Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 5.djvu/354

832 THE BATTLE OF BALACLAVA. CHAP. I. Interview between Lord Rag- lan and Lord Cardigan. Lord Raglan's opinion of Lord Cardigan's eonduct in the charge Interview between Lord Raglan and Lord Luean. Immediately after the muster, Lord Cardigan rode up to Lord Eaglan in order to make his report. Lord Eaglan said to him, in a severe and very angry way, ' What did you mean, sir, by at- ' tacking a battery in front, contrary to all the ' usages of warfare, and the customs of the service ? ' Lord Cardigan answered : ' My Lord, I hope ' you will not blame me, for I received the order ' to attack from my superior officer in front of ' the troops ; ' and he then proceeded to give an account of the part he had taken. Subsequently, and after full inquiry, Lord Eaglan not only determined that the justification thus offered was sound, but also, it seems, formed an opinion that Lord Cardigan's whole conduct in the affair of the charge had been admirable. ' Lord Cardigan,' he wrote in private, some five days after the action, ' acted throughout with the 1 greatest steadiness and gallantry, as well as per- ' severance.' Upon meeting Lord Lucan at a later moment, Lord Eaglan said to him, 'You have lost the ' Light Brigade ! ' Lord Lucan at once denied that he had lost the Light Brigade ; and, as the ground for his denial, stated that he had only carried out the orders, writ- ten and verbal, conveyed to him by Captain Nolan. Then it was that Lord Eaydan is said to have regiments (the 4th Light Dragoons Lord George's own regiment, and the 11th Hussars commanded hy Colonel Douglas) is one of a technical kind which soldiers can best determine ; but the facts on which the solution depends are given ante.