04-24-2014, 12:59 PM
As a starter for ten, here is a letter to his mum from Fitz Maxse, Cardigan's ADC.
Letter sent by Maxse from the Crimea after the Charge of the Light Brigade
RYS Yacht Dryad, Balaklava Harbour, 28 October 1854
My dearest Mum
I am writing this laying down so I do not trust myself with ink — I hope the pencil will last — De Burgh has just told me that a post goes out directly . . . I just drop you a line to say I am quite all right and that my wound is nothing at all.
The papers will tell you of our affair of the 25th inst. Our loss is fearful. I will scrawl you a short account. The Russians attacked (about 25000 strong) Balaklava on the morning of the 25th — they took all the Turkish batteries and 7 of our guns lent to the Turks immediately. The Turks deserted their guns almost at the first shot. They were pursued — by clouds of Russian Cavalry between 2 & 3000 strong who came right up to our tents — The Heavy Brigade about 800 strong charged gallantly and routed them — An order was sent to Lord Lucan for Lord C to attack with light Brigade — he sent me to Lord Lucan to say that there spot we were ordered to attack was ¾ of a mile off that there were batteries on each side and a heavy battery in front also that the hills were lined with riflemen — Lord Lucan said he could not help it & we must attack. Lord C dropped his sword and led the way 20 yards in front of the Brigade — The plan below and the statement of our loss will show the tremendous fire we were under. It thinned us like a sickle through the grass — Lord C led gallantly right through the battery — a gun going off between his horse’s legs — I was struck on the foot by a spent round shot — or a bit of shell and though I managed to get on 40 or 50 yds past the batteries — I was obliged then to cling to my horses mane and was nearly fainting — I managed to re-cross that terrible cross fire still playing in the valley — and a French surgeon kindly dressed my foot for me — We cut down the gunners at their guns and broke the cavalry beyond — and then every body had to fight his way out. It was a most brilliant but useless waste of life. Our Loss 270 Men killed and wounded and 24 Officers — My brother ADC poor Lockwood is killed or taken prisoner — I am too tired — to write more dearest Mum .
" Maxse himself said later that he had cut at two Russians around the guns as he passed through and one of them had pointed a pistol at him, but he was much too preoccupied to notice whether he had fired. As he rode back he was worried that the man with the pistol might 'pot' him and to be on the safe side he had dragged out a 'rotten old pistol' belonging to his brother Frederick (Lieutenant, R.N. Naval A.D.C. to Lord Raglan). The Russian was not waiting for him and instead he pointed the pistol at a Russian cavalryman who was pursuing him but it mis-fired. " http://www.dnw.co.uk/medals/auctionarchi...temid=3039
Pic to follow of the sabre
Letter sent by Maxse from the Crimea after the Charge of the Light Brigade
RYS Yacht Dryad, Balaklava Harbour, 28 October 1854
My dearest Mum
I am writing this laying down so I do not trust myself with ink — I hope the pencil will last — De Burgh has just told me that a post goes out directly . . . I just drop you a line to say I am quite all right and that my wound is nothing at all.
The papers will tell you of our affair of the 25th inst. Our loss is fearful. I will scrawl you a short account. The Russians attacked (about 25000 strong) Balaklava on the morning of the 25th — they took all the Turkish batteries and 7 of our guns lent to the Turks immediately. The Turks deserted their guns almost at the first shot. They were pursued — by clouds of Russian Cavalry between 2 & 3000 strong who came right up to our tents — The Heavy Brigade about 800 strong charged gallantly and routed them — An order was sent to Lord Lucan for Lord C to attack with light Brigade — he sent me to Lord Lucan to say that there spot we were ordered to attack was ¾ of a mile off that there were batteries on each side and a heavy battery in front also that the hills were lined with riflemen — Lord Lucan said he could not help it & we must attack. Lord C dropped his sword and led the way 20 yards in front of the Brigade — The plan below and the statement of our loss will show the tremendous fire we were under. It thinned us like a sickle through the grass — Lord C led gallantly right through the battery — a gun going off between his horse’s legs — I was struck on the foot by a spent round shot — or a bit of shell and though I managed to get on 40 or 50 yds past the batteries — I was obliged then to cling to my horses mane and was nearly fainting — I managed to re-cross that terrible cross fire still playing in the valley — and a French surgeon kindly dressed my foot for me — We cut down the gunners at their guns and broke the cavalry beyond — and then every body had to fight his way out. It was a most brilliant but useless waste of life. Our Loss 270 Men killed and wounded and 24 Officers — My brother ADC poor Lockwood is killed or taken prisoner — I am too tired — to write more dearest Mum .
" Maxse himself said later that he had cut at two Russians around the guns as he passed through and one of them had pointed a pistol at him, but he was much too preoccupied to notice whether he had fired. As he rode back he was worried that the man with the pistol might 'pot' him and to be on the safe side he had dragged out a 'rotten old pistol' belonging to his brother Frederick (Lieutenant, R.N. Naval A.D.C. to Lord Raglan). The Russian was not waiting for him and instead he pointed the pistol at a Russian cavalryman who was pursuing him but it mis-fired. " http://www.dnw.co.uk/medals/auctionarchi...temid=3039
Pic to follow of the sabre
![[Image: wip2_r1_c1-1-1.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/PaulHB/wip2_r1_c1-1-1.jpg)
![[Image: Comitatuslogo3.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/PaulHB/Comitatuslogo3.jpg)
