At the same time the Light Brigade took up position at the top end of the South Valley about five hundred yards from the vineyard.
The first line consisted of the 17th Lancers on the right, the 13th Light Dragoons and the 8th Hussars completed it, and remained mounted commanded by Lord Cardigan.
The second line were the 4th Light Dragoons and 11th Hussars commanded by Lord Paget—they were dismounted. Lord Cardigan was ordered to watch the enemy and attack anything but columns of Infantry. No one could see the enemy and the enemy could not see the Cavalry Division, and not a single picket or sentry was posted to give warning. The Heavy Brigade was allowed to go to the back of the Vineyard to hunt up their camp equipments, while parts of regiments began to water their horses. The Horse Artillery being in some hidden place I never saw them again after clear daylight. Lord Lucan being absent from his command made things worse at this critical time. Lord Raglan and staff, and a French General and staff assembled on the height at the top end of the two valleys which had to be ascended to get to Sebastopol.
Both commanders-in-chief could observe all the movements of the Russian Army, their Infantry massing and a large column of cavalry marching up the valley of death. Lord Raglan could see the Light Brigade part dismounted, yet he could not see the Heavy Brigade, most of them being back of the Vineyard. He sent one of his staff officers to inform Lord Lucan that a large force of Russian Cavalry was advancing up the North Valley, but he could not be found with his Division. General Scarlett assumed command in Lucan’s absence, and sent staff officers to hunt up the Regiments. General Scarlett tried to assemble his Brigade at the east end of the vineyard, the Light Brigade camp standing in front of those he assembled. The Russian General had military sense enough to advance a line of mounted skirmishers half a mile in advance of his main body up the North Valley. Neither Lucan, Cardigan, nor Scarlett knew anything of this force marching up the North Valley till informed by the commander-in-chief’s aide-de-camp. When the Russian skirmishers arrived near the top of the North Valley, about 30 rode over the Causeway height and came within thirty yards of the Light Brigade position. A Russian officer who was directing that part of the line of Russian skirmishers was killed, sword in hand, in front of the 13th Light Dragoons by one of their officers. Lord Cardigan did not trouble himself to go or send one of his staff officers 30 yards—had he done so he would have seen the Russian column marching up the valley. The Russian General found out from the commander of the skirmishers where the British Cavalry was in position. He immediately marched his column to the top of the Causeway heights, advancing toward the Light Brigade. The Russian General saw the Heavy Brigade assembling at the end of the Vineyard, which was nearer to his command. He made an oblique movement at a trot toward General Scarlett, advancing down the Causeway heights through the camp ground of the Heavy Brigade that had only just been removed out of danger. I believe Lord Cardigan never saw the Russian skirmishers or the Russian columns crown the heights. But Captain Morris commanding 17th Lancers did, and like a flash he ordered the 17th forward. As we were advancing toward the Russian column, Lord Cardigan saw the 17th Lancers moving, halted us, and ordered us back, wishing to know where we were going, and who ordered us to move. The consequence was, we never did attack the Russians. When the Russian column arrived within 50 yards of the vineyard, the Russian General saw he had to cross a large ditch, extending on the side of the vineyard, and that he had also to advance through the Light Brigade camp, with picket ropes standing with sick and lame horses tied to the ropes before he could attack the heavy Brigade. The Russian General thought he was being led into a trap. He then halted his column with his right flank exposed toward the Light Brigade. Then Lord Cardigan had the opportunity to attack and cover himself with glory. No General had or ever will have a better or more favourable opportunity. He had the ground in his favor, and not 500 yards to advance to the Russian Cavalry column, and part of the Heavy Brigade mounted only 50 yards from the Russian column to assist. But no, he would not attack, and how he could sit on his horse, and see the Heavy Brigade fight such great odds, and never attempt to give them a helping hand, passes understanding. The Russian column, and not more than 50 yards away General Scarlett’s few hundred in line of battle, stood looking at each other. Kinglake says, Lord Lucan told Scarlett to take the four squadrons to attack the Russian column (it was only three squadrons however.) General Scarlett ordered all he had assembled under such trying circumstances to advance to the attack. In passing through the Light Brigade camp, standing together with sick and lame horses still tied to the picket ropes, two officers’ horses fell over the ropes and camp utensils, one being seriously hurt, to say nothing of a trooper falling in clearing the camp. The command had to jump a wide ditch at the end of the vineyard which so scattered them that they were nearly in single line, and not more than 30 or 40 yards from the Russian column. In five seconds officers and men were in their places. General Scarlett then ordered his trumpeter to sound the charge. It was repeated by the other trumpeters. They had to advance up the slope of the Causeway heights. The consequence was they never arrived at a charging speed. The command began to cheer and could be heard all over the South Valley, the Light Brigade helping them to cheer with faces pale with rage at having to sit on their horses and not be allowed to give their brave comrades a helping hand. General Scarlett led his command about the centre of the Russian column, going straight through it, and re-found what was left of his command the other side of the column. Just as General Scarlett was entering the column, Colonel Hodge advanced around the east end of the vineyard with the 4th Dragoon Guards in column of troop at a brisk trot. On they advanced, clearing the Russians column right flank 40 yards. Colonel Hodge then gave the word of command “right wheel into line” and ordered the charge to be sounded. Already at a trot, they got into charging speed at once, going through the Russian column, scattering them in all directions, the Light Brigade cheering with them till the 4th Dragoon Guards came out of the Russians left flank. General Scarlett’s command had rallied and charged back through the Russian scattered column. After receiving these three charges in rapid succession the Russian column was so disorganised that we could see them wheeling about, and almost before General Scarlett’s command had got through the Russian column a second time it began to retire at a trot back over the Causeway heights leaving their killed and wounded. Kinglake says, 78 of the Heavy Brigade were killed and wounded all by the sword. I consider Colonel Hodge proved himself the best cavalry officer in the division. Had Lord Cardigan assisted with the Light Brigade, the balance of the Heavy Brigade not engaged would have given a helping hand. It would have been one of the most crowning victories in the annals of Cavalry History.
When the Russian column had retreated over the Causeway height and down the North Valley, Lord Cardigan mounted Lord Paget’s command, advanced the Light Brigade in column of troops from the right at a trot, making a circle of a mile in the South Valley below the battle ground, arriving back at the Light Brigade camp. We were then dismounted.
Lord Raglan saw the Russians trying to remove the guns out of the redoubts they had captured from the Turks, and also making a different disposition of their army. Raglan also saw the inaction of his cavalry, the Light Brigade being dismounted. He sent some of his staff officers down to it, and we were ordered in great haste to mount. The first regiment mounted was the 11th Hussars, and was led by a staff officer of Lord Raglan’s to the North Valley. The next regiment was the 17th Lancers, and we were formed in line on the 11th Hussars. The next regiment was the 13th Light Dragoons. This completed the first line of the Light Brigade in the new formation. The second line consisted of the 4th Light Dragoons and 8th Hussars, commanded by Lord Paget. Lord Cardigan never knew that the formation of his brigade was altered. He did not know that Lord Raglan ordered the Light Brigade to the North Valley till informed, and this is the only time Lord Raglan ever interfered with the Cavalry—then he could not find any leaders. Our formation before this was the 17th Lancers on the right of the first line, the 13th Light Dragoons and the 8th Hussars completed it, commanded by Cardigan. The second line was the 4th Light Dragoons and 11th Hussars, commanded by Lord Paget.
In his book Lord Paget states that he could never understand how the 8th Hussars got into his command in place of the 11th Hussars. The reason was, that he and Cardigan were with the Heavy Brigade taking some refreshments and congratulating the leading officers. When Lord Cardigan joined his Brigade in the North Valley, he wanted to know by whose authority they were placed there. He was informed by order of Lord Raglan.
The Russian General seeing the allied infantry marching down from Sebastopol knew then he could not take Balaclava, so he began to remove the guns he had captured from the Turks, out of the redoubts. Lord Raglan and the French Commander-in-chief came to the conclusion to bring on a general engagement, and try to take back the guns that the Turks had lost, and also regain the redoubts and key to Balaclava Harbour—our good military road we had lost which was the cause of the suffering of the British Army in the winter of 1854. Lord Raglan ordered the cavalry division to attack the Russians to prevent them from carrying off the guns. Lord Lucan did not understand the movements of armies or orders. Order after order was sent to him, and, during the delay the Russians were making additional alterations in their Army. The third order was for “the cavalry to advance and take advantage of any opportunity to recover the Heights, and they would be supported by infantry which had been ordered to advance on two fronts.” Lord Raglan ordered the Duke of Cambridge to advance his division of Infantry and Artillery down the South Valley, which he did some distance in line of battle. Sir George Cathcart was ordered to advance his division of Infantry and Artillery down the North Valley. Every soldier in the Cavalry Division knew what heights we had lost. The whole Cavalry Division saw the Russians take the heights, and redoubts, with guns in them.
After Lucan received the third order, he must have read it backward, for he thought he was to support the Infantry, and prepared the cavalry for it without seeing the Infantry or knowing where they were, which he states, and never made any attempt to advance.
Lord Raglan then selected Captain Nolan to take the fourth and last order, but during all this delay of 40 minutes, the Russians, seeing the allied Infantry taking possession of both valleys, concentrated their Army and removed the captured guns which Lord Raglan wanted to prevent them from doing. Not one of the four orders suggested that the cavalry should charge. Lord Raglan knew it would be annihilation for them to do so with the Russian Army in such a strong and commanding position. At the end of the North Valley the Russians put in position their best Artillery, supported by five or six thousand Cavalry, their Infantry also being in position on all the commanding hills. The three redoubts they captured were full of Infantry and Artillery, with riflemen on the commanding positions near the redoubts on our right. On our left they had six guns placed in position supported by Infantry and riflemen armed with needle guns.