Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 5.djvu/446

 424 APPENDIX. After carefully reading this order I hesitated, and urged the uselessness of such an attack, and the dangers attend- ing it ; the aide-de-camp, in a most authoritative tone, stated that they were Lord Kaglan's orders that the cav- alry should attack immediately. I asked him where? and what to do ? as neither enemy nor guns were within sight. He replied in a most disrespectful hut significant manner, pointing to the 'further end of the valley, 'There, my lord, ' is your enemy • there are your guns.' So distinct in my opinion was your written instruction, and so positive and urgent were the orders delivered hy the aide-de-camp, that I felt that it was imperative on me to obey, and I informed Lord Cardigan that he was to ad- vance ; and to the objections he made, and in which I entirely agreed, I replied that the order was from your lordship. Having decided against my conviction to make the movement, I did all in my power to render it as little perilous as possible. I formed the brigade in two lines, and led to its support two regiments of heavy cavalry, the Scots Greys and Royals, and only halted them when they had reached the spot from which they could protect the retreat of the light cavalry, in the event of their being pursued by the enemy ; and when, having already lost many officers and men by the fire from the batteries and forts, any further advance would have exposed them to destruction. My lord, I considered at the time — I am still of the same opinion — that I followed the only course open to me. As a lieutenant-general, doubtless I have discretionary power ; but to take upon myself to disobey an order writ- ten by my commander-in-chief within a few minutes of its delivery, and given from an elevated position, commanding an entire view of all the batteries and the position of the enemy, would have been nothing less than direct disobedi- ence of orders, without any other reason than that I pre-