The Gallant Read Online Free PDF Page B

charge was made as the result of a misunderstanding of the late General Lord Raglan’s order in no way detracts from the glory with which the gallant participants covered themselves-or the terrible price exacted from them by the guns of their enemies.
    “Out of a total strength of just over six hundred of all ranks, half that number were killed, wounded, or taken prisoner, and subsequent deaths from wounds brought the number of casualties to well over three hundred.
    “It is fitting, therefore, that this colony should extend a hero’s welcome to Lieutenant Colonel William De Lancey, late of Her Majesty’s Eleventh Hussars and the elder son of His Honor Justice George and Mrs. De Lancey of Sydney.
    “It is understood that Colonel De Lancey, who was awarded brevet rank, has been recommended by Lord George Paget, second in command to the Earl of Cardigan, for the new medal for gallantry, which, at Her Majesty’s express wish, is to be known as the Victoria Cross.
    Although this gallant officer was reluctant to discuss the deed which led to Lord Paget’s recommendation, it seems that, despite being himself severely wounded, he risked his life in an, alas, abortive attempt to save his servant from death or capture at the hands of a party of Cossacks.
    “The colonel did, however, tell our correspondent that he had intended to sell his commission and return to Australia as a settler, but he was offered command of a Bengal native cavalry regiment by the directors of the Honorable East India Company, which offer he has accepted.
    “He and his bride, the former Miss Jennifer Broome-only daughter of Captain Justin Broome, Royal Navy retired, of
    Elizabeth Bay, and the late Mrs. Broome-will be taking passage to India following their honeymoon, which, we understand, is being spent in this country.
    “A description of their wedding at Sydney’s garrison church was published in our last edition, before the above facts became known to us. But doubtless our readers will forgive us if we conclude this report by quoting from the poem, recently written by Lord Tennyson, the poet laureate, to commemorate the epic charge.”
    Edmund paused, an oddly tense expression on his tanned, good-looking face. But his tone, Luke noticed, as he continued his recital, was still resentful.
    “Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred …
    “Cannon to the right of them, Cannon to the left of them, Cannon in front of them,
    Volley’d and thunder’d
    …
    Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of hell Rode the six hundred
    -”
    His voice broke and he seemed to lose his place, but recovering himself, he went on: “Not tho’ the soldier knew
    Some one had blunder’d. Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die… .
     

William Stuart Long
    “And they did that, by God!” Edmund rose, still with the unfolded newspaper in his hand, and, pacing the room from fireside to window, went on reading the poem seemingly at random. He concluded: “When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made … Noble six hundred!
    “Honest to God, Father, what chance did I have when entering the lists with Will De Lancey?”
    His father did not answer him. Instead he declared flatly, “Well, I’m not contesting my seat at the election for the new Assembly, and that’s final. I think you owe it to us-to your mother and me, Edmund-to stand in my place. Think about it, boy.” He added, with a faint smile, “You will be in no danger of meeting Jenny and her husband at any of the garden parties or routs in Sydney, if that is what is worrying you. They’ve gone to Marshall Mount, to the Osbornes’. Will told me that one of Henry Osborne’s nephews was a surgeon in the Crimea, to whom he was indebted for his recovery-which, I gather, was for some considerable time in doubt. The poor fellow-the surgeon, that is-contracted cholera afterward and died, and Will, it seems,