Charge of the Light Brigade

the Crimean War
T

here were 500,000 casualties in the Crimean War (1854) which was between the Ottoman Empire (and its allies England and France) and Russia. It began with physical altercations in the Holy Land over so-called Sacred Sites between Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox priests and monks. The most famous battle was immortalized with Tennyson’s Poem “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” (on Crimea) in which the poet refers to what was a chaotic “blunder” and misunderstood order. It is from that poem that we get the quote “Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die.” Crimea, Ukraine and Russia have been battling and bouncing back and forth in battle for hundreds of years. Our prayer is that the casualties are not as great as 1854, nor does this turn into the Third World War, and that many will find the Prince of Peace in all this. -id

Battle of Balaclava 1854 Crimean War below are the first three stanzas
of Tennyson's Poem

Half a league, half a league,

Half a league onward,

All in the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

“Forward, the Light Brigade!

Charge for the guns!” he said.

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

“Forward, the Light Brigade!”

Was there a man dismayed?

Not though the soldier knew

Someone had blundered.

Theirs not to make reply,

Theirs not to reason why,

Theirs but to do and die.

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,

Cannon in front of them

Volleyed and thundered;

Stormed at with shot and shell,

Boldly they rode and well,

Into the jaws of Death,

Into the mouth of hell

Rode the six hundred.