The 93rd were indeed glorious soldiers, but just a trifle wild and impetuous.
* * * * *
But a charge more terrible than that of the good Scot's wife was soon to be made. This was the world-famous charge of the 600—the charge of the Light Brigade.
This brigade, it will be remembered, consisted of the 4th and 13th Light Dragoons, the 17th Lancers, and 8th and 11th Hussars, and was commanded by Lord Cardigan. I have already told you where it was stationed.
The terrible charge, through two flanking fires, to capture guns at the other end of the valley, was the result of a mistake.
For a full and detailed account of it—and it reads like a romance of the olden time—I must refer the reader to the great Crimean historian Kinglake.
The mistake seems to have been made by Lord Raglan, who thought the enemy were in full retreat, and that they were about to carry away the guns from the heights they had first captured.
Twice he sent orders in writing to Lord Lucan to advance the cavalry rapidly to the front, and prevent the enemy from carrying away these guns.
Captain Nolan took this order to Lord Lucan. Lord Lucan, as the enemy was not retreating, naturally asked Nolan, "What guns?"
Nolan answered, almost disrespectfully and tauntingly, "There, my lord, is the enemy," pointing towards the valley; "there are your guns."