Thomas Morley

“ Lord Lucan knew that the Russians were in strong force near his pickets, and yet he did not strengthen them or patrol the small front he had to protect, while his cavalry pickets knew nothing of the Russian advance until the Turks opened fire, they just saved themselves from capture or annihilation by being better mounted than the enemy. ”

“ Lord Paget commanded the 4th Light Dragoons and 8th Hussars, yet he lost the 8th and found the 11th Hussars (our supports) . The ride down the valley could not have occupied five minutes. I could have run it on foot in seven minutes, as I was champion runner in those days, but the formation of the brigade with which we started had been destroyed, probably within three minutes.
Our arrival at the battery silenced it instantly, and the gunners began to try to move the cannon away. The gospel of Russian fighting was always to save the guns. ”

“ Perceiving several of our cavalry in the same dilemma, I called to them, and being then a corporal, I used what authority I had to form them as well as I could. We gathered 12, and charged their centre; most of us got through. I believe three fell. These men were 4th and 13th Light Dragoons, and 17th Lancers; one was of the 8th Hussars. I received the point of a lance in the right hand; the wound was slight. The Russian infantry now opened a heavy fire upon us and after galloping through the guns of the enemy in advance of us, each one separated, trusting to fate. ”

“ It is not an exaggeration to compare the sensation to that of riding into the mouth of a volcano, but those who did not fall were through the guns in an instant and full of fight. The action of the scattered troops behind the battery and on the way back was sufficient proof that they were not frightened or demoralized, even by the proceeding—unheard of for Cavalry—of attacking batteries in front. ”

“ Captain Nolan placed himself in front of the 13th Light Dragoons. Seeing one-third of the cavalry going down the valley to be sacrificed, they having to charge one mile and a half, leaving army and supports, and the commander of the Brigade away, Captain Nolan rode in front of the 17th Lancers, the regiment that gave the speed and direction, taking Lord Cardigan’s place. He knew the enemy were on the Causeway Heights retreating and abandoning the captured guns, not more than half a mile from the Light Brigade, and no danger to the Brigade to get where Lord Raglan intended. ”

“ The phrase “Someone had blundered” is familiar to every one, but the condition of affairs which precipitated the blunder are not known and have never been stated in history.
After the Heavy Brigade made their glorious charge, the Light Brigade was placed in the North valley by order of Lord Raglan, Lords Lucan and Cardigan being absent congratulating the Heavy Brigade officers. Both Commanders-in-chief and Staffs had assembled at the top of Sebastopol Heights and were watching the Russian Army. They decided to force a general engagement and recapture the guns and heights the Turks had lost. ”

“ Private John Smith, C Troop, 17th Lancers, now living in London, mounted one of the horses to the gun carriage and we started off the field with it when a large body of Cossacks charged upon us completely surrounding us. I fought my way through and was pursued down the valley by seven of them into a body of Russian Hussars re-forming. I had no alternative but to charge through their line, which I did, an officer striking my head with the sword, my lance hat saving my head except for a bad bruise. ”

“ Every officer and soldier feared them.
Sergeant-Major Wooden was allowed to insult officers, one leaving the regiment through the bad language he used to him. I can name three sergeants out of one troop that left the 17th Lancers through him, and they all rode in the “Charge of the 600.” Colonel Benson procured him quarter-master of the 5th Lancers, and the commanding officer soon had him retired on the smallest allowance, 3/6 per day. It was Colonel Benson who secured his promotion as quarter-master of some infantry, but he soon got into debt and shot himself. ”

“ He remained in the saddle until the horse had cleared the right flank of the first squadron of the 17th, in column of threes, when the horse, finding the rider had no control over it, turned sharp to the right—the way home—throwing the lifeless body head-first to the ground. ”

“ He lost no time in getting to me and remained in command till Lieutenant Barbour returned with two Russian Greek spies, who tried to decoy his command into a village in which the Russian Cavalry were hiding. Sir Drury Lowe was loved by all men and I never heard or knew an enlisted man to say any thing but kindness respecting him. I was in Aldershot when he commanded the regiment, and I was in the Sergeants Mess. I heard Sergeant-Major Davis repeat that he would sooner soldier under Colonel Lowe without pay than any other officer with pay and the rest shouted “hear hear.” ”

“ I charged at Balaklava with my squadron until it was nearly annihilated, my own lance being shot away. Drawing my sword I galloped on to the Russian guns, and assisted in cutting down the gunners. On the right of our forming line I observed one particular gun going away as fast as the horses could take it. I went after it with Captain Jervis, of the 13th Light Dragoons, who shot one of the horses and delayed its progress. On this I engaged two of the gunners, who both fell. It now became a struggle for our lives, a large body of Cossacks surrounded us. ”

“ Sir George could also see the French Cavalry charging a battery of field artillery of six guns on our left. The Russian cannon were all brass polished, 12 and 24 pounds. Their infantry were in square, and the commanding hill covered with the Needle riflemen. Sir George saw all this destruction of life and he could see the Heavy Brigade and Horse Artillery had not even been ordered from the South valley to support or assist the Light Brigade or French Cavalry. Sir George said it would be dangerous to advance further. Lord Lucan brought up two regiment and yet Cathcart would not budge an inch. ”

“ It is a Heaven for a soldier. They never want, if a good record. If they cannot work they have Soldiers Homes to retire in; better looking than any Hotel in Nottingham. If they die their relatives receive ten pound to carry them to the finest Cemetery in the world ”

“ I was present in every skirmish in which my regiment was engaged, and I returned home when the campaign ended. When in Ireland with my regiment I inquired of my troop officer why I did not get a medal for distinguished conduct. He told me he was very sorry I did not, but it lay to the commanding officer’s discretion. So it appears they are not “distinguished conduct medals” but “discretion medals!” There are several men in the 17th Lancers who wear medals for distinguished conduct on the field of battle who never crossed swords with a Russian. ”

“ The Horse Artillery took up position just before it came to number 3 redoubt and opened fire on the Russian Artillery, nothing but smoke from their guns being perceived. The heavy Brigade moved first to its left, then back again to its right, several times. Lord Lucan calls that a demonstration. They could not see the Russians, and the Russians could neither see nor hear the heavy Brigade. If they had, they would not have been firing at the white smoke above the black fog of the Turkish redoubts and our Horse Artillery, but would have sent a volley into the heavy Brigade. ”

“ Lord Lucan says after he read the order he said to Captain Nolan, “Attack! Sir! Attack what? What guns, sir?” and he states also that Captain Nolan, pointing, said, “There, my Lord, is your enemy, and there are your guns.” Captain Nolan did not tell him to attack and he had no proof to show he did.
Lord Lucan left the largest part of his command in the South valley prepared to support infantry he had never seen. The first thing he did was to inform Lord Cardigan that Lord Raglan had ordered the Light Brigade to charge the guns, telling a lie in the Commander-in-Chief’s name. ”

“ The British Cavalry in the Crimea consisted of five heavy regiments, called the Heavy Brigade, commanded by General Scarlett, and five light regiments called the Light Brigade, commanded by Lord Cardigan. Attached to the cavalry was one troop of the Royal Horse Artillery comprising six guns, commanded by Captain Maude. This Cavalry Division was commanded by the Earl of Lucan who had his headquarters at Balaclava Harbour, his command being in camp about two miles nearer to Sebastopol. ”

“ We were left to die without having any medicine or even a cup of hot water. Several weeks elapsed before Lord Lucan found it out, for everyone seemed afraid of him and Cardigan, and these two never talked together. Lord Lucan occupied all the houses in Balaclava Harbour, while Lord Cardigan lived on his yacht seven miles from his command, and never visited them, although they were dying of hunger and starvation, and even when we went into action at Balaclava and Inkerman he still lived aboard. ”

“ The Light Brigade received several hundred horses that broke loose on from the Russians on the night of October 25th, 1854, or I would not be counting horses by the hundred. (See Lord George Paget’s Book for proof.)
Lord Cardigan died serenely satisfied because he had destroyed his command in obedience to orders, after stating in the Times, “No one man surpassed another in gallantry.” He is the only officer who had a command that returned back mounted, and that did not give a helping hand. He lost the whole of his command, five regiments and staff, and returned back by himself. ”

“ Think of men dying under such conditions. The horses also were dying of hunger some of them eating all the hair off their bodies. If it had not been for Lord George Paget I do not know what would have become of us. He marched us down to Balaclava but the journey proved too much for our horses, over 100 stuck fast and died in the mud. ”

“ Any soldier with a record can get relief and forwarded to his destination. The Americans are the finest comrades in the world, and they are the only nation that can fight side by side with the British, they would understand one another and be proper chums, while other nations do not understand one another. ”

“ It was the same officer who procured him the Victoria Cross and the French Order, although he never crossed swords with a Russian, and all those who knew anything concerning him, and who were in the “Charge of the 600,” say he threw himself off his horse. It is a well-known fact that he never went to the Battle of Inkerman, but drew our grog and got dead drunk with it.
Sir Drury Lowe, purchased Regimental Sergeant-Major J. Brown a commission, and appointed him adjutant of the regiment. I will undertake to prove all I have said, and more, by officers and soldiers now living. ”

“ I stayed with him, and managed to hire horses and conveyances to travel a distance of 150 miles to Stanton Va. He is now, and has been for years, Managing Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Central Park, New York. He often writes thanking me for saving his life. I was introduced to him when he was Colonel of the 4th New York Cavalry, by Major-General C. F. Havelock, at Washington, who knew him when he was on Field Marshal Marmouer’s Commander-in-Chief’s Staff of the Italian Army, in the Crimea. ”

“ Troop Sergeant-Major O’Hara and Private James O’Hara of the same regiment, also fell out for that purpose. In performing that act, James O’Hara and myself had both our dress caps shot off our heads by a cannon ball. We still pursued our duty till out of range, when the cornet wished to be laid down till a stretcher could be procured. This officer died. While stationed at Balaclava I was one of the detachment ordered for the Baider Valley. On one occasion I was engaged in the reconnoitering party in advance of the party that took possession of General Chateloof’s house, near the Woronzoff Road. ”

“ There were five groups which charged into the guns. The first two were 17th Lancers, one group commanded by Colonel Mayow, chief of Lord Cardigan’s staff, the other by Troop Sergeant Major O’Hara. The third group was the 11th Hussars under Colonel Douglas. The fourth group were 4th Light Dragoons, commanded by Lord Paget. The fifth group, 8th Hussars, Colonel Shewell and the last regiment to enter the batteries. These five groups charged the masses of Russian Cavalry that were supporting the artillery, time and time again, driving them some hundred yards down the valley. ”

“ I told him the fire was on the top story and they put up ladders to reach it. No one man seemed to be able to carry the hose and leather pipes up. I told him it would be dangerous for many to be up so high when the water was put on, it would make it too heavy for the ladder. ”

“ Did Nolan scream in front or rear of Cardigan? How did he get in p. 17front of Lord Cardigan without him seeing him go? Lord Cardigan was in front of his command a minute or less before the attacking line commenced the charge, and this is why so many saw him. Captain Nolan would not dare take command if Lord Cardigan had been there. What kind of leading was he doing not to see him; and the 17th Lancers go “threes’ right” and take ground to the right. Many things I should like to explain if I had space.
Lord Raglan re Lord Lucan. Before Sebastopol,
Dec. ”

“ The direction was such, however, that the shells would fall among the supports, Colonel Douglas’ and Lord Paget’s lines. If we had been moving over uneven ground we should have had some slight protection in the necessary uncertainty of aim of the guns, but moving as we did in compact bodies on smooth ground directly in range, the gunners had an admirable target and every volley came with terrible effect.
There is a natural instinct to dodge cannon balls. In such fire as we were under it changed to an impulse to hurry. There was no time to look right or left, and the p. ”