Lord Cardigan, it is stated, represented the rashness of a movement which must involve the certain destruction of the force under his command; but his remonstrances were overruled, and the Light Cavalry was ordered to advance, without supports, over a plain of nearly a mile and a half in length, and exposed to a crushing fire of artillery and musketry in front and on both flanks. Without a murmur or a moment's hesitation these lion-hearts rushed on to the discharge of the fearful duty assigned to them; resolved, since the ordinary alternative of death or glory was denied, to do and die. The Brigade, which only counted 800 sabres, and scarcely out-numbered one effective regiment, consisted of the 4th, 8th, and 13th
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Light Dragoons, the 11th Hussars, and the 17th Lancers, and advanced in the following order: the l7th and 13th leading in line, the 11th and 4th following in support, and the 8th still further back, forming a sort of third line. The story of this unparalleled achievement has been so eloquently and graphically given by Mr. Eussell, whose description we have ventured to borrow in another part of this work, that we shall content ourselves in this place with quoting a private letter from an officer who witnessed the charge, and with allowing Lord Cardigan to narrate in his own words an action in which so conspicuous a part was assigned to himself.
The letter referred to thus briefly, but ably, tells the saddening tale: —
" Our Heavy Cavalry had made a magnificent charge against vastly superior numbers, and rode over the enemy, who retired in disorder. Up to this point no serious harm had been done — the redoubts were lost but could be regained, when an order, said to be Lord Raglan's, for the Light Cavalry to charge the guns, was given, and the flash of 800 sabres answered it. A charge, such as never before took place, led our brave fellows beyond the guns (I believe twenty in number) which they captured, Avheii they perceived they were unsupported and enfiladed by a terrible fire of infantry. They turned about, cutting through all obstacles, and bringing back 191 men out of the 800 who had paved the way to victory, which, alas, has turned into disaster! In short, our Light Cavalry is no more."
" It was a bitter moment," says another account, " after we broke through the line of cavalry in rear of their guns, when I looked round and saw there was no support beyond our own brigade, which, leading in the smoke, had diverged, and scarcely filled the ground. We went on, however, and hoped that their own men flying would break the enemy's line, and drive them into the river. When I saw them form four deep instead, I knew it was all up, and called out to the men to rally. At this moment a solitary squadron of the 8 th came up in good order. This saved the remnant of us, for we rallied to them, and they, wheeling about, charged a line which the Russians had formed in our rear. You never saw men behave so well as our men did."