The Royal Dragoon Guards by Peter Macfarlane

Author:Peter Macfarlane
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 9781472838605
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2019-02-19T16:00:00+00:00

The charge of the Heavy Brigade at Balaklava on 25 October 1854 by Major Elliott. The 5th Dragoon Guards are shown moving through the Light Brigade camp. (UK Ministry of Defence © Crown Copyright)

The Battle of Balaklava

The battle took place over two valleys divided by a ridge known as the Causeway Heights. The Cavalry Division was camped to the west of the south valley and routinely stood to before dawn on 25 October. The Heavy Brigade’s ten weak squadrons totalled some 800 men. Just after first light a large Russian force assaulted Turkish redoubts on the Heights. The Turks held out for over an hour before abandoning their positions. The Cavalry Division had moved forward in support but came under artillery fire and was controversially ordered by Lord Raglan, from his commanding position overlooking both valleys, to withdraw west towards their camps.

It was now nearly 10am and the early mist had cleared. From his distant vantage point Lord Raglan saw a massed force of Russian cavalry advancing unopposed along the north valley. The Cavalry Division had barely returned to the west end of the south valley before Lord Lucan was ordered to send eight squadrons of the Heavy Brigade back towards Balaklava. General Scarlett led his brigade eastwards in an open column of troops, the Inniskillings leading followed by the Greys and the 5th, with the 4th echeloned further back. Neither the Heavy Brigade nor the approaching Russian cavalry had scouts out or were aware of their proximity to each other. The ground in the south valley was difficult, with vineyards obstructing the path of the squadrons and forcing the leading regiments into two parallel columns.

Suddenly, Scarlett’s ADC saw Russian cavalry silhouetted on the skyline of the Heights. Scarlett immediately ordered the Inniskillings, Greys and 5th to left wheel into line. The much larger Russian force also wheeled into line and deployed flanking wings. However, they then halted some 400 yards away. Scarlett ordered his trumpeter to sound the charge and led off.

The first Inniskilling squadron and the Greys crashed into the Russian mass just behind Scarlett. The Russian wings began to close in from both flanks and the remaining British squadrons came successively into action within a few moments of each other. The 5th charged from the left rear of the Greys as they were being enveloped by the Russians. Troop Sergeant Major Franks of the 5th wrote:

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