THE BALAKLAVA SIX HUNDRED.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 76, 5 January 1876, Page 2

THE BALAKLAVA SIX HUNDRED.

The old soldiers of the .Light Cav’alry Brigade, says a contemporary, the men who “ rode into the Valley of Death on that fatal October morning one-and-twenty 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, Villiers street, Strand, and the hour fixed for the muster was nine, to enable tiiose 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 they must have been where the weight in the pigskin ran up- to eighteen stone of living flesh in sundry instances. Jovial of manner, and neat of address, they discussed the matter before them as onemight have expected—-in brief, soldierly and most harmonious manner. It was agreed that a-dlnner should be given in the Charing Cross :Hotel, on the 25th of October, and it was staled that many

officers who had helped to write one cf the most brilliant pages in-our military annals, hud promised to give the event the sanction of their presence. The greatest part of those present had belonged to the 11th Hussars,'that distinguished corps haring been principally recruited in London. One warrior had served his apprenticchip to arms under l)e Laey Evans in Spain ; another was remarkable as having borne the flag of, and celebrating the haute tails ol his andentcaptain Sir Roger Palmer,who ledthe E troop of the 1 . (hj into action, and did his slaughter with cold steel, having forgotten his revolver in the hurry to jump into *he saddle. Mr Wooden, of Cardigan’s regiment, occupied the chair, and the following provisional Committee was appointed to superintend the preliminary arrangements, with power to add to their number :—Mr Lethbridge', late of Captain Maude’s troop of Royal Horse ArtiiLry; Messrs Cousins and Carter, late of the 4th Light Dragoons ; Messrs Bird and Perry, late ot the Bth (King’s Royal Irish) Hussars; Messrs Jowctt and Rrown, 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 ran' 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 tliat supremest of all military distinctions the Victoria Cross, in the magnificent matter in’ the 10th Foot, was another of the 17th Lancers who earned the Cross on the 25th October. 1854, and ii'nd be too had his chargor killed in the Wild melee. Assisted by Dr Mouatt, of the Inniskillen Dragoons, lie succeeded in carrying Major Morris, of his own regiment, who Hy 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. There was was Trooper Samuel Parke’s, 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 whirling out of his grasp. A pair of Cossacks saw their opportunity, and spurred Upon the defenceless Crawford, but Parkes confronted them and kept them iit bay. When the retreat came the two brave fellows followed their con rades; arid were pursued by six Russians, tail Pafkes with his single sword, held them at /rhi’s length, and retired slowly, fiw/jtiiir and defending the trum-pet-major until, deprived of his weapon by a shot; This is ho fhodomehtade, but plain fact, as recorded in the “ Gazette.” Lieutenant AlexanderRobert 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 clown 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 Levette. This Dunn, it will he remembered, afterwards commanded the 33rd, being the youngest man of his rank in the army, and perished ; in the Abyssinian expedition. Ridingmaster Joseph Malone had his horse shot in the charge, but, properly speaking his bit of glorious 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 “ 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 refa«f d to do so, and Sergeant Farrell coming by, the two fellows carried Captain Webb out ot range of the guns. courageous Irishman, Farrell, who had lost his horse, like a 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.