pickets were aware of it.

The Russian General could not see any troops near the three redoubts, as Lord Lucan had retired with his fifteen hundred cavalry and troop of Horse Artillery and left the poor badly armed Turks to themselves.  No one had sense enough to order the Turks to fall back to the three redoubts which had not yet been armed.  We had plenty of Artillery Horses (without ammunition for their guns) which could have removed the seven guns and the ammunition out of the first three redoubts into the three redoubts without guns.  Had this been done we should not have lost any guns, but our victory would have been complete and the Light Brigade would not have been destroyed.  The Russians had thirty guns and eight pieces of heavy calibre firing at number 1 redoubt with three guns, yet the Turks held on until the Russians stormed it with some thousands of Infantry.  Kinglake says thirty guns opened upon numbers 2 and 3 redoubts and eleven battallions of Infantry stormed them; the same guns opened fire on 2 and 3 redoubts.  If five hundred Turks were defending number 1 redoubt only seven hundred Turks would be in numbers 2 and 3 redoubts of two guns each.  These ran away before the Russians got near them and also left their guns unspiked.

CHARGE OF THE HEAVY BRIGADE.

The British Army and the Turkish Infantry were in the south valley.  The Russian General, not seeing the enemy in his front, thought he had a clear road to Balaclava Harbour.  He began to advance his army toward it.  He sent four strong squadrons of cavalry from near number 1 redoubt which he had just captured to reconnoitre, and they advanced toward Balaclava Harbour.  Sir Colin Campbell commanding the Infantry, had taken up his position on a knoll and ordered his command to lie down, the commanding officer of the four squadrons of Russian Cavalry could not see them because of the long grass and brush.  Sir Colin Campbell was between Balaclava Harbour and the Russian Cavalry.  When they arrived within firing distance Sir Colin ordered his command to form a single line two deep and from that position they fired a volley into the four squadrons of Russian Cavalry advancing.  It took them by such surprise that it seemed to paralyse them by the sudden shock.  They all wheeled about and retired in a kind of circle back to the point from which they advanced.  Their loss, however, was but slight.  The British Cavalry was on the slopes of the Causeway heights in the south valley, looking on at Sir Colin Campbell, and his few Highlanders instead of assisting him with our Horse Artillery.  We had a sailor’s battery near the Harbour on the hills.  They fired at the Russians, but I could not see at whom.  The British Frigate lying across the harbour of Balaclava also opened fire on the Russians.  After this for some time everything seemed to be quiet.

Sir Colin Campbell’s command and the Turkish Infantry were ordered to take position at Kadikoe, to defend the approach to Balaclava Harbour.

The Heavy Brigade’s camp was situated between the 5th redoubt and the Vineyard on the slope of the Causeway heights in the south valley.

The camp lying in a very exposed position, Lord Lucan ordered it to be removed in great haste to the south side of the vineyard for safety.

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