These had soon, however, to retreat for want of ammunition.
The Turks were beaten back, and fled, after a stubborn resistance, towards Balaklava.
At first Lord Raglan—it was early on the morning of the twenty-fifth of October—was not fully apprised of the real nature of the onslaught. I do not think the allies expected that the Russians would assume the offensive. But now the Fourth and First British Divisions were speedily turned out, and with them two brigades of the French.
And then a mistake was made on our part; for instead of the First Division being taken down to the plain by the Woronzoff Road, where they could have hurled the Russians back, they were marched along the Upland edge to the more southerly road leading down to Kadikoi.
In the valley next the Tchernaya was the Light Cavalry Brigade, commanded by Lord Cardigan, and on the other side of the ridge and captured heights was the Heavy Brigade. This, which had lately joined our forces, was commanded by General Scarlett. It was made up of the 4th and 5th Dragoon Guards, with the Scots Greys, Royals, and Inniskillings.
The Light Brigade was, at the time of the terrible attack made by the Russians on the Heavy, remaining on the defensive on the other side of the captured ridge; and the whole was commanded by Lord Lucan.
Lord Raglan on the heights, among his marching divisions, saw the advance of the Russian army en masse on the Heavy Brigade. As they came on they threw out a line on each flank with artillery to play on our troops on the Upland. Their shot, however, fell short.
The Heavy Brigade were at first, in a measure, taken by surprise, and, moreover, embarrassed somewhat by their own lines, and so were a little time in getting clear.
Meanwhile, some Turkish guns on the edge of the Upland began to play on the Russian cavalry, which soon galloped off.
But clear now, the Heavy Brigade charged in earnest.