SURVIVORS OF THE BALAKLAVA SIX HUNDRED.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 458, 2 December 1875, Page 3

SURVIVORS OF THE BALAKLAVA SIX HUNDRED.

The old soldiers of the Light Cavalry Brigade, says a contemporary, the men who “rode into the Valley of Death’ on that fatal October morning one-aud-tweuty years ago, were invited to attend a meeting on September 22nd to make arrangements for a dinner in celebration of the anniversary of the famous Balaklava Charge. The trysting place was the Prince of Wales tavern, Villiors street. Strand, and the hour fixed for the muster was nine, to enable those engaged in business to put in an appearance. In consequence of the disagreeable drizzling rain not so many came as were expected, but a respectable contingent, in every sense of the word, of war worn veterans answered to the roll call all the same. Hale, hearty men they were, the most of them, but so portly of build that they set one wondering what sort of a light cavalry that must have been where the weight in the pigskin ran up lo eighteen stone of living flesh in sundry instances, Jovial of manner, and neat of address, they discussed the matter before them as one might have expected—in brief, soldierly, and most harmonious manner. It was agreed that a dinner should be given in the Charing Gross Hotel on the 25th of October, and it was stated that many officers who had helped to write one of the most brilliant pages in ®ur military annals, had promised to give the event the sanction of their presence. The greatest part of those in the room had 1 elonged to the 11th Hussars, that distinguished corps having been principally recruited in London. One warrior had served his apprenticeship to arms under De Lacy Evans in Spain ; another was remarkable as having borne the flag of truce to the Russian lines the day after Balaklava ; a third was never tired of celebrating the haute faits of his ancient captain Sir Roger Palmer, who led the B troop of the Hth into action, and did his slaughter with cold steel, having forgotten his revolver in the hurry to jump into the saddle. Mr Wooden, of Cardigan’s regiment, occupied the chair, and the following provisional committee was appointed to superintend the prelimin ry arrangements, with power to add to their number :—Mr Lethbridge, late of Captain Maude’s troop of Royal Horse Artillery ; Messrs Cousins and Garter, late of the 4th Light Dragoons ; Messrs Bird and Perry, late of the Bth (King’s Royal Irish) Hussars; Messrs Jowett and Brown, of the 11th (Prince Albert’s Own) Hussars ; Messrs Nicholson and Campbell, of the 13th Light Dragoons ; and Messrs Joy and Cattermole, of the 17th Lancers. After the formal proceedings were over, there was some rare gossip over former campaigns, and the non-military observer was enabled to pick up some interesting reminiscences. It is a curious circumstance that every man but one, who won that supremest of all military distinctions, the Victoria Cross, in the magnificent mad ride immortalised by the Laureate, had his horse shot under him. There was Trooper Samuel Parkes, of the Light Dragoons, who stood on the ground with his charger writhing in the death agony beside him. Trumpet Major Crawford flashed by ; his good steed stumbled, the rider was dismounted, and his naked sabre sent whirring out of his grasp. A pair of Cossacks saw their opportunity, and spurred upon the defenceless Crawford, but Paikea confronted them and kept them at bay. When the retreat came the two brave fellows followed their comrades, and were pursued by six Russians, but Parkes, with his single sword, held. them at arm’s length

and retired slowly, fighting and defending the trumpet - major until deprived of his weapon by a shot. This is no rhodomentade, but plain fact, as recorded In the Gazette. Lieutenant Alexander Robert Dunn, of Cardigan’s boys, was another hero of that day, fruitful in heroes. He saved the life of Sergeant Bentley, of his own corps, by cutting down two or three Russian troopers, who were attacking him from the rear, and afterwards hewed to the chine a Russian hussar who had fallen upon Private Levett. This Dunn, it will be remembered, afterwards commanded the 33rd, being the youngest man of his rank in the army, and perished in the Abyssinian expedition. Riding master Joseph Malone had his horso shot in the charge, but, properly speaking, his bit of glorious gun metal was gained on the day previous, when he volunteered, with three troopers, on the march to Balaklava, and captured an escort of the enemy’s cavalry and the baggage they were conveying to Sebastopol. Troop-Sergeant-Major John Berryman, of the old “ Death’s-head and Crossbones,” the same sturdy cavalier who took prisoner three Russians while they were within reach of their own guns at Mackenzie’s Farm, behaved splendidly at Balaklava. When his horse was shot under him, he stopped on the field with Captain Webb, who was surrounded, amidst a shower of shot and shell, and although repeatedly told by that officer to consult his own safety, and leave him, he refused to do so, and Sergeant John Farrell coming by, the two fellows carried Captain Webb out of range of the guns. The courageous Irishman, Farrell, who had lost his horse, like the majority of his plucky companions, and had gone near to losing his life, was awarded the envied honor, but did not long survive to wear it. Charles Wooden, now quartermaster in the 104th Foot, was another of the 17th Lancers who earned the Cross on the 25th October, 1854, and he too had his charger killed in the wild melee. Assisted by Dr Mouatt, of the Inniskilling Dragoons, he succeeded in carrying Major Morris, of his own regiment, who lay dreadfully wounded, to a place of safety. In chatty recollections such as those we have tried to pen, and in tales of hairbreadth escapes in the hard days gone by, the time was pleasantly passed, and shortly before midnight the survivors of the “ Six Hundred” separated, looking forward with joyous anticipation to a merry meeting on Balaclava day.