying out my intentions, or whether the interest in the subject is really not exhausted. Time and reflection can only determine what I shall eventually do. In the case, therefore, of its not being printed before my death, I leave this memorandum for Cecil (or JOURNAL IN TEE CRIMEA. VIII whoever may be my representative), to act in the matter as seems best to him, omitting what may seem irrelevant or wanting in interest to others who must be better judges than myself on this point. George Paget. Having found this Journal amongst my' father's papers, I have thought it advisable to act upon his permission and to publish it.

I trust that the circumstances under which it was written and the interest of the subject may justify me in so doing. With this hope I commit it to the indulgence of the public, and to the affection of his friends. Cecil Stratford Paget. March, 1881. PAGE CONTENTS. Preface .......... iii Memorandum concerning my Journal in case of mt Death. . . . . . . v

Chapter I. Journal Of The War

The Voyage — Arrival at Varna — Life in Camp — Cholera — Ordered off to Sebastopol — " Rendezvous Eupatoria" — Arrival in Crimea — Raglan and St. Arnaud — March to the Alma — Preparing for Action — Battle of the Alma — Advance across the Alma — The Field of Battle — With Lord Raglan — ■Advance to the Kateha — Arrival of the Scots Greys — Russian want of Precaution — Fleet ordered to Balaclava — The Flank March — A successful Expedition — Contradictory Orders — Before Sebastopol — Want of Forage — Vexatious Uncertainty — First visit to Balaclava — A Promiscuous Kit — Cold and Privation — Wrangling and Jealousy — A Brush with Lord Cardigan — A narrow Escape — Sir Colin Campbell — Opinions of the Bombardment — Constant Alarms — Battle of Balaclava — -Charge of the Light Brigade — Our Losses — Lord Raglan visits our Camp — -Flag of Truce — Severity of Winter — Battle of Inkermann ..... 1

Chapter II. My Return To The Crimea

Death of the Emperor Nicholas — -I succeed General Scarlett — A Reconnaissance — Arrival of Lord Stratford — Lord Stratford's Departure — Trip to Yalta— Lord Raglan's b CONTENTS. X PAGO 201 Dislike of Applause— The Sardinian Army — Our Repulse at the Redan — Death of Lord Raglan — Crimea once more — Battle of Tchernaya — Another Attack expected — Fall of Sebastopol ■ — A shocking Death — Start for Efipatoria — Official Uncertainty — D'Allonville's plans — First Expedition — My Disasters — Our Second Expedition — Return to Eupatoria — An Invita tion to Dinner — -Capture of the Enemy's Supplies — A Disappointment- — "Ponch d'Adieux" — A festive Evening — General d'Allonville — Telegraph to Eupatoria — Embarkation under Difficulties — Discomforts and Delays — Return to the Bosphorus — Scutari : Russian Prisoners — Tidings of Peace — The Sultan — The Voyage Home ......... 85

Chapter III. Battle Of Balaclava

A narrow Escape — Flight]of the Turks— Our Dispositions — Charge of the Heavy Brigade — Return of the Light Brigade . 161

Chapter V. The Charge Of The Light Brigade

The Advance — Incidents of the Charge — Among the Guns —The 11th Hussars — The 4th and 11th retire — Attacked in Rear— A critical Moment— The Return — Charge of the First Line — Dispersion of the First Line — Accounts of Prisoners ...... 178

Chapter VI. Remarks On The Charge Of The Light Brigade

Lord Lucan and Captain Nolan — Who was to blame ? CONTENTS. XI 252

Chapter VII. The

8TH HUSSARS : LORDS LUCAN AND CARDIGAN. PAGE Lord G. Paget and Colonel Shewell — Conduct of Lord Cardigan — His Retreat — Probable Explanation — Lord Cardigan's Character — Lord Lucan — His Conduct — Testimony of Colonel Mayow ..... 200

Chapter VIII. Battle Of Inkermann

We support the Chasseurs — -A trying Position — The Cavalry retire — Our Share in the Battle — Not mentioned in Despatches ....... 222

Chapter IX. Battle Of The Tchernaya

Our Position — Cavalry Advance abandoned — Attack on the French Position — Proposed Advance of Cavalry — Kature of the Ground — Probable Results of a Charge — Origin of the Order 232