were between the two Brigades so that they were out of sight of each other though only five hundred yards apart.  The Light Brigade were in position at the head of the North Valley, with the Chasseurs d’Afrique stationed about 250 yards at the left.

Lord Lucan describes the arrival of the order thus:—“The Cavalry was formed to support an intended movement of the Infantry when Captain Nolan came up at speed and placed in my hands this written information—‘Lord Raglan wishes the Cavalry to advance rapidly to the front and try to prevent the enemy carrying away the guns.  Troop of Horse Artillery may accompany.  French Cavalry on your left.’”  He said to Captain Nolan after reading the order “Attack sir, attack what, what guns sir?”  Captain Nolan pointed with his sword, “There, my Lord, is your enemy, there are your guns.”  This conversation must have occurred in the South Valley where the Heavy Cavalry were formed to support the Infantry and where neither guns nor enemy were in sight.  Captain Nolan probably pointed with his sword to the Causeway Heights, where the nearest guns of the enemy lay, and which was the point of attack intended by Lord Raglan.  Had they been on top of these heights the redoubts would have been in sight, had the speakers been in the North Valley the words would have been an absurdity, for the direction of the Russian Army did not require to be pointed out with a sword.  Several batteries were plainly in sight across the valley and at each side, with thousands and thousands of troops.  It is recorded that Lord Lucan made some insulting remarks to Nolan, telling him to quiet himself.  Both of them moved over to the Light Brigade, and Lord Lucan informed Lord Cardigan that it was Lord Raglan’s order for the Light Brigade to charge the Russians in the Valley.  There is probably no doubt that Cardigan called Lucan’s attention to the fact that there were batteries in front and on each flank, and that the ground was covered with riflemen.  This of course I did not hear.  I first saw Lord Lucan riding about the attacking line and was aware that we were about to charge.  I also noticed the Chasseurs over at our left preparing to move at the same time.  I saw very distinctly what does not appear in any history, Lord Cardigan gallop on perhaps three hundred yards in front and to the right to a piece of slightly rising ground, evidently to reconnoitre the position of the Russian Army and the best way-ground for his brigade.  We were now in line thus:—

Almost at the moment that Lord Cardigan had left us Colonel Douglas, commanding the 11th Hussars was ordered by Lord Lucan to fall back to support the 17th which they did, altering the attacking line so that we went on in this formation.

This movement was executed simply by the 11th Hussars waiting for us to advance until they were at proper supporting distance when they began to move, for we were getting under way at the time.  I never heard the word of command to go forward from any officer.  If given at all it must have been by Lord Lucan, for Cardigan was, as I said, in advance of us planning the line of movement and evidently did not see what went on in his attacking line at the moment of advance.  The whole movement was executed in the greatest haste and we were quickly off at a trot.

Then in the very beginning of the Charge, when the direction we were taking just became evident, occurred Captain Nolan’s movement that has been the cause of so much controversy.  I was only about seventy yards from Captain Nolan and distinctly saw every movement.  Captain Nolan was in front of the 13th Light Dragoons, who took their dressing and interval and speed by the 17th Lancers, the regiment of direction.  As soon as the brigade was fairly in motion, so that its direction down the valley was evident, Nolan rode away from the 13th at speed to the front of the 17th Lancers, reached a position in front of the centre of the 17th, gave his order “three’s right” with his horse’s head facing the regiment, at the same time waving his sword to the right, which signified “take ground to the right,” then turned his horse and galloped towards the Causeway Heights, still pointing with his sword in that direction.  At that moment a shell exploded and a piece of it struck him in the left breast near the heart.  Probably the unearthly scream which rang in our ears above the roar of the opening cannonade was a dying effort to make us follow his direction.

He remained in the saddle until the horse had cleared the right flank of the first squadron of the 17th, in column of threes, when the horse, finding the rider had no control over it, turned sharp to the right—the way home—throwing the lifeless body head-first to the ground.

The 17th had instantly followed his direction and gone “three’s right.”  The 13th had gone straight on instead of checking, as they should have done to respond to our movements.  They were perhaps 25 or 30 yards in front of us when Nolan fell.  At that juncture I heard Sergeant-Major J. Nunnerley, of the 1st Squadron—now living at Ormskirk, Lancashire—shout in a loud voice, “17th Lancers, (Three’s Left) or Front forward!”  (I belonged to the second Squadron).  We went three’s left, the right flank of the second squadron lapping the left flank of the first one-fourth its front or more, so that the two flanks became merged together.  At that instant, the Russian Artillery in position across the valley, fired a volley into the 17th, which seemed to paralyse it, killing and wounding a number of officers and men.  It seemed to me a troop of horses fell, myself and horse being knocked down with them.  I remounted and followed the shattered line.  All this time I never saw Lord Cardigan at all.  Kinglake’s account of him as such a conspicuous figure on his white-legged horse, riding in front of his command and constantly checking the speed by orders to “keep steady,” does not agree with my observation, although he is said to have been just in front of our regiment.

From the time I saw him ride ahead and to one side of his command to reconnoitre, I never saw him again till we had passed the Russian guns.  He probably joined some portion of the 13th Dragoons as they came up with him, but that regiment scattered completely, going down into skirmish line, having lost their base, the 17th Lancers.

No squad of it held together to pass the guns or to return.  In the tremendous uproar and confusion of such cannonading it was impossible to have any very distinct impression.  I observed everything clearly up to the moment the volley burst in our ranks and knocked me down.  After that I simply scrambled on my horse and rode on pell-mell, and I believe Lord Cardigan did the same.  The smoke prevented anyone from seeing any distance and the noise from hearing, so I never heard an officer’s voice from the time Nolan fell.  It was the order of the brave Nunnerley that brought us to front forward as stated, and I heard no further orders after