Corporal Hall, of my own troop, had his lance trailing about and covered with blood. I told him to throw it away and wanted to pick it up myself, as I needed one, but there was no time. Hall was captured and died of amputation of a leg.
During the melee, about 40 stragglers of the Brigade were driving a line of Russian Hussars down the valley in close column. I rode in the rear of them and began to order the men back. I ordered Private Clifford of my own troop to halt, instead of which he charged into the solid column and was cut and pierced to death before my eyes. The column came to a trot, and walk, and then wheeled about. I turned my horse about and saw a line of Lancers marching down the valley and instantly thought they were the French Lancers, as they carried flags on their lances. I rode to them, and when within 30 yards they fired at me. I then saw their long grey cloaks and knew they were Russian. It was in fact the Jeropkine Lancers just formed in close line across the valley, cutting off our retreat. I turned back to my scattered comrades, who were riding about like myself in all directions, not seeing which way to go. I raised my sword and shouted to them to fall in. They galloped to me from all directions, and I hastily formed them in lines, putting those with lances in front. I believe there were eight of the 17th Lancers in the front rank, with members of other regiments forming a second line. The Russian Lancers were not more than 40 yards from us when I ordered them to cheer and charge. The Brigade of Russian Hussars were marching up the valley about 50 yards behind and there were Cossacks on each flank. The Russians must have thought we were assembling to surrender, and when we yelled and charged into the centre of their line, they seemed to be paralysed.
The point of a lance through my sword hilt tore the flesh off my middle finger, and this trifling wound was the only injury I received in that immortal fight. Three of the men in my group fell in the charge but I seemed to have more when I got through the lines, other stragglers having rushed through the opening we made or rode round the flanks. We galloped off on our way back, pursued by some of the Cossacks, firing at us, until we came to a square of infantry on rising ground with muskets and fixed bayonets pointing at us. They yelled something in Russian, I suppose calling us to surrender. When they saw that we was not going to surrender, they fired a volley point blank at us and at the shortest range. This was fearfully destructive, and only a few of my little squad were left. Weightman and Marshall together with others of the 17th were captured here, one with 13 wounds and the other with 9, and were prisoners for a year. We found the guns again re-manned and in position again across the valley, and after we had charged through them from the rear they opened fire on us again, as well as the infantry.
There were no more of the enemy in front and I told the men to separate. James Cope, 17th Lancers, and George McGregor, 4th Light Dragoons, opened out each side of myself, and we made the best of our way back up the valley. Cope and I reported together to the regiment which had assembled, numbered off, and been complimented by Lord Cardigan before we got there. We were the last squad to return, and the only squad that rallied through the guns.
The engagement may be summed up thus: There were five groups which charged into the guns. The first two were 17th Lancers, one group commanded by Colonel Mayow, chief of Lord Cardigan’s staff, the other by Troop Sergeant Major O’Hara. The third group was the 11th Hussars under Colonel Douglas. The fourth group were 4th Light Dragoons, commanded by Lord Paget. The fifth group, 8th Hussars, Colonel Shewell and the last regiment to enter the batteries. These five groups charged the masses of Russian Cavalry that were supporting the artillery, time and time again, driving them some hundred yards down the valley. This seems almost incredible, but it must be recalled that we had no idea of the colossal blunder of which we were victims. Our natural thought of course was that we would be immediately followed and supported by the Heavy Brigade and Infantry, both of which were stationed close in our rear. The French Cavalry we know had moved and I thought they were there with us until I had ridden nearly into a body of Russians, taking them for the French. Of course, the Russians shared our impression that this was the beginning of a general attack, which accounts for their temporary confusion and partial retreat.
While these five groups were going on fighting as best they could, scattering the Russian Cavalry, the General ordered out the Jeropkine Lancers—fresh troops who had not been engaged in the attack on the Heavy Brigade two hours before. These Lancers took their position between the guns across the valley, apparently cutting off the retreat of all the Light Brigade by forming across their rear.
The officers commanding the different groups now realised that they were unsupported and in great danger. There was a hasty effort to join forces to make the best of their way back. Lord Paget, happening to be near the 11th Hussars, ordered Colonel Douglas to join his command. He refused at first, but seeing himself cut off did so, and a wordy controversy as to who was technically in command takes up many pages in Paget’s book. Probably, at the time, neither gave thought to anything but getting out of the trap. Colonel Mayow and Sergeant-Major O’Hara joined with the 8th Hussars, making two groups fighting and charging the Russian Lancers. Some squads of the Light Brigade had not time to wheel about, but just time to go three’s about, and charge with rear rank in front to prevent the Russian Cavalry from charging their flanks. Not all the Brigade had fallen into these larger groups which first cut their way out. After the remnants of these groups had escaped the Jeropkine Lancers, six squadrons strong were formed in line to prevent the stragglers from escaping.
The Brigade of Hussars seeing the Lancers marching down the valley and only a few scattered enemy, halted, wheeled about, and marched up the valley. It was just at this time and between these two bodies that I rallied my little squad.
It is a singular thing that every authority on the Charge of the Light Brigade gives a different number of killed and wounded, but they substantially agree as to the number 198 which reported mounted after the engagement.
Lord Cardigan gives 195. James Cope, 17th Lancers, McGregor, 4th Light Dragoons, and myself reported after the roll was called.