The Charge Of The Light Brigade

The Charge Of The Light Brigade
by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
1809-1892
(from http://www.nationalcenter.org/ChargeoftheLightBrigade.html)

This poem was written to memorialize a suicidal charge by light cavalry over open terrain by British forces in the Battle of Balaclava (Ukraine) in the Crimean War (1854-56). 247 men of the 637 in the charge were killed or wounded.


The Charge Of The Light Brigade

by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Memorializing Events in the Battle of Balaclava, October 25, 1854
Written 1854

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 dismay'd ?
Not tho' the soldier knew
Some one had blunder'd:
Their's not to make reply,
Their's not to reason why,
Their's 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
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell
Rode the six hundred.

Flash'd all their sabres bare,
Flash'd as they turn'd in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wonder'd:
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right thro' the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reel'd from the sabre-stroke
Shatter'd and sunder'd.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell,
They that had fought so well
Came thro' the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of Hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.

When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wonder'd.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!

Images from the last samurai:

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0325710/LS-5583.jpg

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0325710/LS-5987.jpg

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0325710/LS-8109.jpg

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0325710/LS-9338A.jpg

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0325710/F_LS-9014.jpg

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0325710/LS-11467.jpg

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0325710/LS-10194.jpg



-- COME AND TAKE OUR CANNONS!




Dedicated to those fighting for freedom anywhere in the world!