The Russians having opened fire, the 13th Light Dragoons did not hear the word of command but advanced. If Sergeant-Major Nunnerley had not given the word of command “Three’s Left” (or front forward), it is a question how far we should have taken ground towards the Causeway heights. The 13th Light Dragoons had their commanding officer, Captain Oldham killed, and all the regiment so scattered that a group of men never held together. The 11th Hussars, through the 17th Lancers taking ground to the right, lost them entirely. The 8th Hussars that were in the 2-line under Lord Paget, with the 4th Light Dragoons, got separated and joined part of the 17th Lancers, after fighting through the guns. Lord Paget, with the 4th Light Dragoons, found the 11th Hussars through the guns, and Colonel Douglas commanding would not obey Lord Paget because Lord Lucan had given him the command of the regiment to support the 17th Lancers, although Lord Paget was the senior officer. Yet they had to join together to fight their way out.
In the meantime, Sir George Cathcart marched his division down the heights of Sebastopol and across the North valley near the 5th redoubt, (without guns) on the top of the Causeway heights. He could see the Light Brigade charging 12 to 20 guns in front and receiving flank fire from 20 other cannon, being the Russian field artillery and the seven ship guns the Turks had lost, together with ammunition in the three redoubts. Sir George could also see the French Cavalry charging a battery of field artillery of six guns on our left. The Russian cannon were all brass polished, 12 and 24 pounds. Their infantry were in square, and the commanding hill covered with the Needle riflemen. Sir George saw all this destruction of life and he could see the Heavy Brigade and Horse Artillery had not even been ordered from the South valley to support or assist the Light Brigade or French Cavalry. Sir George said it would be dangerous to advance further. Lord Lucan brought up two regiment and yet Cathcart would not budge an inch. I believe I saw the whole of the regiments—five in all. (See Lord Raglan’s letter where he states only two regiments).
The Duke of Cambridge is the only General living that commanded a division in the battles of Alma, Balaclava and Inkerman, and he knows what I have written is the living truth in every particular. He saw over 400 horses killed in less than 15 minutes after receiving the order to charge. The combined forces who took part in the Charge numbered 670 all told, of whom only 198 returned mounted.
Lord Lucan only gave one order to the Light Brigade, and that led to its destruction, sooner than inform the Commander-in-Chief that he had no ammunition for his artillery. If Lord Raglan had known, there would not have required any order or A.D.C., and there would not have been any murderous charge by order of Lord Lucan. Had Lord Raglan had known there was no ammunition, he would not have ordered the Horse Artillery to accompany, (see his letter for proof). Lord Lucan allowed the Russian cavalry to advance at a trot through the camp ground of the Heavy Brigade, and none of the commanders knew about it till informed by the Commander-in-Chief. Lord Lucan could not be found, and in consequence it was left to five regiments, under General Scarlett, to engage and defeat the Russians, who numbered seven to one. Lord Cardigan asserts there were only three regiments engaged. And that seven regiments were mere spectators, and yet Lord Lucan asserts he was not taken by surprise. If so, it is an amazing thing that a commander should permit a Russian cavalry force (3500) to make its way, in broad daylight, directly through the camp ground of his own troops.
After the charge Lord Lucan ordered the remnant of the Light Brigade six miles off on the hills near Inkerman to recuperate. In a few days the rain came down and every thing became a mass of mud, impossible to procure either meat, drink, or clothing. All the water we could get to drink was ladled off the ground. The supply consisted of small holes the horses made with their feet and all kinds of filth being on the ground helped to make things worse. We were left to die without having any medicine or even a cup of hot water. Several weeks elapsed before Lord Lucan found it out, for everyone seemed afraid of him and Cardigan, and these two never talked together. Lord Lucan occupied all the houses in Balaclava Harbour, while Lord Cardigan lived on his yacht seven miles from his command, and never visited them, although they were dying of hunger and starvation, and even when we went into action at Balaclava and Inkerman he still lived aboard. It was twelve o’clock when he arrived at Inkerman and his command never went under fire again during his service.
At last a storm came on the 14th of November, 1854, which continued for three days, and not a tent could be made to stand up. Some were blown away and never found again. Think of men dying under such conditions. The horses also were dying of hunger some of them eating all the hair off their bodies. If it had not been for Lord George Paget I do not know what would have become of us. He marched us down to Balaclava but the journey proved too much for our horses, over 100 stuck fast and died in the mud. The Light Brigade received several hundred horses that broke loose on from the Russians on the night of October 25th, 1854, or I would not be counting horses by the hundred. (See Lord George Paget’s Book for proof.)
Lord Cardigan died serenely satisfied because he had destroyed his command in obedience to orders, after stating in the Times, “No one man surpassed another in gallantry.” He is the only officer who had a command that returned back mounted, and that did not give a helping hand. He lost the whole of his command, five regiments and staff, and returned back by himself. He states in Kinglake, “I rode slowly up the hill and met General Scarlett. I said to him, ‘What do you think, General, of the aide de camp after such an order being brought to us which has destroyed the Light Brigade, riding to the rear and screaming like a woman’? Sir J. Scarlett replied, ‘Do not say any more, for I have ridden over his body.’”
Lord Cardigan, in less than six months after, published a letter in the Times newspaper, dated April 6th, 1855, viz.:—“The Light Brigade had not advanced more than 100 yards when they were fired upon, and Captain Nolan, who had placed himself in front of a squadron of the 13th Light Dragoons, was killed.” Lord Cardigan’s statement to Kinglake, published in the appendix 14 years after the charge, viz.:—“After advancing about eighty yards a shell fell within reach of my horse’s feet, and Captain Nolan, who was riding across the front retreating with his arms up through the interval of the brigade.”
I should like to know which statement is true about Captain Nolan. It was impossible for him to be killed in front of the 13th Light Dragoons. It was impossible for him to be retreating with his arms up through the interval in front of Lord Cardigan. The interval was in the rear of him, and he would have to look back. Did Nolan scream in front or rear of Cardigan? How did he get in front of Lord Cardigan without him seeing him go? Lord Cardigan was in front of his command a minute or less before the attacking line commenced the charge, and this is why so many saw him. Captain Nolan would not dare take command if Lord Cardigan had been there. What kind of leading was he doing not to see him; and the 17th Lancers go “threes’ right” and take ground to the right. Many things I should like to explain if I had space.