afterwards.

THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE.

That the reader may understand the circumstances which led to that
terrible charge, a description of the ground must be given.

From the lofty plateau of the Chersonese, on which the British army was
posted, a long ridge of elevated ground extends to the eastward, on the
top of which runs the Woronzoff road. Along this ridge was a line of
forts armed with carriage guns, which had just before been captured by
the Russians from the Turks who had garrisoned them. To the south was
the broad valley, with the heights of Balaclava on the farther side, in
which the charge of the heavy cavalry, under General Scarlett, took
place. On the north side of the ridge was a narrower valley, with the
Fedhoukine hills to the north.

It was towards the latter part of that memorable day, the 25th of
October, that the British cavalry were drawn up under Lord Lucan at the
western end of this narrow valley directly under the steep heights of
the Chersonese. On the summit, at the very edge of the heights, Lord
Raglan with General Airey and other officers had taken their post, so as
to overlook the Woronzoff ridge and the Fedhoukine hills with the whole
of the intermediate valley. The eastern end of the valley was occupied
by some powerful batteries of Russian guns, supported by large bodies of
cavalry and several regiments of infantry, while the heights on both
sides were crowned by Russian artillery and infantry. Lord Raglan,
perceiving that it was the intention of the Russians to carry off the
guns they had captured from the Turks, ordered up General Cathcart's
brigade to prevent them from effecting their object. Some delay
occurred before the brigade began its march; and the Commander-in-Chief,
seeing that the Russians would succeed in carrying off the guns if not
at once attacked, despatched Captain Nolan, an officer on General
Airey's staff, with a written order to Lord Lucan to charge the Russians
with the light brigade of cavalry commanded by Lord Cardigan, and to
recapture the guns. Lord Lucan and Lord Cardigan saw only the heavy
guns in their front--those to which Lord Raglan referred being concealed
from their view by the high ground. They, therefore, supposing that
they were to attack the guns which they did see, naturally demurred
about performing an act which might prove the destruction of the whole
brigade, while the aide-de-camp, who thought only of the guns on their
rig