Lost letter finally reveals who was to blame for Charge of the Light Brigade

A letter written by a soldier concerned within the disastrous Cost of the Mild Brigade has make clear who was guilty for the army defeat.

On October 25, 1854, Lord Raglan, commander of the British forces, needed to ship the Mild Brigade to cease Russians capturing weapons throughout the Battle of Balaclava within the Crimean Struggle. 

However attributable to miscommunication, 673 troopers had been as an alternative despatched to a different location and have become surrounded by a distinct artillery battery after they charged into the valley.

They had been overpowered and 107 troopers had been killed, 187 had been wounded, 50 had been captured and 400 horses had been slaughtered. 

A scene from the 1968 movie The Cost of the Mild Brigade exhibits troopers using on horses throughout the battle

For years, the finger had been pointed at Lord Raglan, however Lieutenant Frederick Maxse's letter implies youthful soldier was guilty for the catastrophe.

Lieut Maxse, who was serving on Lord Raglan's workers, wrote that Captain Louis Nolan, a 36-year-old officer, was accountable.

His letter was found with different paperwork contained in the British Library, studies Patrick Sawer on the Sunday Telegraph. 

Capt Nolan was the messenger who handed on Lord Raglan's orders to Lord Lucan - the officer who carried out his directions.

He instructed him to 'comply with the enemy and attempt to stop the enemy from carrying away the weapons'.  

Professor Saul David, a army historical past trainer on the College of Buckingham, has studied Maxse's letter and stated Capt Nolan exaggerated Raglan's orders.   

Capt Nolan informed Lord Lucan: 'Lord Raglan's orders are that the cavalry ought to assault instantly.' 

'There, my Lord! There's your enemy! There are your weapons!'

However Capt Nolan was one of many first males to die after being struck by shrapnel from an exploding shell.  

In his letter Lieut Maxse wrote: 'On seeking to the left, noticed poor Nolan mendacity lifeless who 10 minutes earlier than I had seen keen & energetic, galloping all the way down to Lord Lucan, anxious & decided to make him do one thing with the cavalry (of which he's a member).'

He added that Nolan resented the behaviour of the lads.

The Cost of the Mild Brigade was re-enacted within the 1928 silent struggle movie Balaclava (pictured)

Lieut Maxse wrote: 'He was all the time very indignant on the little that they had carried out on this marketing campaign & bitter in opposition to Lord L.

'All of the cavalry lay this disastrous cost on his troopers & say that he left no choice to Lord L to whom they are saying his tone was virtually taunting on delivering the message – if he was guilty he has paid the penalty.'

Nigel Kingscoteé, a second workers officer, additionally stated that Capt Nolan was guilty and informed Raglan's son he would have 'been broke by courtroom martial' if he survived.   

Prof David wrote within the BBC Historical past Journal that 'Nolan bears the chief duty for what adopted'. 

He stated: 'So contemptuous was he of Lucan's potential, so determined for the cavalry to point out its price, that he failed within the one important process of a workers galloper: to offer the officer in receipt of the message with the required clarification. 

'It appears, furthermore, that he used the phrase 'assault' when Raglan had meant a mere present of pressure. If that's the case, Nolan bears the chief duty for what adopted.'

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