The Cause of the Charge of Balaclava

In Short

This brief, soldier's-eye memoir recreates the famous 1854 Light Brigade assault during the Crimean War and detailing its tragic aftermath. Written by a veteran who rode in the front lines, the text combines battlefield testimony with personal petitioning to explain how high-command miscommunication and incompetence led to absolute catastrophe. It endures as a rare, unvarnished counter-narrative to official military histories, driven by the author's lifelong struggle to claim official recognition and the Victoria Cross for his heroic actions on the field.

The Story

The narrative opens on October 25, 1854, near Balaclava, where British forces are tasked with protecting their primary depot of supplies for the siege of Sebastopol. Tactical confusion reigns from the outset as Lord Lucan, commanding the Cavalry Division, leaves exposed Turkish forces to face an overwhelming Russian assault on vital redoubts. Following the victorious counter-attack of the Heavy Brigade, Lord Raglan attempts to direct the dismounted Light Brigade toward the North Valley to prevent the retreating Russians from hauling away captured naval guns. However, deep personal animosities and administrative bungling between the upper command—specifically Lord Lucan and Lord Cardigan—distort these orders entirely.

As the Light Brigade prepares to move, Captain Nolan gallops to the front to redirect the advancing formation toward the Causeway Heights where the real threat lies. Before he can steer the line, he is killed instantly by an exploding shell, leaving the troopers to march directly into a lethal, three-sided artillery trap down the valley floor. The author, riding in the first line with the 17th Lancers, describes the horrific impact of synchronized Russian cannon fire, which tears through the ranks and shatters all unit cohesion.

In the chaos following the initial volley, the author is knocked from his mount but scrambles back up to charge through the smoke. Seeing small groups of scattered survivors surrounded by enemy Hussars, Cossacks, and Jeropkine Lancers, he uses his booming voice to rally roughly twenty men from various regiments. Forming a small wedge with lancers in front, he orders a desperate, against-all-odds charge through the surrounding Russian line, successfully clearing an escape route back up the valley.

The immediate battle ends in devastating casualties, but the tragedy deepens in the following weeks. Lord Lucan moves the surviving, exhausted troopers to exposed, muddy hills near Inkerman, where harsh weather, starvation, and extreme neglect decimate the men and their horses. While Lord Cardigan rests comfortably aboard his private yacht in the harbor, the remaining soldiers endure horrific winter conditions without proper shelter, food, or medical care. The text concludes with the author's decades-long effort to set the historical record straight, presenting sworn affidavits, official correspondence from commanders, and personal memoirs to prove his role as the "man of the hour" who saved his comrades, while fighting for the military honors long denied to him.

How It Unfolds

Disaster taking shape Lord Lucan withdraws his cavalry support from the forward redoubts, leaving poorly equipped Turkish infantry exposed to a massive Russian assault. British commanders miss crucial opportunities to haul away artillery pieces, setting the stage for total tactical failure.

Confusion in command Following the Heavy Brigade's success, Lord Raglan issues orders to recover the lost heights. Misunderstandings between Lucan and Cardigan, compounded by Lucan's ignorance of maneuver tactics, cause the command to mistake a broad strategic advance for a fatal, direct assault.

The fatal charge As the Light Brigade begins its trot down the valley, Captain Nolan rides frantically to the front to correct their path toward the heights. A shell fragment strikes him dead instantly, muffling his warnings and sending the troopers straight into a concentrated crossfire.

Rallying through the line After surviving the direct artillery barrage and scrambling back onto his horse, Corporal Morley spots scattered British troopers surrounded by superior numbers of Russian cavalry. Roaring commands, he gathers a small squad and leads a fierce counter-charge through the enemy line to break free.

Neglect in the mud Following the battle, the surviving remnants of the brigade are sent to cold, exposed hills near Inkerman without adequate provisions or shelter. Troopers and horses die en masse from disease and starvation while their commanding officer resides aboard a luxury yacht in the harbor.

The fight for truth In the decades after his military discharge, the author compiles sworn affidavits, personal letters, and newspaper petitions to demand official recognition for his bravery. He directly challenges official histories to ensure the true details of the battle and its aftermath are preserved.

The People

Thomas Morley A courageous, plain-spoken corporal in the 17th Lancers who serves as the central voice of the narrative. Driven by a deep sense of duty and a desire for truth, he wants to correct false historical accounts of the battle and receive proper recognition for his bravery. His battlefield initiative saves a band of stranded soldiers, transforming him into a lifelong advocate for the common trooper.

Lord Lucan The rigid, distant commander of the Cavalry Division whose poor communication and tactical errors precipitate the disaster. Detached from his subordinate officers, he misinterprets direct orders from headquarters and passes on flawed directions that send the Light Brigade into a deadly trap.

Lord Cardigan The wealthy, aristocratic commander of the Light Brigade who leads the initial charge but fails to support or maintain his men afterward. He prioritizes his personal comfort on a private yacht over the survival of his troops, leaving his men to suffer severe neglect in the Crimean mud.

Captain Nolan An energetic staff officer who recognizes the tragic mistake of the brigade's direction as the charge begins. He attempts to ride ahead to redirect the formation toward the true enemy position, but his sudden death from an exploding shell seals the fate of the Light Brigade.

In Its Own Voice

"Having seen so many of these accounts for the last forty four years in various newspapers and Magazines, and having been interviewed myself many times I have felt impelled to write what I know about the action..."

The author introduces his account by explaining his determination to counter decades of biased historical summaries with an honest, unvarnished perspective from a line soldier.

"He had lost his lance hat, and his long hair was flying out in the wind as he roared, 'Coom ’ere! coom ’ere! Fall in, lads, fall in!'"

A fellow veteran describes the fierce, commanding presence of the author as he gathered scattered troopers amidst the terrifying noise of the Russian counter-attack.

"Lord Lucan occupied all the houses in Balaclava Harbour, while Lord Cardigan lived on his yacht seven miles from his command, and never visited them, although they were dying of hunger and starvation..."

The narrative highlights the bitter contrast between the severe suffering of the common soldiers in camp and the indifferent luxury enjoyed by the high command.

What It's Really About

Behind its detailed operational account of military tactics, the narrative is an impassioned critique of institutional incompetence and class privilege within the Victorian military hierarchy. The author sets out to expose how aristocratic leaders, sheltered from the immediate horrors of war, sacrificed hundreds of lives through petty rivalries, poor communication, and a total lack of empathy. It explores the deep gulf between official, romanticized histories written by elite observers and the terrifying reality experienced by line soldiers. Ultimately, the work functions as a defenseA former sergeant in the 17th Lancers steps forward to dismantle popular myths, presenting an eye-witness testimony of command blunders, devastating cavalry charges, and the sheer grit required to survive behind enemy lines.

In Short

This brief memoir and petition is a firsthand account of the Battle of Balaclava, written by Thomas Morley, a former sergeant of the 17th Lancers. Morley sets out to expose the tactical errors and command failures that led to the tragic Charge of the Light Brigade, contrasting high-level incompetence with the lived experience of ordinary troopers. Enduring through time as a raw voice from the ranks, it offers a sharp counter-narrative to official Victorian histories, combining battlefield realism with a soldier's desperate fight for formal recognition.

The Story

Morley begins his account by pointing out that despite decades of public fascination, the famous Charge of the Light Brigade has never been accurately documented due to political bias and official cover-ups. Serving on the ground in the Crimea, he sets the scene by describing the structural layout of the British Cavalry Division under the Earl of Lucan, split between the Heavy and Light Brigades. He highlights how miscommunication, elite squabblings, and senior officers living in luxury—such as Lord Cardigan residing on his private yacht while his troops starved—lay the groundwork for disaster.

When the Russian forces maneuver around British pickets and seize Turkish redoubts, bad tactical decisions compound quickly. Lord Lucan fails to coordinate his forces or secure the abandonable artillery. Orders from Lord Raglan, intended to prompt a general advance to recover lost heights, are completely misconstrued by Lucan and delivered poorly by staff officers. The confusion comes to a head when Captain Nolan gallops to the front of the 17th Lancers. Pointing toward the Causeway Heights, Nolan shouts a direction to shift the advance, only to be killed instantly by an exploding shell, leaving the cavalry to ride straight down a deadly valley into the mouth of concentrated Russian batteries.

Morley describes the nightmare of the charge: the synchronized, thunderous volleys of Russian artillery, the smoke obscuring visibility, and the complete collapse of unit cohesion. After being knocked from his horse and scrambling back into the saddle, Morley finds himself behind enemy lines surrounded by scattered survivors and advancing Russian units. Refusing to yield, he rallies a small group of roughly twenty troopers, shouting for them to form up, and leads a desperate counter-charge straight through a line of Russian Lancers to cut their way back to safety.

The narrative shifts from the battle itself to its horrific aftermath and Morley's subsequent career. He details the neglect suffered by the Light Brigade, sent to rot in the mud near Inkerman with no medicine, shelter, or proper rations while winter storms battered the camp. Moving past the Crimea, Morley outlines his later military service as a captain in the American Civil War, his survival of severe injuries, and his civil exploits back in England, such as single-handedly extinguishing building fires. Throughout the final section, Morley compiles sworn statements, letters from officers, and newspaper submissions in an explicit push to secure the Victoria Cross and the official honors he was systematically denied.

How It Unfolds

Errors before the assault High-level confusion leaves Turkish redoubts exposed, while Lord Lucan and Lord Cardigan mismanage troops and fail to move ammunition or secure vulnerable positions before the Russian advance.

The fatal misinterpretation Lord Raglan issues ambiguous instructions to recover captured heights, which Lord Lucan misconstrues as a direct, suicidal command to attack heavy Russian artillery stationed at the end of the valley.

Nolan’s desperate gesture Captain Nolan gallops to the front of the advancing 17th Lancers to correct their direction toward the heights, but a sudden shell fragment kills him mid-command before he can convey the true objective.

Into the valley of fire The Light Brigade rides into target-practice range of concentrated Russian gunners, enduring massed artillery volleys that obliterate ranks and destroy all unified command structures.

Rallying behind enemy lines Finding himself amidst chaos and cut off by Russian Lancers, Sergeant Morley gathers a small squad of scattered survivors, orders a cheer, and leads a sudden charge straight through the enemy lines.

Neglect and winter misery Following the charge, the surviving troopers are stationed in deep mud near Inkerman without shelter, food, or medical care, leading to severe illness and heavy casualties among men and horses alike.

The battle for recognition In later years, Morley presents sworn affidavits, officer letters, and press appeals to prove his actions at Balaclava and demand the military decorations withheld from him by indifferent superiors.

The People

• Thomas Morley: A fierce, blunt sergeant in the 17th Lancers who seeks to tell the unvarnished truth of the battle. He wants his leadership and bravery recognized with a cross of valour, driven by frustration over how elitist commanders overlooked common soldiers.
• Lord Lucan: The commander of the Cavalry Division who wants to execute orders from headquarters but lacks tactical clarity. His inability to interpret instructions and his poor relationship with other commanders lead directly to the fatal misdirection of the brigade.
• Lord Cardigan: The commander of the Light Brigade who seeks personal glory while operating with detached arrogance. He leads the charge, yet abandons his surviving men immediately after, returning to his private yacht while his command disintegrates in the winter mud.
• Captain Nolan: An aide-de-camp who seeks to deliver critical orders to save the tactical situation. He dies tragically in the opening moments of the charge while desperately trying to redirect the cavalry away from the artillery guns.

In Its Own Voice

"Having seen so many of these accounts for the last forty four years in various newspapers and Magazines, and having been interviewed myself many times I have felt impelled to write what I know about the action..."

Morley opens his account with a straightforward determination to correct decades of published misstatements regarding the engagement.

"I raised my sword and shouted to them to fall in. They galloped to me from all directions, and I hastily formed them in lines, putting those with lances in front."

In the middle of the melee behind enemy lines, Morley describes the moment he gathered scattered troopers to carve an escape path home.

"He had lost his lance hat, and his long hair was flying out in the wind as he roared, 'Coom 'ere! coom 'ere! Fall in, lads, fall in!'"

Trooper J. W. Wightman recalls the sight of the loud, rough sergeant gathering survivors together beneath heavy artillery fire.

What It's Really About

Underneath the tactical analysis of Crimean battlefields, the text is an argument about class, command accountability, and the erased agency of the common soldier. Morley contrasts the comfortable, aloof leadership of aristocrats like Lord Lucan and Lord Cardigan with the brutal reality endured by the lower ranks. While official histories focus on romanticized heroism or abstract blunders, Morley centers on how poor leadership directly slaughtered troops and how systemic favoritism deprived working-class soldiers of earned decorations like the Victoria Cross.

Why Read It Today

This text appeals directly to military historians, Crimean War enthusiasts, and readers who appreciate authentic, unpolished working-class memoirs. Reading it feels like sitting across from a grizzled veteran who has no patience for romanticized war stories or high-society politics. Instead of grand speeches, you receive vivid, sensory details of combat—the mechanical timing of Russian artillery, the smell of gunpowder, and the desperate scramble through mud and dead horses.

The work does present a few challenges for the modern reader. It is non-linear and somewhat disjointed, jumping from military analysis to transcribed affidavits, newspaper letters, and personal anecdotes about fighting fires or serving in the American Civil War. Its layout reflects a self-published pamphlet rather than a polished historical treatise. Yet this fragmented structure only reinforces its raw honesty; what stays with you is the voice of a fierce, stubborn sergeant who spent his entire life refusing to let history forget what really happened on the field of Balaclava.