Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 5.djvu/426

 404 APPENDIX. my aide-de-camp to have me followed by the Heavy Bri- gade formed in the same order of three lines. I then gal- loped on, and when very far up [qu. ' down '] the valley I observed that the Heavy Brigade in my rear were suffering severely from flanking batteries ; and with the remark that they were already sufficiently close to protect the Light Cavalry should they be pursued by the enemy, and that I could not allow them to be sacrificed as had been the Light Brigade, I caused them to be halted. Had not the Chas- seurs d'Afrique at this time silenced one of these batteries, it is my opinion that the Heavy Cavalry would have been destroyed. When the Heavy Brigade was halted, no possible object existed for further exposing them, they could only be useful in protecting the retreat of the Light Brigade ; and I am confident that from their position they materially did so. The purport of the Order given to Lord Cardigan after the, receipt of the Order brought by Nolan. With General Airey's order in my hand, I trotted up to Lord Cardigan, and gave him distinctly its contents so far as they concerned him. I would not on my oatli say that I did not read the order to him. He at once objected, on the ground that ho would be exposed to a flanking battery. When ordered to take up his then position, he had ex- pressed, through his aide-de-camp, the same apprehensions. I told him that I was aware of it. 'I know it,' but that 'Lord ' Raglan would have it,' and that wo had no choice but to obey. I then said that I wished him to advance very steadily and quietly, and that I would narrow his front by removing the 11th Hussars from the first to the second line. This he strenuously opposed ; but T moved across his front and directed Colonel Douglas not to advance with tho rest of the line, but to form a Beconcl line with the 4th Light Dragoons.