Young Knights of the Empire | Page 4

Scout, did his duty, even though in many a case it cost him his life.
Nelson himself showed the example, for he drove his ship in between two of the enemy's ships and fought them, one against two. He never attempted to take cover, but exposed himself to danger as much as anyone, and was killed at the moment of victory. The sailors of to-day still wear a black silk neckerchief round their necks as a sign of mourning for the great admiral.
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BALACLAVA.
Then on October 25th, 1854, in the Crimea, in South Russia, took place two grand charges by the British cavalry-against the Russian cavalry.
One of these, the charge of the Light Brigade, every boy knows about, but somehow the charge of the Heavy Brigade is not so much talked about, although it was equally fine in its way.
I have been lucky, because I have served in two cavalry regiments, and both of them were in these charges one, the 13th Hussars, was in the Light Brigade, and the other, the 5th Dragoon Guards, was in the Heavy Brigade.
I don't mean that I was in the charges, too-no; I wasn't born then! But I am very proud to belong to two regiments that were there.
Hussar regiments are called light cavalry, because they used to have small, light-weight men who could ride far and fast to scout the enemy. Dragoons were heavy troopers on big, strong horses, who by their weight and long swords could deliver an overwhelming charge upon an enemy.
A Brigade consists of three regiments. Two Brigades make up a Division. So the Cavalry Division in the Crimea was made up of a Light Brigade and a Heavy Brigade.
On October 25th the Light Cavalry Brigade got the order to charge the Russian artillery, which was supported by the infantry and cavalry.
It was a hopeless task. The order had really been given by mistake. But that did not matter to men who were accustomed to obey. They charged, and, though it cost them a great number of gallant lives, they carried out their duty with such bravery and dash as to command the highest praise even from their enemies, and they won for British soldiers the name of being ready to sacrifice their lives to carry out their orders, even though the job looked hopeless. That is why Scouts to-day have as their motto the single word,
"BALACLAVA"
to remind them that if they get an order which it is a bore or even a danger to perform, their duty is to do as their brave fathers did at Balaclava, and carry it out cheerily and well.
Now I will tell you about the charge of the Heavy Brigade,
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"THE THIN RED LINE."
You have often heard the British Army talked of as "the thin red line." Well, it got that title at Balaclava. Four hundred men of the 93rd Highlanders and a battalion of Turks were posted to guard the road leading to the harbour of Balaclava, when the Russians, some twenty thousand strong, proceeded to attack them. The Turks didn't like the look of things, so they turned tail and bolted but the brave Sir Cohn Campbell, who was in command of the Highlanders, said to them:
"My lads, remember there is no retreat from here. You must die where you stand."
And the gallant fellows meant to do it if they had to die--but they were not the sort to say die before they were dead They formed a line--a "thin red line," as it was afterwards described--on a small rising ground, and received the first charge of the Russian cavalry with so well-aimed and deadly a fire, at close range, that it put the others off charging for a while.
The British Commander-in-Chief, seeing their danger, sent a message to the Heavy Brigade of cavalry, who were camped in the neighbourhood, to go to their assistance.
The "Heavies" were already parading just outside their camp, when suddenly there appeared over the rising ground, within half a mile of them, the head of a big force of Russian cavalry quietly advancing towards them. Rather a startling apparition when the squadrons were all moving out of camp to form up on parade.
But the General--General Scarlett--did not lose his head or hesitate for a moment.
The enemy were on the left flank of the squadrons as they were moving out. He ordered them to wheel into line to the left, and, without the usual first orders to "Trot" and then to "Gallop," he directed his trumpeter to sound "Charge!" and he at once turned his horse towards the enemy, and started, with his staff officer and orderly, at a gallop to lead the attack.
"DO OR DIE."
The Brigade saw what was wanted. They did not wait to form into one line--that operation would