BALACLAVA.
THE CHARGE OP THE HEAVY
BRIGADE. How General Scarlett's handful of leavy dragoons, barely nine hundred sabres strong, flung itself on the luge column of Russian cavalry numbering over three thousand sabres, tn the battle of Balaclava in 1854, ;S a tale known to all Englishmen. It has been always quoted as a historic example how cavalry who al.ow themselves to be caught moving slowly must be surely overthrown by a foe moving at speed. Sir Edward Hamley has, fortunately, left is in his '"War in the Crimea" a iving picture how when the Russian ;avalry suddenly came into sight over the ridge and, "'leaving tho Lighl Brigade unnoticed on their right, swept down in a huge column on the' Heavy Brigade," Scarlet quickly formed up his brigade and with the Scots Greys and Inniskillings charged it in front, ordering the 4th and sth Dragoon Guards and Royal Dragoons to attack the flanks. The Russian column as it drew near slackened its pace, so that at the moment of impact the Russians were almost at a halt.
"All who had the good fortune to look down from the heights on that arilliant spectacle must carry with them through life a vivid remembrance of it. The plain and surrounding hills, all clad in sober green, formed an excellent background for the colours of the opposing masses ; the dark grey Russian column sweeping down in multitudinous superiority of number on the redclad squadrons that, hindered by the obstacles of the ground in which they were moving, advanced Slowly to meet them. There was a clash and fusion, as of wave meeting wave, when the head of the column encountered the leading squadrons of the brigade, all those engaged being resolved into a crowd of individual Norsemen, whose swords rose, and 'ell, and glanced ; so for a minute or two they fought, the impetus of the enemy's column carrying it on and pressing our combatants back for ft short space, till the 4th Dragoon tJuards, coming clear of the wall of a vineyard which was between them md the enemy, and wheeling to the right by squadrons, charged the Russian flank, while the remaining reginents of our brigade went in in support of those which had first attackad.
"Then —almost as it seemed in a moment, and simultaneously—the vhole Russian mass gave way and led, at speed and in disorder, beyond the hill, vanishing behind the slope some four or five minutes after '.hey had first swept over it."
It was admitted that, if at this supreme moment the Light Brigade lad fallen upon the disordered and Seeing Russians, a brilliant victory or the cavalry arm would ■ have refiilted. It is an old story how Lord Raglan's order to Lord Lucan.for the Cavalry Division to advance was somehow misinterpreted and led to ;he fatal and abortive charge of the jight Brigade under Lord Cardigan >n the Russian guns.—"Grey Scout," n the "Saturday Review."
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King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 488, 3 August 1912, Page 7
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491BALACLAVA. King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 488, 3 August 1912, Page 7
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