[Reichskaiser]

The disastrous charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava in the Crimean War was made because of a carelessly worded order to "charge for the guns" - meaning that some British guns which were in an exposed position should be hauled out of reach of the enemy, not that the Russian positions should be charged.



I have to pity the soldiers for following the wrong verison of the orders......

[Kenadian_2006]

And why this all of a sudden?

[Reichskaiser]

Was searching for "Langua" when I came across this article.

[Fistandantilus]

Ya, I read about somthing like that in history class. That really sucks.

[Czar Garrett]

History is filled with forgotten mistakes.

And amazing chances of luck.

[Shimrod]

Just think - without mistakes in orders, we wouldn't have such good poems.

[SynthFG]

Reichskaiser, on Oct 30 2007, 05:21 AM, said:

The disastrous charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava in the Crimean War was made because of a carelessly worded order to "charge for the guns" - meaning that some British guns which were in an exposed position should be hauled out of reach of the enemy, not that the Russian positions should be charged.



I have to pity the soldiers for following the wrong verison of the orders......

Didn't help that the Light Brigade from it's position couldn't see the guns
Or that there was antipathy between the 3 key comanders
Raglan, Army Commander
Lucan, Calvalry Commander
and Cardigan, Light Brigade Commander

from Wiki

Quote

Lucan received an immediate order from the army commander Lord Raglan stating that "Lord Raglan wishes the cavalry to advance rapidly to the front, follow the enemy, and try to prevent the enemy carrying away the guns. Horse artillery may accompany. French cavalry is on your left. Immediate." The order was drafted by Brigadier Airey and was carried by Captain Louis Edward Nolan, who may have carried further oral instructions, but as he was killed during the charge this remains conjecture.

In response to the order, Cardigan led 673 (some sources state 661) cavalry men straight into the valley between the Fedyukhin Heights and the Causeway Heights, famously dubbed the "Valley of Death" by the poet Tennyson. The opposing Russian forces were commanded by Pavel Liprandi and included approximately 20 battalions of infantry supported by over fifty artillery pieces. These forces were deployed on both sides and at the opposite end of the valley.

It appears that the order was understood by Cardigan to refer to the mass of Russian guns in a redoubt at the end of the valley, around a mile away, when Raglan had in fact been referring to a set of redoubts on the reverse slope of the hill forming the left side of the valley (from the point of view of the cavalry). Although these latter redoubts were clearly visible from Raglan's vantage point, they were hidden from the view of the Light Brigade on the floor of the valley.

[Cylon]

Reichskaiser, on Oct 30 2007, 06:21 AM, said:

The disastrous charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava in the Crimean War was made because of a carelessly worded order to "charge for the guns" - meaning that some British guns which were in an exposed position should be hauled out of reach of the enemy, not that the Russian positions should be charged.



I have to pity the soldiers for following the wrong verison of the orders......

My History book said different if I'm not mistaken.

It was just that the English army had not accomplished anything so far during the Krim war, most of the progress made on the battlefield was done by Ostrian and French Divisions.

And then some crazy English Army commanders wanted to pull of a trick, and the arrogance and self-overestimation (dunno if that's correct english) of English Generals became the death of many.

At least, that's what I remember.

[Jacob the Malignant]

Cylon, on Oct 30 2007, 09:33 AM, said:

My History book said different if I'm not mistaken.

It was just that the English army had not accomplished anything so far during the Krim war, most of the progress made on the battlefield was done by Ostrian and French Divisions.

And then some crazy English Army commanders wanted to pull of a trick, and the arrogance and self-overestimation (dunno if that's correct english) of English Generals became the death of many.

At least, that's what I remember.

*Grammar nazi-ish*

I believe the correct word to use there would of been "over confidence"

I really don't care if it was a mistake, The Charge of the Light Brigade is my favorite poem

[shadowarmy75]

History books aren't exactly the most reliable. Having to condense the whole world into a book forces them to oversimplify some things.

[Kenadian_2006]

Cylon, on Oct 30 2007, 09:33 AM, said:

My History book said different if I'm not mistaken.

It was just that the English army had not accomplished anything so far during the Krim war, most of the progress made on the battlefield was done by Ostrian and French Divisions.

And then some crazy English Army commanders wanted to pull of a trick, and the arrogance and self-overestimation (dunno if that's correct english) of English Generals became the death of many.

At least, that's what I remember.

Not completely correct English but...it gets the point across well enough. :lol:

[King Comm]

Cylon, on Oct 31 2007, 12:33 AM, said:

It was just that the English army had not accomplished anything so far during the Krim war, most of the progress made on the battlefield was done by Ostrian and French Divisions.

==Tell me, why did you say "Krim" instead of "Crimea"? And by "Ostrian", I believe you meant Ottoman?

[Delta1212]

King Comm, on Oct 30 2007, 05:10 PM, said:

==Tell me, why did you say "Krim" instead of "Crimea"? And by "Ostrian", I believe you meant Ottoman?

Austrian?

[King Comm]

Delta1212, on Oct 31 2007, 09:15 AM, said:

Austrian?

==The Turks did the bulk of the fighting during the Krim war.