FOOTNOTES:[1]Native wagon.[2]This is the nickname of the 11th Hussars, so called on account of a number of them having been taken prisoners in a cherry-orchard during the Peninsular war.[3]This gun is now at Woolwich.[4]The losses incurred by our troops in the Crimea, from cholera and other diseases, was a lasting disgrace to English administration. When, through the letters of Dr W. H. Russell, the Times correspondent in the Crimea, the facts became known, the popular wave of indignation it aroused swept the inept Ministry from power. So far as the men were concerned, a finer army than the one sent to the Crimea, or one worse provided for, never left our shores. It is not too much to say that the transport, commissariat, and medical services, as we now understand the terms, did not exist. We had been at peace too long, we had lost the art of making war, the lessons of the Peninsular campaign had been forgotten. The men were sent to face a severe Russian winter in thin clothing, there were practically no tents, no blankets, no medical stores, no reserve clothing; but little food and less forage. The result was that sickness was rampant, the men died off by scores and hundreds, some regiments losing so many as to be disregimented, as were the 5th Dragoon Guards. Our total loss from cholera was about four thousand three hundred; from other diseases, largely the result of starvation, overwork, and exposure in the trenches, sixteen thousand; the number killed or who died of their wounds was three thousand five hundred and seventeen; so that for every man killed by the Russians we lost nearly six by disease. These numbers speak for themselves.[5]The distinction of having sounded the charge that sent so many brave fellows to their death down the valley of Balaclava has been claimed by, and on behalf of, several people. Amongst others the distinction has been claimed for Trumpet-major H. Joy of the 17th Lancers. He was staff-trumpeter to Lord Lucan, and was with his lordship on the day of the charge. The bugle which Joy carried in the Crimea was sold by public auction in 1894, and was bought for the fabulous sum of seven hundred and fifty guineas. The bugle bears this inscription: ‘Presented by the colonel of the 17th Lancers to Trumpet-major Joy, on which the Balaclava charge was sounded, October 25th, 1854.’ On the death of the first purchaser the bugle was resold, fetching less than a third of the original price. It was presented to the United Service Institution in Whitehall, where it now is. The Earl of Lucan was in command of all the cavalry in the Crimea; his brigade commanders were responsible for carrying out his orders. After Lord Lucan, on the morning of the charge, had given Lord Cardigan his orders, beyond moving the 11th Hussars from the front to the second rank, he had nothing more to do with the Light Brigade. From the moment when Cardigan said simply, ‘The brigade will advance,’ it received no orders from any one else. It regulated its speed and took its direction from Cardigan alone, who rode about five horses’ lengths in front of the first line. Lord Lucan and, of course, his orderly trumpeter, remained behind with the heavy dragoons, and whoevermayhave sounded the fatal charge, no military man will believe that it was Trumpet-major Joy. Survivors of the charge deny that it was sounded at all, and when it is remembered that the brigade had some mile and a quarter to ride before it got to the guns, and that the men were almost mad with excitement long before the time to ‘charge,’ in the true military sense, had come, it is more than probable that the call was not sounded. If, however, it was sounded, it would have been by Trumpeter Brittain of the 17th Lancers, who was Lord Cardigan’s orderly trumpeter, and should have been taken up by the other trumpeters from him. But Brittain was severely wounded before the guns were reached. He was taken to Scutari hospital where he died, not from his wounds, but from the privation and neglect that he, in common with the other wounded, had to suffer through the lamentable lack of all that was necessary for the comfort and welfare of the patients.[6]The total casualties of the Allies at Balaclava was about six hundred. Of these the cavalry lost, killed or wounded, three hundred and ninety, of which two hundred and forty-seven were in the Light Brigade. The strength of the brigade when it started down the valley has been differently stated; but the following return, taken from various sources, is probably correct. Some men who had been unhorsed or wounded managed to get back to their regiments later on, and some who had been taken prisoners afterwards rejoined. This table shows only the number of men who answered to their names at the first roll-call after the charge:Went intothe Charge.Came out.Losses.4th Light Dragoons11839798th Hussars104386611th Hussars110258513th Light Dragoons130616917th Lancers14535110607198409Total loss of the brigade, 67 per cent. There were also, killed or wounded, five hundred and twenty horses.[7]In Russia the children of the nobility are often called by their parents’ titles.[8]Equal to about eightpence in English money, but going as far in Russia as two shillings and sixpence.[9]The losses of the English have been already given in note on pp. 207-8. The French lost in all about sixty-three thousand and eighty men. But the Russian loss in officers and men reached the huge total of over a quarter of a million! Inkermann alone cost them twelve thousand, while during the hottest part of the bombardment the Russians lost about seven hundred men daily.
FOOTNOTES:
[1]Native wagon.
[1]Native wagon.
[2]This is the nickname of the 11th Hussars, so called on account of a number of them having been taken prisoners in a cherry-orchard during the Peninsular war.
[2]This is the nickname of the 11th Hussars, so called on account of a number of them having been taken prisoners in a cherry-orchard during the Peninsular war.
[3]This gun is now at Woolwich.
[3]This gun is now at Woolwich.
[4]The losses incurred by our troops in the Crimea, from cholera and other diseases, was a lasting disgrace to English administration. When, through the letters of Dr W. H. Russell, the Times correspondent in the Crimea, the facts became known, the popular wave of indignation it aroused swept the inept Ministry from power. So far as the men were concerned, a finer army than the one sent to the Crimea, or one worse provided for, never left our shores. It is not too much to say that the transport, commissariat, and medical services, as we now understand the terms, did not exist. We had been at peace too long, we had lost the art of making war, the lessons of the Peninsular campaign had been forgotten. The men were sent to face a severe Russian winter in thin clothing, there were practically no tents, no blankets, no medical stores, no reserve clothing; but little food and less forage. The result was that sickness was rampant, the men died off by scores and hundreds, some regiments losing so many as to be disregimented, as were the 5th Dragoon Guards. Our total loss from cholera was about four thousand three hundred; from other diseases, largely the result of starvation, overwork, and exposure in the trenches, sixteen thousand; the number killed or who died of their wounds was three thousand five hundred and seventeen; so that for every man killed by the Russians we lost nearly six by disease. These numbers speak for themselves.
[4]The losses incurred by our troops in the Crimea, from cholera and other diseases, was a lasting disgrace to English administration. When, through the letters of Dr W. H. Russell, the Times correspondent in the Crimea, the facts became known, the popular wave of indignation it aroused swept the inept Ministry from power. So far as the men were concerned, a finer army than the one sent to the Crimea, or one worse provided for, never left our shores. It is not too much to say that the transport, commissariat, and medical services, as we now understand the terms, did not exist. We had been at peace too long, we had lost the art of making war, the lessons of the Peninsular campaign had been forgotten. The men were sent to face a severe Russian winter in thin clothing, there were practically no tents, no blankets, no medical stores, no reserve clothing; but little food and less forage. The result was that sickness was rampant, the men died off by scores and hundreds, some regiments losing so many as to be disregimented, as were the 5th Dragoon Guards. Our total loss from cholera was about four thousand three hundred; from other diseases, largely the result of starvation, overwork, and exposure in the trenches, sixteen thousand; the number killed or who died of their wounds was three thousand five hundred and seventeen; so that for every man killed by the Russians we lost nearly six by disease. These numbers speak for themselves.
[5]The distinction of having sounded the charge that sent so many brave fellows to their death down the valley of Balaclava has been claimed by, and on behalf of, several people. Amongst others the distinction has been claimed for Trumpet-major H. Joy of the 17th Lancers. He was staff-trumpeter to Lord Lucan, and was with his lordship on the day of the charge. The bugle which Joy carried in the Crimea was sold by public auction in 1894, and was bought for the fabulous sum of seven hundred and fifty guineas. The bugle bears this inscription: ‘Presented by the colonel of the 17th Lancers to Trumpet-major Joy, on which the Balaclava charge was sounded, October 25th, 1854.’ On the death of the first purchaser the bugle was resold, fetching less than a third of the original price. It was presented to the United Service Institution in Whitehall, where it now is. The Earl of Lucan was in command of all the cavalry in the Crimea; his brigade commanders were responsible for carrying out his orders. After Lord Lucan, on the morning of the charge, had given Lord Cardigan his orders, beyond moving the 11th Hussars from the front to the second rank, he had nothing more to do with the Light Brigade. From the moment when Cardigan said simply, ‘The brigade will advance,’ it received no orders from any one else. It regulated its speed and took its direction from Cardigan alone, who rode about five horses’ lengths in front of the first line. Lord Lucan and, of course, his orderly trumpeter, remained behind with the heavy dragoons, and whoevermayhave sounded the fatal charge, no military man will believe that it was Trumpet-major Joy. Survivors of the charge deny that it was sounded at all, and when it is remembered that the brigade had some mile and a quarter to ride before it got to the guns, and that the men were almost mad with excitement long before the time to ‘charge,’ in the true military sense, had come, it is more than probable that the call was not sounded. If, however, it was sounded, it would have been by Trumpeter Brittain of the 17th Lancers, who was Lord Cardigan’s orderly trumpeter, and should have been taken up by the other trumpeters from him. But Brittain was severely wounded before the guns were reached. He was taken to Scutari hospital where he died, not from his wounds, but from the privation and neglect that he, in common with the other wounded, had to suffer through the lamentable lack of all that was necessary for the comfort and welfare of the patients.
[5]The distinction of having sounded the charge that sent so many brave fellows to their death down the valley of Balaclava has been claimed by, and on behalf of, several people. Amongst others the distinction has been claimed for Trumpet-major H. Joy of the 17th Lancers. He was staff-trumpeter to Lord Lucan, and was with his lordship on the day of the charge. The bugle which Joy carried in the Crimea was sold by public auction in 1894, and was bought for the fabulous sum of seven hundred and fifty guineas. The bugle bears this inscription: ‘Presented by the colonel of the 17th Lancers to Trumpet-major Joy, on which the Balaclava charge was sounded, October 25th, 1854.’ On the death of the first purchaser the bugle was resold, fetching less than a third of the original price. It was presented to the United Service Institution in Whitehall, where it now is. The Earl of Lucan was in command of all the cavalry in the Crimea; his brigade commanders were responsible for carrying out his orders. After Lord Lucan, on the morning of the charge, had given Lord Cardigan his orders, beyond moving the 11th Hussars from the front to the second rank, he had nothing more to do with the Light Brigade. From the moment when Cardigan said simply, ‘The brigade will advance,’ it received no orders from any one else. It regulated its speed and took its direction from Cardigan alone, who rode about five horses’ lengths in front of the first line. Lord Lucan and, of course, his orderly trumpeter, remained behind with the heavy dragoons, and whoevermayhave sounded the fatal charge, no military man will believe that it was Trumpet-major Joy. Survivors of the charge deny that it was sounded at all, and when it is remembered that the brigade had some mile and a quarter to ride before it got to the guns, and that the men were almost mad with excitement long before the time to ‘charge,’ in the true military sense, had come, it is more than probable that the call was not sounded. If, however, it was sounded, it would have been by Trumpeter Brittain of the 17th Lancers, who was Lord Cardigan’s orderly trumpeter, and should have been taken up by the other trumpeters from him. But Brittain was severely wounded before the guns were reached. He was taken to Scutari hospital where he died, not from his wounds, but from the privation and neglect that he, in common with the other wounded, had to suffer through the lamentable lack of all that was necessary for the comfort and welfare of the patients.
[6]The total casualties of the Allies at Balaclava was about six hundred. Of these the cavalry lost, killed or wounded, three hundred and ninety, of which two hundred and forty-seven were in the Light Brigade. The strength of the brigade when it started down the valley has been differently stated; but the following return, taken from various sources, is probably correct. Some men who had been unhorsed or wounded managed to get back to their regiments later on, and some who had been taken prisoners afterwards rejoined. This table shows only the number of men who answered to their names at the first roll-call after the charge:Went intothe Charge.Came out.Losses.4th Light Dragoons11839798th Hussars104386611th Hussars110258513th Light Dragoons130616917th Lancers14535110607198409Total loss of the brigade, 67 per cent. There were also, killed or wounded, five hundred and twenty horses.
[6]The total casualties of the Allies at Balaclava was about six hundred. Of these the cavalry lost, killed or wounded, three hundred and ninety, of which two hundred and forty-seven were in the Light Brigade. The strength of the brigade when it started down the valley has been differently stated; but the following return, taken from various sources, is probably correct. Some men who had been unhorsed or wounded managed to get back to their regiments later on, and some who had been taken prisoners afterwards rejoined. This table shows only the number of men who answered to their names at the first roll-call after the charge:
Total loss of the brigade, 67 per cent. There were also, killed or wounded, five hundred and twenty horses.
[7]In Russia the children of the nobility are often called by their parents’ titles.
[7]In Russia the children of the nobility are often called by their parents’ titles.
[8]Equal to about eightpence in English money, but going as far in Russia as two shillings and sixpence.
[8]Equal to about eightpence in English money, but going as far in Russia as two shillings and sixpence.
[9]The losses of the English have been already given in note on pp. 207-8. The French lost in all about sixty-three thousand and eighty men. But the Russian loss in officers and men reached the huge total of over a quarter of a million! Inkermann alone cost them twelve thousand, while during the hottest part of the bombardment the Russians lost about seven hundred men daily.
[9]The losses of the English have been already given in note on pp. 207-8. The French lost in all about sixty-three thousand and eighty men. But the Russian loss in officers and men reached the huge total of over a quarter of a million! Inkermann alone cost them twelve thousand, while during the hottest part of the bombardment the Russians lost about seven hundred men daily.