Earl of Lucan

Part Two, excerpt from The British Expedition to the Crimea, 1858, by William Howard Russell.

Lord Raglan sent orders to Lord Lucan to cover the approaches, and his heavy horse were just moving from their position near the vineyard and orchard when he saw a body of the enemy's cavalry coming after him over the ridge.

Lord Lucan rode after his cavalry, wheeled them around, and ordered them to advance against the enemy.

The Russians, evidently corps d'élite, their light blue jackets embroidered with silver lace, were advancing at an easy gallop towards the brow of a hill.

A forest of lances glistened in their rear, and several squadrons of grey-coated dragoons moved up quickly to support them as they reached the summit.

They took up ground in advance of the ridges on our left.

Soon after occurred the glorious catastrophe.

The Quartermaster-General, Brigadier Airy, thinking that the light cavalry had not gone far enough in front, gave an order in writing to Captain Nolan, 15th Hussars, to take to Lord Lucan.

Thence too Sarsfield was borne desperately wounded to a pallet from which he never rose again.

The court of St. Germain had conferred on him the empty title of Earl of Lucan, but history knows him by the name which is still dear to the most unfortunate of nations.

The region, renowned in history as the battlefield during many ages of the most warlike nations of Europe, has seen only two more terrible days, the day of Malplaquet and the day of Waterloo.

During many months the ground was strewn with skulls and bones of men and horses, and with fragments of hats and shoes, saddles and holsters.