Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 5.djvu/450

 428 APPENDIX. 1 wish I could say with his lordship that, having decided against his conviction to make the movement, he did all he could to render it as little perilous as possible. This, indeed, is far from being the case, in my judgment. He was told that the horse-artillery might accompany the cavalry. He did not bring it up. He was informed that the French cavalry was on his left. He did not in- vite their co-operation. He had the whole of the heavy cavalry at his disposal. He mentions having brought up only two regiments in support, and he omits all other pre- cautions, either from want of due consideration, or from the supposition that the unseen enemy was not in such great force as he apprehended, notwithstanding that he was warned of it by Lord Cardigan, after the latter had received the order to attack. I am much concerned, my Lord Duke, to have to sub- mit these observations to your Grace. I entertain no wish to disparage the Earl of Lucan in your opinion, or to cast a slur upon his professional reputation ; but having been accused by his lordship of having stated of him what was unmerited in my despatch, I have felt obliged to enter into the subject, and trouble your Grace at more length than I could have wished, in vindication of a report to your Grace in which I had strictly confined myself to that which I knew to be true, and had indulged in no obser- vations whatever, or in any expression which could be viewed either as harsh or in any way grating to the feel- ings of his lordship. — I have, &c, (Signed) RAGLAN. (Copy.) Waii Department, Jan. 27, 1856. My Loko, — I liavw to acknowledge your lordship's despatch, dated the 16th December, inclosing the copy of