William Howard Russell

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part two of into the valley of death crimea balaclava the light brigade russell tennyson and kipling excerpt from the british expedition to the crimea eighteen fifty eight 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 their light blue jackets embroidered with silver lace were advancing at an easy gallop towards the brow of the hill a forest of lances glistened in their rear and several squadrons of gray-coated dragoons moved up quickly to support them as they reached the summit the instant they came in sight the trumpets of our cavalry gave out the warning blast which told us all that in another moment we should see the shock of battle beneath our very eyes Lord Raglan, all of his staff and escort, and groups of officers, the Zouaves, French generals and officers, and bodies of French infantry on the height, were spectators of the scene as though they were looking on the stage from the boxes of a theatre.

Everyone dismounted and not a word was said.

The Russians advanced down the hill at a slow canter, which they changed to a trot, and at last nearly halted.

Right.

And the title comes from a British journalist, William Howard Russell, who came over to report on the crisis.

He looked around and said the country was possessed by a demon of unrest, like a fever of the imagination.

Which is such a smart frame because it's not just slavery, even though slavery is underneath almost everything.

In fact, her insistence on discipline and sanitation was what finally turned a humanitarian tragedy into an example of systematic health reform for armies everywhere.

Meanwhile, the voice that carried these stories back home was William Howard Russell, the first modern war correspondent.

He reported the siege of Sevastopol and the charge in real time to the Times, revealing logistical failures.

He described how artillery batteries could be fired at withering intensity, exposing gaps in communication, and his dispatches made readers understand that there was a war beyond the front lines.

In that light, Raglan’s miscommunication wasn’t merely a footnote.

It illuminated how fragile the links between orders and action can be when technology outpaces tradition.

And Florence Nightingale and William Howard Russell show us that from the rubble of such mistakes can come reforms, better hygiene, and honest journalism shaping modern militaries.

So, if we consider what really mattered at Balaclava and beyond, it becomes clear that history isn’t just about glory.

Eyewitness reports paint a picture of chaos: soldiers screaming, cannon shells landing close to the ranks, and officers scrambling to keep their charges under control.

William Howard Russell, a correspondent with the army, noted that in the first few minutes the Light Brigade had to navigate a forested area before reaching the open field where artillery dominated—an almost impossible situation for mounted troops.

Casualty figures from the charge are strikingly high.

Roughly six hundred men were sent into line, and about three hundred were lost or wounded, which translates into nearly fifty percent casualty.

This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.

Part 2, 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.

Not only were food and clothing lamentably scarce, but the surgeons were often without even lint and bandages, to say nothing of other requisites for ambulance and hospital work.

The commonest accessories of a hospital are wanting, wrote the Times war correspondent, William Howard Russell.

There is not the least attention paid to decency or cleanliness.

The stench is appalling.

In camp and hospital, sisters of mercy glided from stretcher to stretcher and from bed to bed, administering food and help to the wounded.

In their convent homes all over France they had been trained in the work of sick nursing, and their holy vocations did not prevent them from going forth to the scene of battle.

Soon came the appeal which roused English women and their country to a sense of duty, and the honour of uttering it belongs to Mr., later Sir, William Howard Russell, the veteran war correspondent, then representing the Times at the seat of war.

After describing the suffering which he had witnessed amongst the sick and wounded soldiers, he raised the clarion note.

End of Part 1

part two of into the valley of death crimea balaclava the light brigade russell tennyson and kipling excerpt from the british expedition to the crimea 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'édite, their light blue jackets embroidered with silver lace were advancing at an easy gallop towards the brow of the hill a forest of lances glistened in their rear and several squadrons of gray-coated dragoons moved up quickly to support them as they reached the summit the instant they came in sight the trumpets of our cavalry gave out the warning blast which told us all that in another moment we should see the shock of battle beneath our very eyes Lord Raglan, all of his staff and escort, and groups of officers, the Zouaves, French generals and officers, and bodies of French infantry on the height, were spectators of the scene as though they were looking on the stage from the boxes of a theatre.