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generalship was displayed by the British commander-in-chief in occupying
these redoubts with small bodies of troops far from any support. The
Russians attacked and conquered the redoubts; Sir Colin Campbell, at the
head of a body of infantry, took up a position in the plain. The Earl
of Lucan and the British cavalry advanced beyond that position. The
Russians occupied a gorge between two hills, flanked with field-pieces,
a line of horse artillery in front, and guns of position placed Upon
the heights so as to rake the ground upon which an attacking force must
approach. To draw the British to attack them in this strong position,
was the strategy of the Russian general. He succeeded. The cavalry were
ordered to charge; the order was conveyed from Lord Baglan to Lord Lucan
by Captain Nolan. The lieutenant-general has been censured for obeying
the command; but he had no discretion allowed him; it was in writing--it
was distinct--and the officer who delivered it, coming directly from
Lord Baglan, must have known what the latter really intended. It has
been universally believed that Captain Nolan used insulting language
to the Earl of Lucan, taunting him with cowardice. This is untrue; the
author of this history can declare so upon the authority of the noble
lord himself. Captain Nolan did point to the enemy and the captured
guns borne by them from the Turkish redoubts, and directed the general's
attention to the duty of their recapture. The Earl of Lucan had no
alternative but to obey, more especially as the cavalry had been much
criticised by anonymous writers from the camp. The Earl of Lucan ordered
the light brigade of his division to charge, and advanced the heavy
brigade to its support as far as it could be brought for such a purpose.
Some of the regiments of the heavy brigade advanced so far as to be
under the fire of the enemy's guns. The light brigade was commanded by
the Earl of Cardigan, who led it into action in the most gallant style.
Whoever has read Tennyson's poem, "The Six Hundred," will have perused
the most graphic and striking description of the exciting scene which
followed. The brigade moved on, losing the gallant Nolan before it had
reached the charge; he was the first who fell. It is commonly supposed
that he led the charge. This is not so; he rode at a little distance
from the line when the shot took effect, which deprived the army of one
of its ablest and bravest cavalry officers. In this terrible ch