Front matter
*
CORNELL
UNIVERSITY
I. The task of selecting English generals of cavalry, ... 1
Choice made by the Government, . . .... 2
Lord Cardigan, 11
Lord Lucan and Lord Cardigan regarded conjointly, . . 15
Lord Cardigan's attitude of antagonism to Lord Lucan, . . 19
His complaints 19
Lord Raglan's severe answer to them, ..... 19 Lord Raglan's appeal to the good feelings of Lord Lucan and
Lord Cardigan, 20
What made it possible for the Government to do as it did, . 21
II
Isolated position of the forces defending Balaclava, Increasing strength and boldness of the Russians in the valley of the Tchernaya, . . . , .
. 28
The Balaclava position,
. 29
The town
. 29
The inner line of defence, ....
. 30
The plain of Balaclava
. 32
Conception of the outer line of defence, .
. 35
VI CONTENTS.
Chapter I. — continued.
The works constituting the outer line of defence, .
Slight nature of the works,
Armament of the works, ...
How manned,
The Kamara Height left in possession of the enemy, Inherent weakness of the 'outer line,' . The force immediately available for supporting the Turks, Sir Colin Campbell's confidence, .... Defects in the subsidiary arrangements of the Allies,
MentschikorTs purpose,
The forces collected for this enterprise, .
The object of the contemplated attack, .
Distribution of the Russian force, ....
Tasks assigned to each column, ....
24th Oct. Information of the enemy's approaching attack,
37 37 38
39 39
40 42 43 43 44 45 45 46
III
25th Oct. The hour before daybreak, 48
Advance of Lord Lucan and his Staff, 48
Break of day. Two flags seen flying from the fort on Can-
robert's Hill, . . 48
The import of this, 48
Fire opened, 48
Orders to our cavalry, . 49
Vigilance evinced by the Turks, 49
The English soldier's want of vigilance, 49
The outlying picket, .51
Lord Lucan and Sir Colin Campbell, 52
Intelligence sent off to Lord Raglan 52
Lord Lucan's disposition of the cavalry and horse artillery, . 52
The enemy pursuing his design, 53
General Giibbe" seizing Kamara 54
And opening fire on the Redoubt No. 1, .... 54
Advance of Semiakine, 55
OfLevoutsky 55
Of Scudery, 55
OfRyjoff, 55
The emergency in which Lord Lucan had to act, ... 56
His decision, 57
CONTENTS. vii
Chapter I. — continued.
The Russians suffered to establish their batteries without hindrance from our cavalry, 57
Artillery fire, 57
Maude's troops sent back, 58
The guns on Canrobert's Hill silenced, 58
Continued resistance of the Turks, 58
Dispositions made by General Semiakine for storming, . . 58
Canrobert's Hill 59
The work stormed, 59
Overwhelming strength of the Russians in point of numbers, . 60
Close fighting between the Turks and the Russians, . . 60
The fort at length carried 61
Abandonment by the Turks of the three next redoubts, . . 61 Their fight under fire of artillery, and pursued in some places by Cossacks, . ... . . . . .62
The enemy entering four of the redoubts, .... 62
And establishing himself in three of them, . . 63
Fresh disposition of our cavalry, 63
.Observations upon the first period of the battle, ... 63
IV. Lord Raglan, 67
His dispositions, 67
General Canrobert also on the ridge, 71
His dispositions, 71
Apparent difference of opinion between him and Lord Raglan, 71
Lord Raglan's disposition of our cavalry, .... 72
General tendency of the French and English dispositions, . 72
Isolation of Balaclava, .... .... 73
Position of Liprandi's infantry at this time, .... 73
The Odessa regiment an index of the enemy's changing resolves, 73
The Russian cavalry, 73
Jabrokritsky's force, 74
Liprandi secure for the time against any attack by infantry, . 74
The period of licence thus enjoyed by him 74
The forces now threatening Balaclava 75
Their strength, 75
The forces that could be forthwith opposed to them, , . .75
Liprandi's inaction, 76
Vlll CONTENTS.
Chapter I. — continued.
V. Liprandi's supposed design 76
The advance of the Russian cavalry, 77
Campbell's arrangements for defending the approach by Kadikbi,, 77 Squadrons of Russian horse advancing towards the gorge, . 78
Campbell's altered dispositions 79
Flight of the Turks 79
Position of Campbell after the flight of the Turks, ... 79
His words to the men, 80
Their answer to his appeal, 80
Continued advance of the detached Russian squadrons, . . 80
Campbell wielding his 83d,
The fire from their line,
Its effect,
Altered movement of the assailing squadrons,
Campbell's counter-manoeuvre, ......
Its effect,
Retreat of the horsemen, ■
Feebleness of the attack undertaken by these Russian squadrons, 82 Real nature of the trial sustained by our troops on the hillock, 82 The new foe encountered by the Turks in their flight, . . 83
VI. Want of arrangements for an effective look-out, . . .85
Advance of the main body of the Russian cavalry, ... 85
Its change of direction, 86
Its sudden discovery of a great opportunity, .... 86
March of Scarlett's dragoons, .87
Sudden appearance of the enemy's cavalry on the flank of Scarlett's dragoons, 89
Scarlett's resolve, 90
The order he gave, . 90
'Scarlett's three hundred,' . 90
Ground taken to the right, . 9]
The 5th Dragoon Guards, 91
The 4th Dragoon Guards and the Royals approaching, . . 91
Scarlett's dilemma, ........ 92
His decision 93
CONTENTS. IX
Chapter I. — continued.
The part taken by him. after hearing of the advance of the Russian cavalry, 93
Meeting between Lord Lucan and General Scarlett, . . 95
The communications between them, 95
Lord Lucan's part in the attack 96
Positions of the six squadrons at the moment anterior to Scarlett's chaTge, 96
The numbers of the Russian cavalry confronting Scarlett, . 97
Deliberate and well-executed manoeuvre of the Russian cavalry, 98
Their advance down the slope, 98
Their slackening pace, .... ... 99
Their halt, 99
Surmise as to the cause of the halt, 100
Deployment effected by the Russians on each flank of their
column, 100
Scarlett's task, 102
The great numbers of military spectators who were witnesses
of the combat, , 104
Distinctive colours of the uniforms worn by the Russians and
the English dragoons, 104
The group of four horsemen now collected in front of the Greys, 105
Scarlett's deviation from the accustomed practice, . . . 108
The order he gave his trumpeter, 109
Scarlett's advance, . 109
His distance from his squadrons, . . . . 109
Russian officer in front of the column, 110
Scarlett sweeping past the bridle-arm of the Russian officer, and
driving into the column, Ill
General Scarlett in the column, 112
Elliot's encounter with the Russian officer in front of the
column, 112
The three horsemen riding with Scarlett, . . . .113 The ancient friendship between the Scots Greys and the Innis-
killing Dragoons, . 113
The distinguishing characteristics of the two regiments, . . 114
The temper of the Greys at this time, 115
Unavoidable slowness of the advance in its earlier moments, . 115
Progress of the advance, 116
CONTENTS.
Chapter L-
Involuntary extension of our line whilst advancing,
The Russian horsemen resorting to firearms, .
The officers .who charged with the Greys,
The officers who charged with the 2d squadron of the Tnnis
killings,
Colonel Dalrymple White,
Major Clarke of the Greys, ....
The charge of the three hundred, .
The manoeuvres of the two Russian wings,
The circumstances under which they were attempted,
His order to the 4th Dragoon Guards, His alleged direction to another regiment,
The order of narration,
The 4th Dragoon Guards
The Royals, .......
The 5th Dragoon Guards, ....
Change in the hearing of the combatants,
Efforts made to rally the Greys,
The order given by Scarlett to Major Conolly,
Hunt's squadron of the Inniskillings,
The officers present with the squadron, .
Major Shute,
Captain Hunt,
Position of the squadron
Major Shute's order,
The charge of Hunt's squadron of the Inniskillings. The 4th Dragoon Guards, ....
The breaking of the column, ....
Retreat of the whole body, ....
Attempts of our dragoons to rally, . The pursuit of the enemy by our dragoons,
Fire of artillery,
Results of the fight between the Russian cavalry and Soarlett
Brigade,
The admiration excited by the exploit of Scarlett's Brigade, Comments upon the fight, ......
The time occupied by the fight
CONTENTS. XI
Chapter I. — continued.
VII. The Light Brigade at the time of Scarlett's engagement, . 166
Its neutrality, 166
Impatience of the brigade, . . . . . . .166
And of Lord Cardigan, 167
The surprise with which the neutrality of the Light Brigade
was observed, 167
The cause which palsied the Light Brigade at the time of Scarlett's engagement 169
Incident making the error more signal, 174
By bringing into public contrast the qualifications of Lord Cardigan and Captain Morris, 175
Lord Lucan's message of reproof to Lord Cardigan, . . 179
VIII. Lord Raglan's instantaneous perception of the new phase into
which the battle had passed 180
The change wrought in the position of the Russians by the
defeat of their cavalry, ....... 181
Lord Raglan's purpose, . 182
Lord Raglan determining to use his cavalry, . . . .185
'The third order,' 185
Lord Lucan's construction of it 186
The impatience and anger amongst men of the Headquarter
Staff, 188
' The fourth order,' ........ 189
Captain Nolan, 190
IX. The position of the Russian army at the time when Nolan
reached Lord Lucan
Intentions of Liprandi at this period of the action,
Lord Raglan's perfect apprehension of the state of the battle,
Two points in the enemy's position available for attack, .
The valley that lay between them,
Position of our cavalry at this time, Arrival of Nolan with the ' fourth order, '
XU CONTENTS.
Chapter I. — continued.
The 'fourth order,' 198
Lord Luean's reception of the order, 200
The altercation between Lord Luean and Nolan, . . . 201
Lord Luean's determination, 208
Lord Luean's order to Lord Cardigan, 209
X. Dispositions for the advance of the cavalry down the North
valley 213
Lord Cardigan and his Staff, 214
Advance of Lord Cardigan and the Light Brigade, . . . 217 Captain Nolan appearing in front of the brigade, . . .218
His probable object 218
Nolan's fate, 220
Question as to the degree iu which hlarne justly attached to
Nolan, 221
Significant retreat of the Odessa battalions, .... 223
Cathcart 225
Gradual awakening of the Russians to the opportunity offered
them 227
Powerful fire opened upon the advancing brigade from both
flanks, ' 228
Officers acting with the two regiments of the first line, . . 229
Continued advance of the brigade 230
The pace 230
Lord Cardigan's rigid way of leading the brigade, . . . 231
Increasing difficulty of restraining the pace in the first line, . 232
State of the first line 232
Casualties in Lord Cardigan's personal Staff, .... 232
Continued advance of Lord Cardigan and his first line, . . 233
The advance of the three regiments acting in support, . 237
Officers present with the 11th Hussars, ... . 237
With the 4th Light Dragoons, 238
With the 8th Hussars, 238
The order in which the ' supports ' advanced, . . 238
The near approach of our first line to the battery, . . . 248 Lord Cardigan's charge into the battery at the head of his first
line 249
Forces encountered by Morris, . . ... 251
CONTENTS. Xlll
Chapter I. — continued.
254 256 257 258 258 259
His charge, . . . .
Morris wounded and taken prisoner, Other incidents in this part of the field, . Continued advance by Lord Cardigan in person,
His isolation,
His advance towards a large hody of Russian cavalry, Endeavour to take him prisoner, ....
Lord Cardigan disengaging himself from his Cossack assailants, 260
The devotion with which he had been leading his brigade, . 261
Lord Cardigan's return through the battery, .... 262
His predicament, 262
His retreat, 263
Operations by the remnants of the first line, . . . .267
Men of 17th Lancers 267
Men under Captain Jenyns, 268
Men of 17th Lancers 268
Mayow's assumption of command over these, .... 269
Mayow's order to the men, 269
Men under O'Hara, 270
Mayow's charge, ... 270
His advance in pursuit, . . . ... 270
His halt, ... 271
Feelings with which the French saw our Light Cavalry advance, 271
The Chasseurs d'Afrique, 272
The celebrated 4th regiment of the Chasseurs d'Afrique, . . 272
General Morris, . . ■ 273
His determination, ... ... 274
D'Allonville's attack, . , 274
Losses sustained by the 4th Chasseurs d'Afrique, . . . 276
The brilliancy of their achievement, 277
The 11th Hussars 277
The 4th Light Dragoons, 279
Their entrance into the battery 280
The combat which there followed 280
Farther advance of Lord George Paget 282
The 8th Hussars, .283
State of the battle at this period, .... . 284
The retreat of the Russian cavalry, 287
The need there was of fresh troops in order to clench the victory, 288
h
XIV CONTENTS.
Chapter I. — continued.
The question now forced upon his attention 291
His decision, 292
The Greys and the Royals ordered to fall back, . . . 292
Their losses at this time, 292
The Heavy Brigade halted on ground chosen by Lord Lucan, . 293
General Scarlett and Colonel Beatson, 293
The Light Brigade fading out of their sight, .... 294
The full import of Lord Lucan's decision, .... 294
Our Heavy Dragoons at this time, 295
The Light Brigade, 296
Colonel Mayow and his fifteen lancers, 296
Their junction with the 8th Hussars, 296
Liprandi's battalions on the Causeway Heights, . . . 297 Three squadrons of Lancers seen forming in rear of the 8th
Hussars, 297
Colonel Shewell the senior officer in this emergency, . . 298
His charge, 298
Defeat and flight of the Russian Lancers, .... 301
Shewell's retreat, 301
The 11th Hussars and the 4th Light Dragoons, . . . 304
Their retreat 305
Approach of the Russian cavalry in pursuit, .... 305
Lord George Paget's appeal to his regiment, .... 305
Its effect 306
Discovery of a body of Russian cavalry formed np across the
line of retreat, 307
Means for meeting the emergency 307
Position of the interposed force, 310
Its formation and apparent strength, 311
Its sudden change of front, 311
Advance and sudden halt of the column, .... 312
The nature of the collision which then occurred, . . . 313 Continued course of the two retreating regiments, . . .316
Lord George Paget's inquiry as to the fate of the first line, . 320
The escape of Sir George "Wombwell, 320
The escape of Captain Morris, 321
Morris and Nolan 323
The remnants of the brigade at this time, .... 325
CONTENTS. XV
Chapter I. — continued.
Lord Cardigan's address to the men, 325
The first muster of the Light Brigade after the charge, . . 325
The killing of the disabled horses 326
The losses suffered by the brigade, 326
The supposed fate of Captain Lookwood, .... 328
The small number of prisoners taken by the Russians, . . 329 The small amount of loss sustained by our troops after closing
with the enemy, 330
Who brought the first line out of action 1 . . 330
And who brought out the supports? 331
Interview between Lord Eaglan and Lord Cardigan, . . 332
Lord Raglan's opinion of Lord Cardigan's conduct in the charge, 332
Interview between Lord Raglan and Lord Lucan, . . . 332 General Liprandi's questions respecting the exploit of the Light
Brigade, 335
Duration of the Light Cavalry combat, 337
Lord Raglan's opinion of the charge 337
General Bosquet's criticism on the charge, .... 338
XL
Liprandi's counter-march of the Odessa battalions, . . 339
Deliberations of General Canrobert and Lord Raglan, . . 340
The determination of the Allies, 342
Close of the battle, 343
XII
The kind of importance which can be attached to the battle of Balaclava, ......
Summary of the battle, ....
The loss of ground sustained by the Allies, The casualties resulting from the battle, Trophies taken by the Russians, Treatment of the prisoners taken by the enemy, With whom the victory ?
The effect of the battle upon the self-confidence of the Russians, 352
XVI CONTENTS.
Chapter I.— ^continued.
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